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

Agrigem partners up with county FA’s

/in , /by

Agrigem partners up with county FA’s: Agrigem have announced several new partnership agreements with County Football Associations, which enable affiliated clubs to access special prices on a wide range of grass pitch‐related products.

Whether clubs are creating a brand‐new pitch, improving their current playing surface or trying to increase the number of games they can play each week, Agrigem’s unique understanding of both professional and grassroots pitches ensures that all affiliated clubs receive fantastic service and support in developing, improving and maintaining their pitches.

Agrigem partners up with county FA's

Agrigem partners up with county FA’s

In addition to the highest level of technical advice and customer service, affiliated clubs receive a discount on all products such as fertilisers, grass seed, selective weed control, top dressing and line marking paint.

Agrigem’s Sales Manager, Martin Ford, who is a grassroots volunteer himself said; “We are thrilled that we have been able to partner with so many Regional FA’s. In addition to Lincolnshire, we also now work with Amateur FA, Northumberland, North Riding & most recently West Riding. Our “Putting the Grass Into Grassroots” initiative has been extremely successful and engaging with volunteers has reaped rewards for so many clubs already. Adam Grantham joined us last year as Technical Consultant for Sports Turf, and his vast knowledge from his experience as Grounds Manager at Reading FC has been invaluable to so many – myself included!”

Adam writes a monthly blog on a range of seasonal topics which is shared to affiliated clubs, and in addition to being available for practical help and support the team attend monthly forums and events wherever possible.

Martin continued “Having the right product at an affordable price is one thing, but having access to one of the country’s top grounds people really shows our commitment to grassroots sport, not just the professional game.”

Lincolnshire FA were the first partnership on board and immediately saw an impact, even during the pandemic. The two parties are now forging ahead with even more innovation in their offering.

Adam Thurston, Football Development Manager, Lincolnshire FA: “Agrigem have been in partnership with Lincolnshire FA for over a year now. We have worked together on many aspects of improving natural turf pitches in partnership with our clubs, not only through technical advice and supply of materials, but on areas that will really innovate how our clubs can access information and the right products for what they need.

Martin, Adam and the team really understand the issues and processes that grassroots clubs face and do their upmost to make things work as smoothly and quickly as possible for the volunteers who are giving their valuable time to improve their local pitches.”Since The Lincolnshire FA joined, Agrigem have also welcomed the Amateur Football Association, Northumberland, North Riding and West Riding Football Associations with ongoing discussions with several more associations.

To take advantage of this offer or discuss how Agrigem can support the development, improvement or maintenance of your grass pitches, please contact Martin Ford at martin.ford@agrigem.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.

A tougher machine for tougher jobs

/in , /by

A tougher machine for tougher jobs: The Toro Company, a global leader in turf and landscape equipment, has revealed a heavy-duty and battery powered addition to its domestic line of lawnmowers. The Toro 60V HD Proline further reinforces Toro’s move to more environmentally friendly products, while still providing a powerful and reliable machine.

The HD Proline features a 6mm thick cast aluminium deck and is designed to withstand the demands from professional gardeners and landscapers – but still remains simple and easy to use for the everyday gardener. The HD Proline is the ideal choice for those with slightly larger areas of land, where a standard consumer lawnmower would not be suitable, and a ride on would be too large an investment – the HD Proline fits perfectly in this gap.

A tougher machine for tougher jobs

A tougher machine for tougher jobs

The Recycler technology is designed to lift, suspend and recut grass clippings into a fine mulch, and redistribution across the lawn contributes towards a much healthier turf. The design of the deck also works to reduce the chance of blockages and will more efficiently collect grass. While being designed to withstand the extremes of commercial mowing, the HD Proline is extremely lightweight for its purpose, allowing for extended daily use.

The HD Proline uses a heavy duty 60V lithium-ion battery to optimise its runtime and output. The battery is also interchangeable with the Flex-Force range of garden machinery, to allow for maximum flexibility and easy power to get the job done. The range includes a leaf blower, hedge trimmer, chainsaw and string trimmer – all of which may be required in an area with more land. The Flex-Force range also includes more domestic Recycler lawnmowers.

For more information please visit: https://www.pros.toro.com/equipment/powered-by-battery-fueled-by-toro-new-60v-hd-proline-53cm/

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.

Bernhard & Company form new partnership

/in , /by

Bernhard & Company form new partnership: Industry-leader in turf sharpening equipment and management solutions, Bernhard and Company, has established a new partnership with SGDC India Pvt. Ltd. which is now the company’s official distributor within India.

SGDC and Bernhard and Company share common values, with a focus on customer experience utilising cutting-edge technologies that deliver on value, innovation, and design. Formed more than a decade ago, SGDC India is the nation’s leading Golf Course Development company and offers itself as a one-stop-shop solutions provider for all golf course infrastructure and maintenance requirements.

Bernhard & Company form new partnership

Bernhard & Company form new partnership

This appointment comes as Bernhard and Company looks to ensure it can service current customers more efficiently, while also helping to increase sales through improved contact with new prospects. SGDC will be responsible for direct sales and customer relations within India and will demonstrate the knowledge and passion that Bernhard and Company possess for its grinding philosophy.

Anit Mehrotra, Director & CEO of SGDC, said: “We are delighted to establish a new working relationship with Bernhard and Company, and we are committed to taking the company’s business to the next level in India.”

