Wessex Joins Forces With RFU

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Wessex Joins Forces With RFU: Wessex International, one of Britain’s leaders in groundcare equipment, has become a partner in Rugby Groundsmen Connected.

The rugby club pitch maintenance equipment package, devised by the Rugby Football Union’s head groundsman, Keith Kent, is the RFU’s easy access, two-way communication network between the RFU and rugby union groundsmen. Working with trusted industry partners, Keith’s package is designed to meet the needs of rugby union clubs aiming to deliver a high quality pitch maintenance programme. Part of this includes the Wessex ProLine CRX-180 combination mower, with castoring wheels at the front and a full width roller on the rear for a precision stripe. The award winning CRX is very easy to maintain and is suited to compact tractors from 20hp such as the Iseki TM3265, which is also offered as part of the package.

“We’re delighted to be partners and have our CRX MultiCut chosen to be part of the programme,” says Pete Farndell, Wessex International’s Marketing Manager, “being part of Rugby Groundsmen Connected is a wonderful opportunity to get close to grass roots and the rugby groundsmen. The CRX has proved itself worthy at many RFU clubs and grounds across the UK. This is an excellent opportunity to let people know of its capabilities.”

Wessex Joins Forces With RFU

What’s different about the Wessex CRX MultiCut is that it is effectively three mowers in one: roller mower, finishing mower and combination mower. As a finishing mower, with its high blade tip speed it’s in a different league for cut quality, while maintaining increased manoeuvrability in awkward areas. In its role as a combination mower it is ideally suited to front mounting on a compact tractor, with the castoring wheels reducing scuffing and the rear roller leaving the prestigious striped effect on the turf.

Everything the RFU does related to pitch maintenance now comes under the banner of Rugby Groundsmen Connected and Wessex International are proud to be a part of the RFU initiative to provide information and advice to groundsmen, with special offers, a 3 year warranty and exclusive benefits to members.

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SCH’s ‘D’ Turf Care System

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SCH’s ‘D’ Turf Care System: The SCH (Supplies) Ltd ‘D’ Turf Care System is a heavy duty range which is ideal for use on sports pitches or any other large areas of turf.

Various attachments are available including the Deep Mounted Slitter (ref DSM), the Mounted Deep Aerator (Ref DAM), the Hollow Tine Corer (Ref DHTC) the De-Thatching Rake (Ref DDTC)The Sorrel Roller (Ref DSR) and a version of the slitter that has individually replaceable tines, (Ref DSM2).

SCH's ‘D’ Turf Care System

The carrying frame (Ref DMF) is three point linkage mounted (category 1) and has a floating roller to push back divots without closing the penetrations made by the attachments. There is also a weight tray which is used to add weight for extra penetration or can be used to carry tools.

The Mounted Frame (DMF) which is essential is priced at £620.00 plus VAT. Attachments start at £690.00 plus VAT.

Another popular item in the range is the Combination Turf Groomer (Ref 4GCS) (See photograph)

It’s a three point linkage mounted, multi-tasking unit that will groom pitches prior to use or after play. A star shaped slitter bar pierces the surface and increases drainage, then a brush and rake bards tickle over the surface enhancing the quality and appearance of the turf. A rear roller then firms up the surface and provides much admired striping.

All three tools on this all-in-one unit are independently adjustable for depth and pressure.

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Beating The Stresses Of Sports

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Beating The Stresses Of Sports: Natural turf for sports is enjoyable to play on when effectively looked after but this relies on the health of the grass being well maintained to prevent ‘stressed grass’. This occurs when the growing conditions become difficult and results in poor sports turf with ‘bottom’ in the grass and sparse ‘thin’ grass with lots of earth on show. Grass, like most plants require light and heat from the sun, carbon dioxide and oxygen from the atmosphere and structure, water and nutrients from the soil. If any of these components is compromised, the grass plant will suffer and may not recover from the stress of play.

It is helpful if managing sports turf to understand the science behind the design and maintenance of natural sports turf which requires some specialist knowledge of soils, drainage and agronomy.

Beating The Stresses Of Sports

Amino acids are the foundational building blocks for plant growth. Even though plants have the capacity to biosynthesize all the amino acids that they require from nitrogen, carbon oxygen and hydrogen, the process is quite complex and energy consuming. Application of amino acids contained in Sward-booster allows the plant to save energy on this process during critical growth stages. Sward-booster takes plant nutrition beyond conventional fertilisers by combining a unique, powerful package of 19 essential amino-acids, humic acid complex, seaweed and major and minor nutrients from organic and inorganic sources. Sward-booster facilitates maximum utilisation of nutrients, water, CO2 and light to maximise growth efficiently. Sward-booster is ideal for feeding or aiding stressed grass on sports pitches, racecourses, lawns & other grassed areas.

