New Biostimulants For Turf Health Management

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New Biostimulants For Turf Health Management: From establishment to recovery, a full season approach to turf health management is now on offer, following the launch of two new biostimulant products by Arysta LifeScience.

Tonivit® and Double Edge® join existing product Goemar Turf® to form a triple pronged approach to turf management, offering bespoke solutions for three different stages of sward development.

New Biostimulants For Turf Health Management

Technical Support for Arysta LifeScience UK & Ireland, Stephen Olive, said: “Together, these three products complement each other as a programme, but also individually offer solutions for specific uses through the season, whether that’s establishing newly seed turf, improving overall health status, or boosting recovery following high traffic activity.

“Manufactured to the same standard as our traditional crop protection products, our biostimulants are highly concentrated thanks to the development of a refined cold-press extraction process at our manufacturing plant in St. Malo, France. This means the application rate for all three products is between just 1 and 3L/ha.”

Aimed at the establishment of turf is Tonivit – a new biostimulant formulated from natural GA142 seaweed extract with added P & K. It activates root growth, root activity & tillering to quickly establish a stronger sward for newly seeded or re-seeded areas.

The effect of Tonivit on emergence speed is demonstrated through trials, which have shown that newly sown leys treated with the product reach 70% sward density three weeks earlier than those untreated.

Central to the range is existing product Goemar Turf, formulated from GA142 with added MgO, Cu & N. Goemar Turf improves the overall health and maintenance of turf, particularly for areas of aesthetic value such as golf courses. It can also help to prepare grasses for environmental stresses such as drier conditions throughout summer.

Completing the set is Double Edge. Double Edge is aimed at turf recovery, and uniquely combines two complementary biostimulants to further boost root growth and improve stress relief. Double Edge features 18 different vegetable amino acids along with GA142, N, P & K.

Stephen added: “We recognise that a ‘one size fits all’ approach is not necessarily best for biostimulant products in the amenity turf sector.

“Following the success of Goemar Turf, which is used at some of the top golf courses in the world, we wanted to develop our portfolio further to create targeted solutions that address some of the main problems that greenkeepers and groundsmen face.

“Biostimulants are an important part of an integrated approach to turf protection, demonstrating a commitment to the sustainability agenda. We are proud to offer these three innovative products to the amenity turf sector.”

All three products were showcased at BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition in Harrogate last month.

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Vandals Set Fire To Football Pitch

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Vandals Set Fire To Football Pitch: A football pitch in Drimnagh has been damaged in a suspected arson attack.

The pitch on Benmadigan Road is used by local club St John Bosco.

It is believed plastic fencing that was left at the pitch was set on fire.

Pictures shared on social media by Cllr Daithi Doolan show a part of the pitch scorched this morning.

Cllr Doolan condemned those who caused the damage.

He said: “This vandalism damages the whole community. If you are involved please. Stop and think. If you see it. Report it.”

Cllr Doolan has reported the damage to Dublin City Council, who have assured him they will be cleaning it up as soon as possible.

St John Bosco have been established in the local community for over 60 years.

The successful club operates teams for boys and girls at all underage levels.

Gardai confirmed investigations into the incident are ongoing.

A garda spokesperson said: “Gardai were called to an incident of a report of a fire at Brickfield Park, Drimnagh on 9 February, 2019 – there was damage to a green area with fire burnt out.”

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New Management For Machinery Distributor

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New Management For Machinery Distributor: The UK distributor of Ferris, Wright and Spider mowers and Jensen woodchippers has announced new leadership this week.

Divisional Director Tim Lane, who established the Machinery Imports business at T H WHITE in 2016 and has been instrumental in the growth and success of the business, is moving onto a new role after 19 years at the company.

New Management For Machinery Distributor

Bill Johnston now assumes the role of Head of Machinery Imports from 1st February, taking full responsibility of the management of the division.

“I joined the T H WHITE Group in 2015 as a woodchipper specialist and since early 2017 have been responsible for Jensen UK, building relationships with dealers across the country and developing a comprehensive and growing dealer network for the brand” says Bill.

“My new role will involve further promotion of our four brands and further growth of the dealer network throughout the UK, using the momentum gained already in the past three years created by our experienced team.

“I have identified areas where we still have further opportunities for both our team and our existing dealers to grow and am excited for the future of our business.”

Bill will manage the Machinery Imports team of Area Sales Managers who will continue to support all the UK Ferris, Wright, Spider and Jensen dealers, as well as remaining the primary point of contact for Jensen woodchipper enquiries.

“Following a superb 18 months with Jensen, I feel we have barely started our journey with this premium brand. I’ll be working closely with our Jensen Woodchipper Specialist, Nathan Jacobs, to ensure we maintain the same level of dealer support.

“We have already identified opportunities for further gains in our parts business and will be appointing additional staff in that area in the coming weeks to support our parts offering.”

Focusing on the future of the business, Bill has impressive plans and aspirations in place for all departments, commenting:

“All four brands will benefit from technical and sales training that we are rolling out to our dealer network throughout 2019. We have plans in place to continue increasing brand awareness across the board and the business is forecasted to grow market share as a result.

