Agrovista Amenity Innovation at BTME

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Agrovista Amenity Innovation at BTME: Agrovista Amenity will return to BTME 2026 with a line-up that reflects its continued commitment to practical, science-led turf solutions. Visitors to Stand 126 will be able to explore two of the industry’s most talked-about technologies – Attraxor® and Maxtima® – alongside an exciting new addition to Agrovista Amenity’s product portfolio, the Thor robotic mower.

Attraxor® – growth regulation with real-world efficiency

Attraxor® has become a core part of integrated turf management programmes thanks to its proven ability to regulate growth quickly, consistently and across all major amenity grass species. Powered by prohexadione-calcium, the formulation inhibits the gibberellic acid pathway, reducing upward growth and easing mowing demands. Once mixed in the spray tank, the active is immediately activated by water and begins regulating within as little as four hours.

Agrovista Amenity Innovation at BTME

Agrovista Amenity Innovation at BTME

Visitors can speak to Agrovista specialists about how Attraxor® helps reduce clipping yield, increase labour efficiency and produce denser, higher-quality swards. Its strong performance at rates as low as 375 g/ha, its suitability for early-season use, and its compatibility with key fertilisers, colourants, herbicides and fungicides make it an adaptable option for greens, fairways and sports surfaces. Whether the goal is labour savings, improved playability or reducing the dominance of Poa annua, Attraxor® continues to deliver reliable results throughout the growing season.

Maxtima® – flexible, turf-safe disease control

Agrovista Amenity will also highlight Maxtima®, featuring mefentrifluconazole – the industry’s first isopropanol-azole and a major step forward in DMI fungicide technology. Its flexible ‘hook-like’ molecular structure allows it to bind powerfully to target enzymes within fungal pathogens, delivering fast knockdown and long-lasting protection even in challenging, cool or variable weather.

With excellent turf safety, low application rates and up to 28 days of activity, Maxtima® provides broad-spectrum control while remaining a strong rotational partner for resistance management. Rapid foliar absorption forms internal leaf reservoirs, protecting the active from UV and wash-off and supporting extended translocation through the plant. The result is dependable performance against many of the toughest turf diseases encountered across golf, sports and amenity settings.

Introducing the Thor robotic mower

Making its BTME debut, the Thor robotic mower brings fully autonomous, all-electric mowing to professional turf management. Equipped with RTK, LiDAR and AI vision, Thor delivers precise navigation across large areas, cutting up to 36,000m² per day with a 730mm deck. Dual-wheel drive, robust all-terrain capability, auto-return charging and cloud-based mapping make the system a powerful option for sports fields, golf courses, public parks and estates seeking consistent finish with minimal operator input.

With real-time monitoring, safety sensors, a flexible cutting height range (10–100mm) and tablet or app-based control, Thor represents a future-ready approach to large-area mowing.

Agrovista Amenity’s technical team will be available throughout BTME to discuss product strategies, site-specific advice and integrated solutions. Visitors are encouraged to stop by Stand 126 to see the full range in action.

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit https://amenity.agrovista.co.uk/

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Suståne to introduce new Zero-Phos range

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Suståne to introduce new Zero-Phos range: With thoughts turning to the new season, turf professionals looking for solutions that deliver early strength, reliable performance and long-term soil health can find all of the answers on the Suståne stand at BTME 2026.

Featuring 75% water soluble nitrogen, Suståne’s 10-1-4 is an ideal spring starter, delivering a quicker N response in cooler weather and the necessary organic base to get spring growth off to the best start.

Suståne to introduce new Zero-Phos range

Suståne to introduce new Zero-Phos range

Suståne 10-1-4 is a fine grade fertiliser for greens, tees and tight cut fairways, rich in quick release water soluble nitrogen (WSN) making it ideal for a quick green up when soil temperatures are below optimum. While the WSN offers immediate energy, the fertiliser’s natural organic base of humus-rich compost, beneficial microbiology and all 17 elements essential for plant photosynthesis builds a stable platform for good soil structure and consistent nutrient release as temperatures rise.

Stand 170 will also see the launch of Suståne’s new Zero-Phos range of natural base fertilisers – developed to allow turf grass managers to design nutrient plans for environments where phosphate application is restricted due to local or regional regulations, or agronomic situations where phosphate application is not required. Like all Suståne fertilisers, this range is built upon the finest base of composted ingredients co-granulated with mineral nutrient inputs. The final product offer a homogenous granular fertiliser, with each granule containing essential plant nutrients, stable organic matter, beneficial biology and humic substances. This new range is easy to apply, safe and agronomically effect, and the perfect input to promote healthy turf grass and healthy, biologically active soils.

Visitors can be among the first to learn about the two new Zero-Phos fine grade formulations – 4-0-6 and 8-0-6 100SGN – and one medium grade formulation, 14-0-6 200SGN, by speaking with Suståne’s technical team when BTME returns to the Harrogate Convention Centre on 20-22 January 2026.

