New tractor mowers from EGO

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New tractor mowers from EGO: Following the ground-breaking success of EGO’s zero-turn ride-on mowers, leading battery-powered outdoor power equipment specialist, EGO Power Plus, is expanding its ride-on range with two new tractor mowers.

The twin-blade tractor mowers utilise up to six EGO ARC Lithium™ 56V portable batteries, providing the same power and performance as the equivalent petrol machines. Using EGO’s portable batteries enables the user to tailor the amount of capacity they use, giving them flexibility with run-time, cost, and usage in other EGO tools in the range.

New tractor mowers from EGO

New tractor mowers from EGO

Vince Brauns, Group Product Director at EGO, said: “Following the success of our zero-turn Z6 range, we wanted to introduce more mowers to ensure we could deliver a product for every user’s needs. The new EGO ride-on tractors set the standard in battery-powered collection and side-discharge mowers. Users can now cut substantially sized lawns in comfort and with complete confidence in battery longevity.”

The new range includes the TR3800E-B 98cm ride-on collection tractor mower and the TR4200E 107cm ride-on side discharge version. Both come with powerful twin blades and pressed steel decks to ensure that the mowers combine power and performance with robust durability.

The mowers feature a front mounting that can house up to six EGO batteries and features the company’s Peak Power technology, enabling the machine to draw on the power from all batteries at once. Both models come with the CHV1600E, a 1600W fast charger that fully charges six 10Ah EGO 56V ARC Lithium™ batteries in as little as three hours.

For improved operability there is an LCD control display centrally mounted on the dashboard, enabling quick and easy adjustments to both travel and blade speeds as well as providing real time data on battery capacity. A spring-assisted adjuster with 8 pre-sets provide cutting heights of 25mm to 100mm. In addition, Bluetooth connectivity enables the user to remotely monitor machine performance and ensure that batteries are charged and ready for cutting.

Driver comfort includes an adjustable spring suspension seat and large, wide tyres which ensure both a smoother ride, added grip and better weight distribution to protect lawn integrity. LED headlights enable safe use in low-light conditions while a front bumper helps protect the chassis from potential impact damage.

The TR3800E-B 98cm ride-on collection tractor mower has collection or mulch capabilities, with a substantial 300-litre collection box to maximise cutting times. Large handles make removing and replacing the box ergonomic and easy, while a single level makes emptying the collection box quick and simple.

The TR4200E ride-on side discharge tractor mower offers even greater productivity when grass collection is not required. It can cover up to 2 acres on a single charge and has an enhanced 107cm cutting width.

The ride-on mower range is part of a series of exciting product launches from EGO in 2024. This includes the new Pro X series of hard wearing and powerful tools for professionals, which features a lawn mower, hedge trimmers, line trimmers, brush cutters, and chainsaw.

For more information on the latest products from EGO, visit; www.egopowerplus.co.uk.

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Trilo M3 cleans up at Ombersley GC

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Trilo M3 cleans up at Ombersley GC: Over the 35 years that Andrew Halfpenny has been Course Manager at Ombersley Golf Club, things have changed dramatically – including the site itself, where the 18 hole parkland course has matured, creating an ever-increasing problem with leaf-fall.

With mulching no longer providing a viable solution, the team took delivery of a Trilo M3 vacuum collector in October 2023, which has proved more than capable of keeping the course clean and tidy over a busy autumn and winter season.

Trilo M3 cleans up at Ombersley GC

Trilo M3 cleans up at Ombersley GC

Andrew has clocked up an impressive 47 years with the company, and currently leads the maintenance of the Worcestershire course supported by a team of five. “Leaves weren’t really too much of a problem traditionally, but as the course has matured, mulching them with a mower became unfeasible time-wise and playability-wise for the golfers” he explains. “We’ve established a fantastic relationship over the years with Tallis Amos Group so approached them to see what they could recommend to collect the leaves. They brought us the Trilo M3, we gave it a thorough test and we bought it – simple as that!”

The M3 Multipurpose from Trilo is capable of a range of operations including scarification, cut and collection and debris clearance depending on the attachment equipped. The 1.5m working width and 3m3 hopper capacity makes it compact yet capable of year-round maintenance tasks in a variety of golf and sports turf applications.