Steve Wilson, Bernhard and Company Territory Manager for Pacific Asia, added: “We look forward to growing our network in India, and are proud to introduce SGDC to our network of world-class distributors who can deliver our industry-leading turf management solutions.”

Bernhard and Company grinding machines are used by more than 65 of the world’s top 100 golf courses to ensure perfect, tournament-ready playing conditions year-round, while the company’s turf management solutions and educational support are utilised at major sporting events around the globe.

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.

New ICL research at Bangor University

/in , /by

New ICL research at Bangor University: ICL is collaborating with Bangor University to carry out research on the effects and benefits of organo-mineral fertilizers for turf.

MRes (Masters by Research) student, Deniz Arslan, is carrying out the yearlong research at Bangor University, and believes that the findings could be of great benefit to several sectors.

New ICL research at Bangor University

New ICL research at Bangor University

“We will be looking at how efficient organo-minerals are comparing to mineral and organic versions and how they all effect soil health,” she said. “The outcomes of this research can be important for all fields and will provide information to help fertilizer users make informed decisions.”

Mineral fertilizers are very commonly utilized and there is plenty of research detailing their benefits and the issues which can arise from poor product selection or over-application, for example leaching of unused nutrients from the growing zone of a crop.

On the other hand, organic fertilizers offer other potential benefits, such as supporting microbes in the soil, but are often described as not performing as efficiently or productively as mineral fertilizers.

“Organo-mineral fertilizers, combining the benefits of minerals and organic sources, could be a more sustainable step for turf managers to take,” said Deniz. “I hope to prove that organo-mineral fertilizers are indeed beneficial for the soil and environment, and with no negative performance issues for turfgrass. Agricultural trials do show higher yields and performances which is promising, but of course it is different when measuring turf. You don’t necessarily want to grow more or longer grass.”

Gronamic, ICL’s organo-mineral fertilizer brand, will be used in this research project. The experimental trials will include glasshouse trials of perennial ryegrass with Gronamic Sport High N and Gronamic Golf High N, contrasting with equivalent mineral and organic fertilizers.

“This unique research project will focus on plant growth, soil health and nutrient use efficiency factors, making use of the advanced equipment and facilities available at Bangor University,” said Deniz.

The scholarship named KESS (Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarship) is led by Bangor University and links companies with academic expertise and universities to collaborate in research projects for PhD and Research Master qualifications. ICL supports several research collaborations and has close ties with the universities in order to help bridge the gap between industry and academia.

For Deniz it means that she has a direct link to the industry and access to expert knowledge in high quality turf management. With all the resources at her disposal she is hopeful that this research could have a global reach.

“Finding solutions for conventional mineral fertilizers will be beneficial for all fields and industries, from agriculture and turf management to landscaping, and hopefully I can be part of that development.

In the long term it can even impact the low-income nations and industrializing nations as well, for instance by applying it to urban green spaces and sustainable land management whilst keeping prices low as mineral resources are slowly depleting,” she said.

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

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.

More than a Premier Wicket

/in , /by

More than a Premier Wicket: A break in play caused by the first COVID lockdown provided Ageas Bowl Head Groundsman Simon Lee with a window of opportunity to conduct a full renovation of the club’s nursery ground.

While the events of last year certainly kept everyone on their toes, Simon’s knowledge and experience of using Johnsons Sports Seed mixtures for the last 10 years, meant the results of the renovation – completed with J Intense – came as no surprise!

More than a Premier Wicket

More than a Premier Wicket

Simon took over at the home of Hampshire CCC in January 2020, on the back of nine years as Head Groundsman at Somerset CCC where he’d used both J Intense and J Premier Wicket. “You know what you’re going to get with Johnsons in terms of germination and quality of sward. We had just under seven weeks to get the project complete, before a number of international teams used the ground as a base for three months of training. The speed with which the seed established allowed us to get the ground back in play rapidly and I strongly believe that without that, we would have really struggled for coverage with the high levels of sustained play.”

The 100% perennial ryegrass J Intense mixture was sown on the nursery ground outfields in May – providing exceptional disease resistance and high wear tolerance and recovery, even under close mown conditions. On the main ground it was the proven Johnsons J Premier Wicket mixture, sown at relatively high rates, to recover some bare areas from the previous season and set the stage for a condensed season of matches – albeit behind closed doors.

“I have always had fantastic results with J Premier Wicket mixture in the past but coming to a new ground with different conditions you’re never sure how a product will adapt. My team and I couldn’t be happier with the strength and robustness we have achieved on our squares and now with matches every two weeks, we’re relying on its rapid germination to not only improve presentation, but to provide enough resilience to host matches later in the year.”

Simon concludes, “Despite the cold and challenging conditions we’ve had to start this year, the Johnsons mixtures are hardy enough and we can see the fruits of our labour with some germination already, and only more to come when conditions allow.”

Johnsons J Premier Wicket is also available with DLF’s ProNitro® seed coat technology – making it a great overseeding option for upcoming autumn renovations. Now including hydroactive water management technology, ProNitro® contains both fast and slow-release nitrogen to improve nutrient utilisation through the early stages of plant growth leading to stronger germination, quick uniform growth and improved root & shoot density.

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.