A full sports turf maintenance plan produced by a competent agronomist consultant is essential & they need to consider the following points; frequency of mowing, aeration, irrigation, seeding, use of fertiliser and weed/pest control.

Regular mowing is fundamental to the maintenance of surface quality. Frequency of mowing will depend on the time of year and will vary according to the location of the site. Irrigation may be required to aid grass growth during dry periods & the use of a wetting agent may also be beneficial.

Fertilisation is important to aid growth and recovery, as well as to maintain good presentation. It must be applied at the optimum rate and at appropriate times. It’s best to determine this with a detailed soil analysis and expert advice on this from a qualified agronomist.

Full grass cover is essential to prevent weed invasion so regular seeding is necessary to repair damaged and weakened areas of turf. Ongoing preventive measures are required to protect the playing surface from pest damage and weeds.

Performance Quality Standards (PQS) provide a benchmark for assessing the efficacy of maintenance operations in terms of achieving and maintaining the quality and performance of natural turf sports surfaces. If you would like any more information or a free appraisal please contact Agrigem.

For more information, visit: www.agrigem.co.uk

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Campey’s Pitch Renovation Day

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Campey’s Pitch Renovation Day: Campey Turf Care Systems is bringing the highly successful Grassroots Pitch Renovation Day to Debdale Park Football Club in Mansfield on Wednesday 16th May 2018.

The maintenance of local football pitches and playing fields has long been in decline with those using them suffering from poor playing conditions and consistently postponed games. This has led to a drop in participation and lost revenue for clubs that play an important role in the community.

Campey's Pitch Renovation Day

A majority of grassroots clubs run on limited funds and varied amounts of experience offered by volunteer groundsman and local dealers. Because of this, the Renovation Day also offers advice from Campey product specialists who will be able to provide tailored answers to problems that clubs may be facing. All grounds staff, whether professional, amateur, part or full time are invited to attend.

The Grass Roots Renovation Day at Debdale Park will provide the opportunity to gain first-hand experience with the latest and most innovative sports turf machinery and materials. Carrying out basic economically effective maintenance correctly, can make a massive difference in the condition of a playing surface.

Planning and executing a renovation is key to the success of a pitch throughout the season and all stages of renovation will be demonstrated through out the day. The process will begin by using the new Koro FIELDTOPMAKER to fraise mow the pitch before the Imants Shockwave is used for decompaction in preparation for sand to be spread with a Dakota Turf Tender. The Recycling Dresser will then be used to mix the new sand and soil together before a Vredo Overseeder places seed directly into the ground and a Raycam Unirake levels and rakes the surface.

Campey's Pitch Renovation Day

The Raycam LM3010 liquid transfer line marker will demonstrate how to add the perfect finishing touches while the industry leading aeration machine, the Air2G2 GT Air Inject, will also be in action during the day to show what can be done during the season to tackle compacted areas.

For more information, visit: www.campeyturfcare.com

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Swansea Happy With Johnsons

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Swansea Happy With Johnsons: Liberty Stadium Swansea, the premier sports venue in south west Wales, is home to Swansea City Football Club and the Ospreys regional rugby team. Although being sceptical, head groundsman Dan Kirton, made the switch to Johnsons Sports Seed in 2015 and now admits that it would take “something seriously special” to make them use anything else! Between Johnsons Premier Pitch and J 4Turf mixtures, the team have achieved fantastic year-round results year on year.

“We had heard and read so many good things about the range that for our renovations in 2015 we gave it a go,” explained Dan. As a multi-sport venue, Dan, and his team of three, face a variety of challenges when it comes to managing the pitch. “We have on average 30 football and 20 rugby games a season, with sometimes just a single day turnaround between matches. Renovation can also be hectic – the concert schedule will determine how long we have to get the pitch match fit. To stand any chance of good results we need mixtures that germinate quickly.”

Swansea Happy With Johnsons

Because of their unique requirements, DLF’s Ian Barnett suggested using a combination of Johnsons J Premier Pitch during summer, and for the colder months, Johnsons J 4Turf. “If we have a rugby game on the Friday night, we’ll clean the pitch up and put J Premier Pitch down and by the following week we’re getting germination – you can’t ask for better than that!”. J Premier Pitch is the UK’s No.1 sports turf renovation mixture, containing Europe’s highest rated cultivars to deliver a sward with exceptional wear tolerance, density and rapid recovery under heavy wear. J 4Turf tetraploid rye ensures rapid establishment even under low soil temperatures making it ideal for autumn and winter overseeding.

“This year we have a concert on the 7th July giving us just three weeks for renovation before the first game of the new season. If we have any chance of getting the seed through in time we’ll definitely be continuing with our Johnsons Seed programme; it’s easily the best seed we’ve ever used and, backed up with support and advice from Ian, means we haven’t looked back since.”

