Turf News is the perfect place for professionals working within the UK’s vibrant turf industry – keeping you up-to-date with topical news, latest market developments and much more across all areas of the industry.
NEWS ARTICLES

Getting lawn care ready in September

/in , /by

Getting lawn care ready in September: We know the summer feels like it has only just begun, but the Lawn Association team would like to share some September lawn care tips to keep your sea of green as healthy as it can possibly be!

Keep your eye on thatch!

After the last few months of ridiculous growing weather, the thatch in your lawn would have increased a lot. We only normally produce thatch for say, April, May some of June and possibly September but we have had the whole of June and July and August as well so have literally increased thatch production by 100% extra.

Getting lawn care ready in September

Getting lawn care ready in September

This is not something that many gardeners think about, but of course, when planning good sensible lawn care you should. Do we hit it hard in autumn to compensate or split between two light ones, autumn and spring?

So what can we do about excess thatch?

Scarification is the key and September is the perfect time to do this, and it will enable you to control thatch levels. Does anyone think that moss may be an issue this autumn and winter? No, of course not, moss will only be thought about when it appears. But have no doubt, it will, because soils have been saturated and air space will have decreased. This happens when the fine soil particles move around and will have consolidated. This means water will move slower through the soils meaning the surface remains wetter for longer.

Thatch is a spongy-like material that sits above the lawn soils. It comprises all the clippings, shoots, and dead organic matter that have accumulated. When this remains wet during winter, moss spores will have a greater chance to germinate, so by regularly scarifying your lawn, this will allow rainwater to run down into the soil and away from the surface, giving the moss spores less chance to germinate (extra aeration will also be required this autumn too)

David Hedges Gower, Chairman of the Lawn Association states “Good lawn care is all about working with nature, not against it. Through dealing with excess thatch sustainably via scarification and other good practices such as sensible mowing and regular aeration, biodiversity and a healthy lawn can be maintained.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

GKB Sandspreader SP300 doubles productivity

/in , /by

GKB Sandspreader SP300 doubles productivity: Productivity and efficiency from topdressing operations has more than doubled for the team at Cutting Edge Grounds Maintenance following their purchase of a SP300 Sandspreader from GKB Machines.

Director Josh Blackburn cites that the exceptional build quality of the high-capacity disc dresser allows them to spread up to 240 tonnes of material each day on a variety of sports pitch and amenity surface renovations.

GKB Sandspreader SP300 doubles productivity

GKB Sandspreader SP300 doubles productivity

Having worked in the groundcare industry for close to 15 years, Josh established Cutting Edge two and a half years ago and leads a team of eight operatives on contracts in and around Teesside, North Yorkshire & County Durham. “We’d been using a second-hand spreader for some time so, with the number of pitch renovation jobs increasing, we were due an upgrade” he explains.

“We had demonstrations of a couple of different brands, but the GKB Sandspreader was head and shoulders above the competition – not just from the user-friendly set-up and accuracy of distribution but the impeccable build quality.” Delivered by local dealers Lloyds of Bishop Auckland in the summer of 2022, Josh goes on to emphasise, “You too frequently find that with the machines at the bigger end of the ranges, you lose build quality, but with GKB that is not the case. You can be assured that everything that comes out of their factory is going to last, and work to a high standard.”

The GKB SP300 is the ultimate tool for sports facilities and contractors, looking for a versatile solution to large area topdressing. The 3m3 capacity and ability to quickly and simply adjust the spreading discs makes the Sandspreader suitable for use on a wide variety of applications, from football pitches and cricket outfields to school grounds and golf fairways. “Being hydraulically-driven rather than PTO, it’s really simple to adjust belt speed, disc speed, angle, and thickness. You can tell GKB have designed the machine with the way the operator will use it in mind.”

“The Sandspreader is primarily used seasonally, but we have had it out working as late as October which it can do thanks to the four large balloon tyres which effectively spread the weight making it highly adaptable.” He continues, “It’s not only the quality of machine but the support you have with GKB which we really like. The one issue we had was resolved with a phone call in a matter of minutes. It’s the whole package.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

GroundsFest’s festival plans announced

/in , /by

GroundsFest’s festival plans announced: Organisers of GroundsFest have revealed more details about the festival which is taking place at the event.

The festival, which starts at 5pm on the first day of the event (20 September), will feature live music and street food stalls and will allow exhibitors and visitors to unwind, have fun and continue to network.

GroundsFest’s festival plans announced

GroundsFest’s festival plans announced

The live music line-up is being headlined by Supersonic Queen – the UK’s most authentic Queen tribute band. Performing regularly in UK and International theatres and festivals, Supersonic Queen have been touring for over a decade and are known for their uniquely dynamic recreation of Queen’s iconic live performances.

DJ Mikey B is a first choice DJ for many high-profile events throughout Birmingham, Bristol and London and has entertained at various professional football clubs.

Dem, a solo singer/guitarist, will also be taking to the stage as well as some other well-known local bands and artists including Jazzcat, Kitty Bella and Toby Marriott.

There will be a fabulous array of street food stalls with various options such as wood fired pizza, Greek gyros, hog roast, a noodle bar, tacos, curry, crepes, ice cream, donuts, and many more. A range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks will be available.