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Kubota to showcase high-cut capability at BTME

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Kubota to showcase high-cut capability at BTME: Kubota is set to make a popular return to BTME, once again partnering with Baroness to showcase a reliable and powerful portfolio of Japanese turf maintenance solutions on stand 624. The focus for 2026 is innovation in their out-front mowing range, with the FC4-441 fitted with a deck offering an impressive height of cut up to 7” taking centre stage.  

The FC4-441 is the latest addition to the FC mower range, designed to deliver versatile cutting performance on large areas such as parks and sports facilities. Equally at home on the golf course, the FC4-441 will be presented at BTME with a new out-front rotary cutting deck, capable of the higher heights of cut required for heather management, wildflower maintenance or the preservation of wildlife areas and longer roughs.

Kubota to showcase high-cut capability at BTME

Kubota to showcase high-cut capability at BTME

While the updated deck delivers improved performance in longer or more delicate vegetation, with a quick and simple adjustment the FC4-441 can cut other peripheral areas around the course – offering greenkeepers flexibility without compromise on cut quality or productivity – or even be used as a leaf collection unit thanks to its generous 1300L hopper.

No Kubota stand is ever complete without a compact tractor or two, with both the B2-261 and L2-452 making an appearance in Harrogate this January. Renowned for its power-to-size ratio, comfort and adaptability, the B2-261 is a popular choice with golf courses across the country. Meanwhile, the L2-452 combines robust, reliable technology with a high degree of operator comfort – providing 45hp of manoeuvrable performance for all mainstream maintenance tasks.

One of those tasks is aeration, with the L2-452 equipped with the Baroness TDA aerator showcasing the epitome of a productive partnership.

Visitors to stand 624 can also ask their questions to the Kubota technical team, who will be on hand across the three days to advise how these machines and others can support more efficient and sustainable golf course management.

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Winter Water Feature Maintenance

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Winter Water Feature Maintenance: Leading water feature specialist Waterscapes highlights the importance of consistent winter care to protect investments and ensure spring readiness.

As temperatures drop and winter sets in, many facilities teams assume water feature maintenance requirements decrease. However, leading water feature specialist Waterscapes is highlighting that winter creates different, not fewer, maintenance priorities.

Winter Water Feature Maintenance

Winter Water Feature Maintenance

“Winter doesn’t mean your water feature maintenance stops,” explains Ed Harwood, Maintenance Contracts Manager at Waterscapes. “We consistently see that features receiving regular winter care experience fewer problems, require less intensive spring work, and maintain better overall performance. The facilities teams that maintain consistent inspection and care routines through winter report significantly fewer problems and lower costs.”

The Winter Maintenance Challenge

Neglecting winter maintenance leads to deteriorating water quality that’s harder to correct in spring, equipment wear that goes unnoticed until failure occurs, build-up of debris and contaminants that damage surfaces, increased chemical costs when rebalancing water, and shortened equipment lifespan.

Winter brings significant changes to water feature behaviour. Cooler temperatures and reduced sunlight mean lower algae formation, though the risk isn’t eliminated entirely. Cold water holds more dissolved oxygen and experiences slower biological activity, affecting how treatments work and how quickly water quality can deteriorate.

Essential Winter Care Areas

Water chemistry: For chemically treated features, continue regular water testing throughout winter. Weekly or fortnightly testing catches problems early. Chemical effectiveness changes with water temperature—chlorine works more slowly in cold water, requiring adjusted dosing strategies.

Plant room equipment: Pre-filters require weekly inspection, pumps need continuous monitoring for performance changes, and media filters benefit from backwashing every 2-4 weeks. Regular pipework checks identify leaks or joint movement before they escalate in cold conditions.

Surface care: Regular brushing prevents biofilm and mineral deposit build-up, while netting at least twice weekly removes wind-blown debris before it decomposes and affects water quality.

“The most successful approach combines consistent in-house daily and weekly care with periodic specialist inspections and support,” adds Harwood. “Your team handles routine maintenance whilst specialists provide expertise, equipment servicing, and problem-solving.”

Sustainability Benefits

Consistent winter maintenance delivers environmental and financial benefits. Features receiving regular care require fewer repairs and replacements, reducing waste and resource consumption. Proper chemical management reduces environmental impact, whilst well-maintained equipment lasts longer.

“Every problem prevented through regular maintenance saves resources, reduces waste, and lowers costs,” notes Harwood. “Winter maintenance is an investment in sustainability and spring readiness.”

Professional Support Available

Waterscapes provides comprehensive winter maintenance support including professional water testing, equipment servicing, maintenance training, and complete winter care contracts. With over 20 years of experience across corporate, municipal, and private water features, the team understands the challenges facilities managers face.

Read the full guide: For comprehensive step-by-step guidance on winter water feature maintenance, read the complete article at – https://waterscapes.co.uk/blog/winter-water-feature-maintenance 

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