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NEWS ARTICLES

Bexley’s Charter Oak Revived

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Bexley’s Charter Oak Revived: After the Great Storm in 1987, Londoners were asked to nominate the leading landmark trees in the capital. In 1988, over 40 were officially awarded “Great Tree” status, with an additional 20 in 2008. The magnificent Charter Oak of Bexley was elected one of these landmark trees.

Situated in Danson Park, originally part of the Danson House estate, the Bexley Charter Oak is around 200 years old. The oak takes its name from Bexley’s Charter to become a Municipal Borough, which was presented by Lord Cornwallis underneath the Oak in 1937. It is the most iconic tree within the borough, situated within the formal areas in one of its three flagship parks, and features on London Borough of Bexley’s coat of Arms.

Bexley’s Charter Oak Revived

Beefsteak fungus and lazy branches

In recent months, the Charter Oak was starting to cause concern. It was showing noticeably diminished vitality and a reduced leaf area index. Its huge canopy clearance was also reducing due to ‘lazy branches’, and the destructive ‘beefsteak fungus’ (Fistulina hepatica) had started to advance.
London Borough of Bexley Tree and Woodland Officer Philip Louis called on Apex Tree Surgeons and Carbon Gold to work with the Council to prolong the life of this historic tree. Apex are the only UK distributor of Vogt GeoTech equipment, which allows them to inject granular material deeper into the ground then other equipment. Carbon Gold are leading suppliers of enriched biochar, a horticultural form of charcoal used to improve soil nutrition and growing conditions.

Previous treatments with varying success

The oak had been treated with air-spading over ten years ago, however the soil around the root system was found to be compacted when Apex Tree Surgeons commenced work in autumn 2017. An amenity grade mulch had been applied every year, which was successful in suppressing weeds but had a negligible effect on nitrogen recycling and water retention. Fencing around the root area had been erected approximately fifteen years ago which had been successful in minimising compaction by footfall, and preventing climbing and vandalism.

Getting enriched biochar into the root-zone

Enriched biochar is known for its tree revitalising properties and Bexley’s arboriculture department were keen to see if it could reverse the Charter Oak’s worrying symptoms. Apex were commissioned to use the pioneering Vogt GeoTech Injector to apply Carbon Gold’s enriched biochar Tree Soil Improver directly around the root system. This unique piece of equipment is designed to inject high pressure compressed air up to a metre into the ground – reducing compaction, improving aeration and drainage, and stimulating root growth. Using the same probe, materials such as biochar can then be injected into the cavities it has created in the soil, ensuring product is applied deep into the root zone.

Philip and the team expect to see results within as little as a few months, however the treatment will continue to develop over the next year or two. Carbon Gold’s enriched biochar is proven to improve the vitality of established trees as it is enriched with Mycorrhizae and Trichoderma fungi which, in combination with wormcasts and seaweed, create a fertile, living soil around the root systems of trees. Biochar has a microscopic honeycomb-like structure which provides the perfect habitat for beneficial soil microorganisms, such as mycorrhizal fungi and actinomycetes bacteria which make nutrients more available to plants. Biochar also decompacts and aerates soils, and stabilises soil moisture, allowing veteran trees such as the iconic Charter Oak to grow strong, healthy root systems so that it can stand tall for many more generations of Londoners.

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MJ Abbott Return To BTME

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MJ Abbott Return To BTME: MJ Abbott will be returning to BTME 2018 in Harrogate, bringing with them over 25 years of experience in golf course construction, renovation maintenance and irrigation.

Over this period the company has gathered invaluable experience across all aspects of golf course construction and maintenance, but also the art of first-class customer service and delivering exactly what clients request.

MJ Abbott Return To BTME

This ethos has seen some major recent projects including Royal Norwich Golf Club’s new £10 million course and club house, with MJ Abbott undertaking the £4.5 million land redevelopment. This project is joined by works at Skipton Golf Club, Royal Wimbledon Golf Club, Sunningdale Golf Club and Queenwood Golf Club to name a few.

Being able to meet the needs of the customer is important for all jobs, but none more so than building a new course. All of MJ Abbott’s qualities as a contractor were required when it came to being awarded this contract, and Peter Todd, estates manager and director of Royal Norwich Golf Club Limited explains what contributed to the Norfolk club awarding the work.