For more information, visit: www.johnsonssportsseed.co.uk

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Milestones For Hunts Engineering

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Milestones For Hunts Engineering: Hunts Engineering Ltd is celebrating a double milestone this year after reaching its 10th anniversary in business and also its first year working in partnership with Kubota UK.

To celebrate these key milestones, the Midlands-based tractor and groundcare dealer recently held a special two-day event at its premises in Shipton-on-Stour, welcoming over 250 customers through its doors.

Milestones For Hunts Engineering

Visitors to the open days had the opportunity to see Kubota’s complete range of market leading groundcare solutions, with machinery experts from Hunts Engineering and Kubota UK on-hand to help and answer any questions and queries. A number of live demonstrations also took place across the two-day event, giving visitors the chance to see the machines in action.

Kubota UK’s partnership with Hunts Engineering is going from strength to strength since the two joined forces in 2017. For Hunts Engineering, it has enabled the business to target a much wider customer base.

Hunt’s Engineering’s latest partnership with Kubota UK has helped it to further target the commercial arena, allowing Hunts Engineering to supply machinery to commercial landscapers, local authorities and grounds maintenance professionals across Shipston and spanning a 20-mile radius including Banbury, Chipping Norton and Stratford.

For the first time, Hunts Engineering now supplies UTVs, sub-compact tractors and ride-on mowers through Kubota’s diverse product portfolio. This includes Kubota’s rugged RTV400, RTV500, RTV-X900 and RTV-X1140 utility vehicles, its new BX231, B Series and L1361 sub-compact tractors, and its high performance ride-on mowers, such as the GR Series and ZD122R.

Peter Hunt, Managing Director at Hunts Engineering Ltd, said: “As a family-run business, we are delighted to be celebrating our ten-year anniversary, whilst also marking our one-year milestone as a Kubota dealer.

“Becoming a Kubota groundcare dealer has enabled us to take the business to a new level, securing a breadth of both residential and commercial clients. Whilst its product range is second to none, Kubota’s commitment to aftersales and service also reflects our own dedication to servicing and parts, which remains very much at the core of our success.”

Having been an agricultural engineer for a number of years before launching the business with his wife, Julie, Hunts Engineering boasts a first class workshop and team of Kubota trained engineers who hold over 80 years of servicing experience between them.

Adrian Langmead, Groundcare Business Development Manager, added: “Over the last year we have seen significant growth through our partnership with Hunts Engineering. Our dealer network is vital to our continued growth and success, so having such a dedicated and committed dealership representing our product range, whilst also providing excellent aftersales service, is a fantastic extension of our brand. We look forward to continued success for many years to come.”

For more information on Kubota and its service solutions for the groundcare sector visit www.kubota.co.uk or call 01844 268000.

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Green-Tech’s Chemical Workshops

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Green-Tech’s Chemical Workshops: Green-tech are running a series of Chemical Workshops throughout 2018.

The first workshop: Training the Trainer is to be held at Green-tech’s head office in North Yorkshire on Wednesday 9th May from 9am until 3pm. There are plans to run a similar workshop at BALI’s head office in Stoneleigh but this along with other nationwide dates and venues will be announced shortly.

Green-Tech's Chemical Workshops

Training and workshops will be delivered by ICL, Belchim, Vale Engineering, Monsanto, Amenity Forum and Ground Control, covering topics including:

  • Sprayer calibration
  • Nozzle selection
  • Choosing the correct chemical for your application
  • The future of glyphosate and alternative options
  • Policy changes and updates to license requirements

Places are free but booking is essential. Delegates will collect up to nine BASIS points by attending all sessions and will take away the advice and best practice techniques to pass on throughout their team.

For further information or to book your place visit www.green-tech.co.uk/chemical-workshop or call 01423 332 100

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Sutton’s 3G Pitch Dilemma

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Sutton’s 3G Pitch Dilemma: Sutton United will tear up their 3G pitch and replace it with grass at a cost of £300,000 if they win promotion from the National League after admitting defeat in their fight to allow the surface in the EFL.

Sutton are third in the National League but under Football League rules the club would be refused entry to League Two next season if they kept their pitch as it was.

Sutton's 3G Pitch Dilemma

And, in a bizarre twist, should they win promotion and refuse to lay grass turf they would be demoted to National League South.

Sutton hosted Arsenal in the FA Cup last year and it had been suggested they would prefer to keep the pitch and remain a non‑League club.

But Sutton chairman Bruce Elliott has confirmed that, if they win promotion, the club will install a grass pitch.

Sutton spent £420,000 to install their 3G pitch in 2015 and have urged the EFL to change their rules. However, that would require the backing of the majority of EFL clubs and Elliott says there is “no appetite” for that.