The festival finishes at 10pm and FREE shuttle buses will be running regularly throughout the evening to take attendees back to their accommodation in the nearby towns of Coventry, Warwick, and Leamington Spa. The shuttle buses will also be available the morning after on 21 September for attendees to return to GroundsFest.

Commenting on the festival at GroundsFest, Marketing Director Chris Bennett, said:

“At GroundsFest we want to keep exhibitors and visitors together for a longer period of time. Attendees will be coming to the event to do business, to network, and to learn, and that is why the festival will start once GroundsFest finishes. The festival will be held in a separate area to all the exhibitor stands meaning that no machinery or equipment will be accessible while the festival is on.

“The whole reason we decided to include the festival within GroundsFest was because of the research we conducted. An overwhelming number of people within the industry felt that a trade show would benefit from something which would allow more networking opportunities.

With some great live music and a selection of good food, we’re hoping that the festival will bring the industry together for a memorable evening.”

Event Director Christopher Bassett answers more festival questions here.

For more information, please visit www.groundsfest.com

You can also follow GroundsFest on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @GroundsFest for much more news, reviews and insightful views.  

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Agrimetal blows Peebles away

/in , /by

Agrimetal blows Peebles away: For Peebles Golf Club, a Harry Colt design course in the Scottish borders, maintaining a clean appearance is the utmost priority, but it’s not always an easy task being a parkland course. That is, until the AgriMetal leaf blower arrived on the scene.

Steven Borthwick, head greenkeeper at Peebles Golf Club for the past ten years, says: “Course presentation is a big thing for us, as a parkland course we get strong growth and have a lot of trees, more so than a links course. We bought the blower to disperse grass clippings when cutting semi-rough areas and get rid of the leaves come Autumn.”

Agrimetal blows Peebles away

Agrimetal blows Peebles away

Previously relying on manual backpack blowers, clearing the course of debris was tying up two greenstaff for an entire day. With the Agrimetal B50 Blower from distributor Reesink Scotland, Steven’s team can do the same job in just a fraction of the time.

Steven says: “We have a 50hp tractor and adding the B50 blower means we can go round and blow areas we’re cutting, even if we’re cutting in damp weather. It’s got a great wind speed and has sped up the process so much, we can then go out and get on with other tasks that need doing. It’s made the job so much more efficient.”

It’s the large diameter aluminium impeller on the B50 that gives it the high wind velocity that is able to maximise performance, and the large roller on which it rides allows it to complete work in even the toughest of conditions ­- all without leaving a mark.

But the speed at which the blower can clear debris isn’t the only thing that has impressed Steven. “It’s a low decibel machine as well. A lot of blowers can be really noisy which isn’t ideal on a golf course, but this one is not nearly as loud as other makes we’ve used,” he says.

Quick and easy is the resounding takeaway from the club’s new machine, something that starts with Reesink according to Steven. “It only took a couple of weeks from when we ordered the machine for it to be delivered. We have mostly Toro equipment at the club so we’ve used Reesink before and know Neil MacKenzie well. They provide good backup and Reesink is an all-round good company to deal with.”

Steven finishes by saying: “It’s important that we keep on top of maintenance to ensure the best course appearance and that process is made that much easier with AgriMetal in our artillery. We’re getting a lot of compliments about the condition of the course.”

To learn more about how an Agrimetal machine can keep your course looking pristine, visit the website reesinkturfcare.co.uk, call 01480 226800 or email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Ariens & AS-Motor commercial mowers on show at GroundsFest

/in , /by

Ariens & AS-Motor commercial mowers on show at GroundsFest: Ariens and AS-Motor are joining forces under the AriensCo umbrella at the inaugural Groundsfest 2023 at Stonleigh Park in Warwickshire.

From 20-21 September, visitors will have the opportunity to see the battery version of the Ariens Arrow – the Arrow E and other highlights from the AS-Motor and Ariens product portfolio live.

Ariens & AS-Motor commercial mowers on show at GroundsFest

Ariens & AS-Motor commercial mowers on show at GroundsFest

 

“An outdoor fair with demonstrations and the possibility to test machines, an interesting indoor area with lectures and the whole thing combined with a real festival character, live music and good food. This concept of the GroundsFest has convinced us. We are therefore very pleased to be part of it and to be able to present our innovations and products to the visitors,” said Brad Stiles, Vice President Sales AriensCo EMEAA, full of anticipation for the event.

On show for the first time at a UK show will be the battery version of the Ariens Arrow E stand-on mower. The new Arrow E combines the advantages of a stand-on mower with those of the latest battery technology. Professional users benefit from lower operating costs, improved profitability and the ability to service future jobs in noise and emission-sensitive zones.

As a special highlight, visitors can view the AS 940 Sherpa 4WD RC, which is considered the most powerful high grass mower in its class. It is also the world’s first ride-on mower that can be operated both manually and remotely. The team also has the AS 1000 Ovis RC remote-controlled tracked flail mower on show.  True to the motto “Simply steep mowing”, the extremely slope-compatible mower convinces with highest mowing performance and easy handling and maintenance.

Visit us at stands OSA 811 and OSA 890 to find out about our products and try them for yourself.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.