“We looked at level of resources, how much labour was in house and how much was sub-contracted, financial stability of the company, their track record and reputation,” Peter said. “So, there was a whole host of measures in place and it was scored by a professional panel.

“A major benefit for MJ Abbott was that they could offer the irrigation along with drainage and construction, because it meant we only needed one contractor on the course and kept everything within the one team.”

Being able to offer every service allows MJ Abbott to work with clients large and small, with greenkeepers from all courses welcome to speak to our experienced staff on stand A49.

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

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Merry Christmas from Turf Matters!

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I’m tempted to ask where these last 12 months have gone but I then step back and take a look at the strides Turf Matters has made over the last year, both digitally and with our bi-monthly hard copy. It is fair to say we have packed quite a bit in and we’ve needed every single one of the days the year gave us.  

For a start there wasn’t a monthly newsletter this time last year. We started these at the beginning of 2017 and we have been delighted at how well they have been received. So thank you for being one of our faithful readers, and thank you too, to everyone who has featured within our digital pages!

I also hope that for you the past year has been one you will be able to look back on fondly. It is fair to say there have been many hurdles to overcome for us individually, and for the country as a whole, but as a nation we are a resilient bunch, and that’s especially true in our particular sector. We seem to possess an ability to get things done no matter what is put in our way whether that be weather, budget cuts or whatever else may be on the end of the next telephone call.

I think we do all need a rest so have a peaceful festive holiday, if work commitments allow and if you are working over the next couple of weeks, I hope the weather is kind.

We are looking forward to building on the progress we made in 2017 and I hope that for you, as much as it does for us – Turf Matters.

On behalf of Loz, Tim, Sinead Marie and myself have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Scott MacCallum

Editor

FTMI Volunteers At The Ryder Cup

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FTMI Volunteers At The Ryder Cup: Jacobsen and BIGGA have selected a group of Future Turf Manager Initiative (FTMI) graduates to assist the course maintenance team during the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National in France.

One delegate from each FTMI in the past five years has been selected to volunteer at the event, with one more person due to be chosen from the FTMI class of 2018.

FTMI Volunteers At The Ryder Cup

The chosen BIGGA members are:

  1. Leigh Powell, Windlesham Golf Club (FTMI Class of 2013)
  2. Peter Moore, The Wentworth Club (FTMI Class of 2014)
  3. Gavin Neill, St Andrews Links Trust (FTMI Class of 2015)
  4. Richard Johnstone, Nairn Dunbar Golf Links (FTMI Class of 2016)
  5. Adrian McCullough, JCB (FTMI Class of 2017)

Jacobsen and BIGGA have worked closely with Alejandro Reyes, Golf Courses and Estates Manager at Le Golf National, to provide this potentially career-defining opportunity for BIGGA members for the very first time.

Next year’s delegates were recently announced, and the 20 BIGGA members selected to take part will attend the three-day event at Jacobsen’s HQ in Ipswich from 6-8 March 2018.

Aimed at up and coming greenkeepers who want to make the leap to Course Manager, FTMI focuses on personal and professional development. The FTMI programme utilises the expertise of leading Course Managers, dynamic trainers and industry experts to mentor and educate the next generation of industry leaders.

In 2018, The Ryder Cup will be held in Continental Europe for only the second time in its history. Le Golf National will be hosting the biennial match on its spectacular L’Albatros course. Alejandro and his team of approximately thirty greenkeepers have completed extensive renovation work in the lead up to hosting the event. Renovation work has included a brand-new drainage system capable of draining 90mm of surface water within three hours on all playable surfaces, fibre optics have been installed for on-course connectivity and many holes have been completely renovated.

During the Ryder Cup, which takes place between 28-30 September 2018, 180 members of staff, including 140 volunteers, will be manicuring the golf course to ensure that the playing surfaces are in pristine condition for the duration of the matches.

Situated around 20 miles south west of Paris, the spectacular course is one of the best in the world for spectators and is consistently ranked in Europe’s top ten courses. Le Golf National has hosted the French Open every year, except for two years, since 1991.

