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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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Tubex Supports Greenway Training’s Tree Planting Courses

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Tubex Supports Greenway Training’s Tree Planting Courses: Greenway Training has achieved substantial success in the uptake of its tree planting courses, with the aim of providing practical training to prevent failed tree planting projects. Partnering with leading tree shelter manufacturer, Tubex and renowned distributor Green-tech, the training provider received a donation of 450 recyclable and biodegradable tree shelters for its courses.

The Lantra Tree Planting and Establishing Woodlands course was initially funded by The Forestry Commission’s Forestry and Arboriculture Training Fund, which enabled Greenway Training to offer free courses and expand the access to this important practical learning for new entrants to the sector and those seeking to build on existing skills.

Tubex Supports Greenway Training’s Tree Planting Courses

Tubex Supports Greenway Training’s Tree Planting Courses

 

Due to the increasing demand for properly trained and certified personnel in the forestry and arb sectors, the requirement for professional training has never been higher. Greenway’s courses have therefore garnered immense popularity, with numerous companies now opting to enrol their employees alongside many others who are making career transitions into environmental sectors or simply want to learn more about tree planting.

Tubex’s donation of 450 tree shelters, as part of its Grow Together Programme, combined with shelter location guidance and support has played an important role in the course – saving the company the expenses associated with acquiring the essential tree planting resources.

Grow Together is Tubex’s charitable initiative launched in 2022, which offers a scheme where charity or community projects across the UK are able to receive a donation of tree shelters to protect their saplings.  The company selects a certain number of projects yearly to receive a supply of shelters, considering the environment and type of trees being planted.

Charlotte Boole, Director at Greenway Training, said: “We are delighted with the overwhelming interest that our forestry courses have generated.

“Tubex tree shelters have proven to be ideal choice for our training programmes due to their durability and resilience, outperforming some of the other brands we’ve used in the past.

“The donation of 450 tree shelters has significantly enhanced the learning experience for our trainees, providing them with ample materials for hands-on learning, which we see as such a crucial part of our training for proper tree establishment.”

“We look forward to expanding our forestry training offerings in the near future and look forward to working with Tubex and Green-tech again.”

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Landscape services level up with Toro Grandstand

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Landscape services level up with Toro Grandstand: Last year Landscape Services, providers of commercial grounds maintenance services across Kent and the Southeast of England, added the Toro GrandStand mower to its Toro fleet to deliver speedy operations in even the most awkward areas.

The USP of the GrandStand is in its name, literally. It’s a stand-on mower meaning it’s smaller and more compact, allowing greater access to smaller areas than a ride-on.

Landscape services level up with Toro Grandstand

Landscape services level up with Toro Grandstand

And it’s this that was the selling point for Mike Harris, head of operations at Landscape Services. He says: “With the addition of the Toro Grandstand we were able to quickly service larger areas regardless of whether they had small points of access. This meant more efficient mowing and better use of staff time, which has proven the machine popular with both management and our operational teams.”

In addition, this mower combines the speed and comfort of a zero-turn rider with the on-and-off ease of a wide area walk-behind creating a fast, manoeuvrable and more productive alternative.

All this complemented Landscape Services’ existing fleet of Toro TM7490 gang units and CT triple cylinder mowers, which have long delivered the high level of customer satisfaction the company has strived for over its 80-plus years in business.

“It’s good to have a combination of mowers to cover all surface requirements. The cylinder mowers give a finer cut, which works well for cricket outfields and customers who prefer the more aesthetic appeal,” says Mike. “The additional access benefits of the GrandStand means quicker work and less disruption to the customer, resulting in improved overall customer satisfaction.”

When it comes to groundscare machinery, trusting in Toro and Reesink Turfcare’s South East Sheffield Park branch has proven to be a well-founded decision.

“At the time of purchase Toro offered the best value for money and the best backup service. On top of that, from our experience working with Reesink, the staff have always been helpful and knowledgeable, offering advice and guidance whenever needed, which is a big plus for us,” says Mike.

Choosing the GrandStand isn’t where investing in technology stops for the company either.  Mike says, “Over the next couple of years we will be looking to innovate via our fleet of machines, to reduce maintenance costs, support a positive carbon footprint and diversify our portfolio with mixed specialist technology.”