“Particular focus will be given to our parts department where our sales and expertise grows year on year and with additional investment will create an enviable and highly efficient after-sales function.”

Prior to joining the T H WHITE Group, Bill spent 22 years managing Character Landscapes.

Based in central Wiltshire and operating from three depots, his company maintained a reputation for quality, with the business achieving significant repeat custom. Designing, building and maintaining some of the finest gardens in the South of England, working on a mix of private historic homes and parks, commercial developments and sensitive environmental sites.

Bill believes the success of his company was a direct result of the staff employed, with a diverse skill set and unequalled enthusiasm. Everyone within the company whatever their position, from the team of garden designers to the teams undertaking ground maintenance in all weathers were valued by both Bill and the customers.

“I fully recognise how a motivated team can achieve great success and will continue to pursue this aim throughout my career.”

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Deep Aeration Cures Waterlogging

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Deep Aeration Cures Waterlogging: Heavy downpours of rain on compacted grass areas on sports pitches, bowling greens, golf courses and amenity areas can leave standing water, rendering them unusable and stopping play. The action of normal aeration, use of machines and foot traffic over time can leave areas compacted and panning occurs, causing poor drainage and depriving grass roots of oxygen and nutrients. Sports turf specialists Terrain Aeration have been providing a long-term solution to this for over twenty five years, using one- metre deep penetration of the playing surface.

The Terrain Aeration Terralift machine not only solves the immediate compaction problem, the process has a beneficial effect that lasts many years. It works like this. The Terralift hammers a hollow probe one metre into the soil using a JCB road breaker gun (this is because the ground is usually so compact at depth that it needs this hammer to break through).  Once the probe has reached one metre depth, compressed air is released up to a maximum of 20Bar (280psi), the Terralift being the only machine using such high air pressure, which is needed to fracture and fissure the soil. The probe is withdrawn and the process repeated using two-metre centre spacings on a staggered grid pattern – this means that each shot interconnects with the previous ones.

Deep Aeration Cures Waterlogging

On the tail end of the air blast, dried seaweed is injected which sticks to the walls of the fractures and fissures and, over time, expands and contracts with the moisture content in the soil – similar to “breathing” underground.   The 1½” probe holes created by the Terralift machine are backfilled with aggregate to provide a semi permanent aeration/ventilation shaft, helping to keep the whole aeration process working.  The top 1″ should be topped with the usual top dressing to encourage grass growth over the probe holes.  The Terrain Aeration process is ecologically sound, there is no mess and once the pitch or green has been given a light mow it’s ready for play to resume.

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Ashridge GC Reaps Toro Benefits

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Ashridge GC Reaps Toro Benefits: With one of the hottest summers on record last year, Ashridge Golf Club in Hertfordshire has reaped the benefits of a new Toro irrigation system, installed in the nick of time.

Consisting of a Toro Lynx control system and a combination of Toro FLEX 34, 35 and T5 RapidSet series sprinklers, the dry summer was no match for Toro’s top of the line technology.

Ashridge GC Reaps Toro Benefits

Course manager, James Camfield, explains: “The system was installed in the winter of 2017 and in 2018 we had an incredibly dry summer. It was a real test considering we were still getting used to the system, but the training provided by Toro was excellent, so we got through it with relative ease. We’re really fortunate we had the installation when we did, without it, I’m sure the course would have really suffered.”

With the new irrigation system having done wonders on the greens, tees, surrounds and approaches despite the extreme weather, James and the team have been blown away by the results.

“It’s been transformational,” he says. “We’re applying water consistently and uniformly to the greens and irrigating the surrounds automatically for the first time ever. Members and visitors have all seen the difference and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Looking at the club’s previous system, it’s hard to imagine what the course would be like now without the new Toro system. “The old system was originally installed in the 1970s with bits and pieces added over the years, so it just wasn’t able to keep up with the modern demands of the course,” explains James. “With leaking pipework, varying water pressure and a temperamental control system, the course would have been in far worse condition if we hadn’t updated the system when we did.”

Prior to the instalment, James visited several clubs to see different irrigation systems at work. Despite originally considering another brand, after watching the Toro Lynx control system in action James decided there was no question it was the superior option. “It became evident very quickly that Toro was the way to go, with extra features like the weather station, Turf Guard wireless soil moisture sensors and the fact you can control it from anywhere gives you complete peace of mind.”

In recent years, the 350-acre course, which originally opened in 1932, has undergone much development including rebuilding bunkers, levelling tees and managing woodland areas to name a few. As such a progressive club determined to stay at the top of its game and listed within the top 100 golf courses in England, Toro irrigation was the next step in that process.

Now, with Toro irrigation in place, the club is a proud ‘Total Solutions’ customer, and James is already making plans for the future.

“We’re looking to invest more in Toro machinery over the next few years. The club is considering a second phase of the irrigation project. Twelve of the fairways weren’t covered by the first phase and you can tell that they’ve really suffered compared to the rest of the course. Updating the fairways, starting in the worst affected areas, will help protect more of the course in the future.”

He concludes: “With our Toro irrigation system able to battle through one of the toughest summers yet, we’re confident it’s ready for any challenge that comes its way!”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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