Commenting on the unique volunteering opportunity, Director of International Golf Sales at Textron Golf, Andre Andrade, said: “We feel privileged to be able to offer FTMI delegates the experience of volunteering at the Ryder Cup. It is a huge event, and one I am sure they will remember for the rest of their lives. This opportunity is testament to the close working relationship that Jacobsen has with Le Golf National, and we thank the team there for allowing us to make this happen. Jacobsen is very proud to be an official supplier to the 2018 Ryder Cup, and we look forward to taking the lucky FTMI delegates with us to France next year.”

BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said: “It may only be six years old, but FTMI has already proven to be an incredible success, with many of the programme’s graduates going on to secure management roles, and the association is extremely grateful to Textron Golf for their continued investment in BIGGA members.

“I’d also like to thank Alejandro Reyes for enabling this incredible opportunity for six FTMI graduates. The 2018 Ryder Cup is sure to once again be a passionate, hard-fought competition, and with an estimated 500 million viewers worldwide in 2016, the course will no doubt be under closer scrutiny than any other in history. I wish Alejandro the greatest success, and I hope that our guys are able to help the home team achieve their goals in whatever way they can.”

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Dennis & SISIS At STMA

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Dennis & SISIS At STMA: Dennis and SISIS are heading to Fort Worth, Texas, to showcase a range of industry leading turf maintenance equipment at Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) Conference and Exhibition on 16-19 January 2018.

As the Dennis and SISIS brands continue to gain widespread recognition in the USA, the annual STMA Conference & Exhibition is fast becoming a firm date in the diary for the British manufacturers.

Dennis & SISIS At STMA

In an impressive line-up, Dennis will be showcasing its G860 dedicated cylinder mower, complete with a range of interchangeable cassettes and visitors will get the opportunity to find out more about the newly launched Spring Tine Rake cassette. Operators already have a plethora of options through the G860’s interchangeable cassette system, which includes scarifiers, verticutters, brushes, spikers, slitters and six or eight bladed cutting cylinders; and the Spring Tine Rake will provide them with even more versatility.

This new cassette contains 42 springs with 12mm spacings that can be used for the removal of dead turf matter, cleaning the surface and helping to stand grasses up. As with all of the cassettes, they can be changed easily with no tools.

Visitors to the Dennis and SISIS stand will be pleased to see the SISIS Javelin Aer-Aid 1500 tractor mounted vertical action aerator, which recently gained rave reviews from the STRI (Sports Turf Research Institute). This popular machine injects air directly into the root zone speeding up the aeration process, moving air uniformly throughout the root zone for complete aeration and not just where the tines have penetrated the surface. Those operating the Javelin Aer-Aid have the flexibility to alternate tines for other operations such as hollow coring prior to top dressing. Other benefits include a fast forward speed for excellent productivity, minimal maintenance and a smooth and quiet operation.

From natural turf to synthetic, there will be solutions for all at STMA. Take the SISIS Brush-Pro for example. This ride-on brushing system comprises of a pair of mid mounted oscillating units and three rear mounted brush units that that have been specifically designed for maintaining synthetic surfaces. The Brush-pro offers maximum manoeuvrability and operator comfort with features such as an electric start, hydrostatic drive for forward/reverse and its brush combinations – oscillating for thorough periodic work and rear mounted brushes for routine frequent work which cause less compaction than conventional drag brushes.

Also featuring prominently on the stand will be the SISIS SSS1000 – a tractor mounted sweeper which can be pulled by any machine. There are no tools required for the adjustment of the brush or the angle of the draw bar and to make storage easy the draw bar lifts to an upright position. With an aluminium hopper with stainless steel mesh, any infill that is collected when using the machine is returned back down to the surface leaving it free from contamination of debris.

For the versatility of carrying out tasks on both turf and hard porous surfaces then the Singleplay implement mounted frame may well be of interest. This single pass maintenance system accepts a variety of implements such as the 1.8m Flexicomb and the 1.8m Straight Brush – both of which will be on show at STMA.

Designed primarily for use on synthetic surfaces, the Flexicomb ensures even distribution of infill materials and lifts the pile. The adjustable setting ensures the effect of a rake, but with the softness of a brush. For perfect results, the Straight Brush can be used to provide a nice level finish following the hard work of the Flexicomb.

A number of experienced turf experts from Dennis and SISIS will be on hand at the exhibition to speak in more detail about the products.

Further information about the range of maintenance products available can be found by visiting www.dennisuk.com / www.sisis.com

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