“It was delivered in October and was out on a weekly basis. It coped brilliantly with both the volume of leaves we had and the very wet ground. The wanderhose is a brilliant feature, great for manoeuvring around hedgerows and clearing leaves and other litter around perimeter and fence lines. We used the vacuum in conjunction with our blower, quickly removing everything we wanted to and leaving a really clean finish.” Andrew continues, “The players noticed the difference and loved it!”

While the M3 was predominately purchased for leaf clearance Andrew foresees that, with the climatic changes he has observed during his tenure, it will find other uses. “We see more rain, and notably more wind, which blows litter and tree-debris around the course. The M3 is our new go-to machine for keeping the course tidy.”

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Hadlow College hosts horticulture regional finals

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Hadlow College hosts horticulture regional finals: Excitement blossomed at Hadlow College recently as green-fingered enthusiasts from across the South-East battled it out to advance to the national finals of a prestigious competition.

The College hosted the regional finals of the Young Horticulturist of the Year competition. Run by the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, the competition offers a platform for budding horticulturalists to showcase their expertise and connect with fellow enthusiasts from the UK and Ireland

Hadlow College hosts horticulture regional finals

Hadlow College hosts horticulture regional finals

The South-East Regional Final is the second stage of the competition. The eight competitors taking part had already made it through the first heat, an online test with 40 questions on topics covering areas such as plant identification, soils, plant maintenance, turf, propagation and garden history.

The Regional Final saw the competitors being asked questions by an adjudication panel, before a plant identification and pest round took place with the fastest person to buzz in getting the chance to answer and score points.

The winning contestant went through to the Grand Final, which is being held in May. Here the overall winner receives the £2,500 Percy Thrower Travel Bursary, provided by the Shropshire Horticultural Society & the Percy Thrower Trust, to fund a horticultural trip anywhere in the world. Second place goes home with £950, third place with £550 and the rest of the runners up all receive £200.

Each of the finalists is also awarded membership to the Chartered Institute of Horticulture.

Previous winners have visited Borneo, China, New Zealand, South Africa, the Himalayas, and the Galapagos Islands to name just a few!

During the event the College’s cutting-edge glasshouse, where a tomato crop is being grown in partnership with Thanet Earth, was showcased. The crop is fully installed for the season ahead and contestants and supporters on the night were able to learn more about the growing requirements, hydroponics, nutrient feeds as well as light levels and biosecurity.

Hadlow College Senior Horticulture Skills Trainer Gareth Batts, who was on the adjudication panel, was delighted with how the evening went, saying: “I am pleased that Hadlow were able to support this competition in holding the regional finals. We were due to hold it in 2020 but due to COVID this had to be postponed. During the event it was great to showcase the horticulture opportunities that we offer at Hadlow and to give tours to the wider industry showing the collaborative projects that we are undertaking. The gardens were open for visitors to explore and discussions regarding our new orchard took place.

As a trainer I was able to showcase what our horticulture students do at Hadlow and I was able to network and create further links with the industry to benefit the students, visits to other gardens and speakers to the college are in the pipeline because of the event.”

“The apprenticeship students were involved with the setting up of the event as well as creating information posters for the visitors to see. It has helped build their industry knowledge, team working and communication skills, all essential parts of the apprenticeship. We look forward to having the opportunity again in the future to hold this event and hopefully next year a Hadlow student will make it through to the regionals.”

Hadlow College offers a number of horticulture courses, with students benefitting from first class facilities such as the glasshouses and also a ‘robotic orchard and vineyard’ which demonstrates the latest technology including automated AI management systems, a state-of-the-art irrigation, fertigation and frost protection system and automated fruit picking.

If you are interested in studying the subject at Hadlow College, visit the Horticulture subject page of the College website.

You can find out more about the Young Horticulturist of the Year competition on the Chartered Institute of Horticulture website.

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Two golf clubs report shocking vandalism

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Two golf clubs report shocking vandalism: Two golf clubs in Bournemouth have reported that vandals have attacked parts of their courses.

Read the full article from the Golf Business here

Two golf clubs report shocking vandalism

Two golf clubs report shocking vandalism

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