Discover how Toro technology and Reesink can help you to tackle every terrain, get in touch with Reesink Turfcare, call 01480 226800, email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Origin road show a success

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Origin road show a success: Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) proudly announces the successful launch of its latest initiative – a series of Road Shows held throughout the first quarter of 2024.

The free half-day events, led by OAS’s technical team, have garnered resounding success, delivering invaluable insights to turf and grounds managers nationwide.

Origin road show a success

Origin road show a success

Dedicated to improving turf quality and maintenance practices, the Road Shows have been met with enthusiasm from industry professionals. Covering a range of essential grounds management topics, delegates were given expert advice to keep turf and pitches in prime condition throughout the year. From water management strategies and the role of wetting agents to crafting a balanced fertiliser program and implementing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plans for disease control, the Road Shows offer a holistic approach to turf care excellence.

The sessions included an introduction to TurfKeeper, the industry-leading application revolutionising task management, workforce coordination, and inventory control in a single digital platform. There were also opportunities for delegates to network with industry peers and benefit from one-to-one advice from the OAS technical team.

OAS was formed through the amalgamation of industry leaders Rigby Taylor, Headland Amenity, Symbio, and Turfkeeper. Leveraging the combined expertise and resources of these renowned companies, the company offers a comprehensive range of products and services tailored to meet the needs of turf professionals in the sports turf and landscaping sectors. With a commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer satisfaction, OAS stands as a leading force in the field of amenity solutions, empowering clients to achieve optimal results in turf care and maintenance.

OAS is committed to elevating industry standards and sharing its knowledge and research findings of turf care, which was the key driver behind this series of events. Road Shows have so far taken place at Rotherham Golf Club, Knighton Health Golf Club in Bournemouth, and Irvine Golf Club, in Bogside.

More events are planned at golf courses around the country, details of which will be shared on the OAS social media pages or for more information contact the OAS team on 0800 138 7222 or visit www.originamenity.com

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Green-tech transforms University of York campus

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Green-tech transforms University of York campus: The University of York has a “Campus for the Future” masterplan which includes delivering a major 1480-bed student accommodation project. The £130m flagship scheme, which has transformed the Heslington East Campus began in November 2019 and has recently been completed. 

The location was chosen to strengthen the link between Campus East and Campus West while maximising views of the lake and surrounding parkland. The student accommodation project will help to meet the news of its expanding global student body as well as aid with the university’s student recruitment strategy.

Green-tech transforms University of York campus

Green-tech transforms University of York campus

Palmer Landscapes was awarded the landscaping contract to create green areas for the students to enjoy and to bring their outdoor space to life. This was achieved by planting tens of thousands of shrubs and hundreds of trees, spreading 10,000 sqm of seeding and turfing all the green spaces.

Green-tech has a long-standing relationship with Palmer Landscapes and supplied all the machine round tree stakes, tree belting, and blocks, MONA irrigation systems, and bespoke grass seed mixes that were used throughout the project.  We also supplied the underground anchor systems and gator watering bags to stabilise and irrigate the trees.

Green-tech is the largest UK supplier of tree planting materials and sundries. The machine round tree stakes used for this project have been treated with Green Osmose AE500 to guarantee longevity and were used with cross bars and belting which secure trees to help reduce tree damage or movement from the wind until roots have established. Green-tech’s Mona Relief Tree Irrigation watering systems are an essential tool to guarantee the success of urban planted trees and shrubs. Lack of water at the tree’s root ball can be detrimental to the lifespan and survival of the tree. The Mona Relief is a robust unit that delivers water straight to the roots of the tree. Installed with a perforated pipe that surrounds the tree’s rootball, the Mona Relief system is a cost-effective solution for preventing drought with newly planted trees. By proactively installing a system that will irrigate at the root ball the tree’s roots instantly receive the much-needed water to aid growth.

Palmer Landscapes Contract Manager Sam Isles comments, “Green-tech was one of our main suppliers for this project.  We have a strong relationship with them. They stocked all the products we needed and provided materials on a quick turnaround timescale. All planting materials were delivered on time and gave that professional finish that we pride ourselves on. The seed specification we were working too was very detailed so being able to tap into their expertise was invaluable and helped us so much.”

The main contractor GRAHAM Building has won the GB & Rol New Build Project of the Year, above £2.5m’ accolade at the CEF 2023 Excellence Awards. The judging panel agreed GRAHAM’s work on this project was a “remarkable achievement.”

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