Artificial surfaces were banned from English professional leagues in 1995 but Elliott said: “It is frustrating because these pitches are clearly acceptable now. They have moved on from those pitches that came in at Luton and QPR many years ago. Technology has moved on. People are not using the same computer they were using 30 years ago and artificial surfaces have moved on with technology.

“It is frustrating that World Cup games can be played on them, as can European games, FA Cup matches but not games in League One or League Two.

“But you have to accept the rules. If we get promoted we will have to take up our 3G pitch and replace it with grass.

“It would be a sad day because it has been brilliant for us but you always want to play at the best level you can and if we can get into the Football League for the first time in the club’s 120-year history then of course we will do.

“We believe 3G is the way forward, however, if we have to take what we see as a backwards step to move forward then needs must.”

Part-timers Sutton lost 2-1 to Halifax Town last night but are in a play-off position with four games remaining.

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Headland Bring Greens Back To Life

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Headland Bring Greens Back To Life: Over the autumn and winter of 2016/17, Basingstoke’s Test Valley Golf Club was hit with a serious Fusarium attack which left their greens weakened and scar damaged. Course Manager Dave Ross turned to Alex Hawkes of Headland Amenity to help with the creation of a recovery programme – applied it at the right time to maximise the results by using the Headland WeatherCheck service.

“Looking back at it now, the greens didn’t go into the period as strong as they should have been, leaving them vulnerable to disease” explains Dave, who heads up a team of 4 greenkeepers. “It was clear the damage from the Fusarium attack was extensive so I asked Alex for advice to put together a recovery plan, to try and give the greens a kick start into spring.” Alex recommended C-Complex 5-2-10, an organic mineral fertiliser capable of working in low temperatures making it an ideal spring starter.

Headland Bring Greens Back To Life

Alex explains, “I told Dave how C-Complex could provide a burst of early growth, which could help to grow the disease scars back in. However, to give it the best chance, I consulted the WeatherCheck service to find the optimum window of opportunity. As this was February, I was not overly hopeful however I could see there was an uplift in ‘Growth Potential’ imminent so we organised a next day delivery of the product for Dave to apply – the products performance, coupled with the window of increased soil temperatures, delivered amazing results and gave the greens the kick start they needed moving into the main playing season.”

“It was a new product to us” says Dave, “but it did exactly what Alex said it would.” Following this, between April and September they’ve had success on the greens with a programme of Seamac Ultra Plus, C-Complex and TeMag Elite. “We’ve also kept an eye on the ‘Evapotranspiration’ module on WeatherCheck which gives us an idea of when the greens are likely to experience drought stress. Using this information, we have been using TriCure Granular as a pre-emptive stress reliever on the driest areas, again to great effect.”

Headland’s WeatherCheck is a customer and postcode weather service which features a general 7- day forecast, as well as detailed 3-hourly, daily weather forecasts showing predicted rainfall, expected wind strength and precipitation probability. It also contains many specific agronomic modules, facilitating the turf manager to take a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to programmes and applications.

For more information, visit: www.headlandamenity.com

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New Müthing Mulcher

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New Müthing Mulcher: Available from May 2018, Muthing say their new MU-Collect Vario mulcher offers professional grass cutting and mulching technology for landscaping applications. Simon Richard, UK Agent for the Muthing range, says “The new MU-Collect Vario gives you both possibilities; an optimal mulching result and perfectly tidy surfaces. It is available in working widths of 1.4 and 1.6 m for mechanical driving powers of 20 to 40 hp, and hydraulically driven with 30 to 70 l/min. The M-Vario is able to achieve the best possible mulch quality and shredding performance, while also increasing the load capacity for the carrier vehicle, thanks to an optimised intake and housing form and the ability to steplessly adjust the shredding rates at the cutting bar”

The optimal accessibility of the MU-Collect Vario allows the user to quickly change the implement between the collecting and the mulching functions. A feeder auger brings the mulch material together to ensure reliable operation even under high throughput levels. The special delivery chute prevents blockages due to material backup or full containers. The mulch material can be ejected or drawn in either centrally or on the right (viewed in the direction of travel) depending on the particular vehicle being used. This allows the implement to be mounted just as easily on large mowers as on compact tractors. Various mounting consoles for support arms as well as a coupling triangle in Cat. 0 and 1 are available.

New Müthing Mulcher

The MU-ollect Vario mulcher is equipped as standard with a full-length wear insert, durable Hardox wear runners and the tried-and-tested carbide M-shackle flails. Scarifying blades are also available for the implement. These cut up and aerate the matted layer in the root crown area to improve the soil structure in the long term. An optionally available operating hours counter and screw-in wear parts round off the product.

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