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NEWS ARTICLES

Ken Siems launches Siems Turfgrass consultancy

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Ken Siems launches Siems Turfgrass consultancy: Ken Siems launches SIEMS TURFGRASS Consultancy Service and brings the world’s premier sand injection system, DRYJECT, to the UK and Ireland.

Siems Turfgrass LTD will operate two independent services available to golf courses, football clubs and all other grass sport surfaces.

Ken Siems launches Siems Turfgrass consultancy

Ken Siems launches Siems Turfgrass consultancy

SIEMS TURFGRASS CONSULTANCY

Providing site-specific golf course management consulting, tailored to support clients in improving all aspects of their golf course maintenance, from improved budget management to course construction and renovation.

Turfgrass Management

Staffing/Budget Management

Project Management

Maintenance

Water Management

Environmental Management

Individual Customised Consultancy Packages

DRYJECT

Dryject is the world’s number one sand injection service that aerates, topdresses and amends in one pass, with playing surfaces ready within 1 hour after treatment. Dryject is routinely used at thousands of golf courses around the world and now Ken is excited to bring this unique service to the UK and Ireland.

DryJect uses a high-speed, water-based injection system to blast aeration holes through the root zone to fracture the soil. The patented vacuum technology simultaneously fills holes to the surface with high volumes of sand or amendment. This means you can relieve compaction, increase water infiltration, reach the root zone with oxygen and amend your soil with high volumes of material all at the same time.  Using wet or dry sand, DryJect leaves the surface smooth and playable which results in no negative loss to club revenue.

ABOUT KEN SIEMS

Ken Siems is an internationally recognised turfgrass specialist with over 40 years’ experience at the top end of the global golf industry, including Augusta National in the USA, Loch Lomond GC in Scotland and Pestovo GC in Russia.  His consultancy business, Siems Turfgrass Ltd, provides site specific golf course management consulting tailored to support clients in improving all aspects of their golf course maintenance, from improved budget management to course construction and renovation.

A graduate of the world renowned Turfgrass Management Programme at Pennsylvania State University, Ken’s journey in golf has led him to work in some of the most challenging conditions possible, from extreme rainfall, to extreme heat, ice and snow – sometimes all in the one day!  Despite what nature has thrown at him, his passion for managing turfgrass has never wavered and he has consistently delivered and exceeded owner/client expectations throughout his career. His extensive knowledge and experience gives him an enviable ability to determine the appropriate course of action for any site specific challenge.

A Certified Golf Course Superintendent with the GCSAA and also Master Greenkeeper with BIGGA, one of very few in the world to hold both certifications.  Ken previously held the position of Golf Course Superintendent/Director of Agronomy at several notable golf courses and projects worldwide, most notably, Islington GC (Canada), East Sussex National GC (England), Loch Lomond GC (Scotland), Jinhai Lake GC (China) and Pestovo GC (Russia).  He also spent time in the UAE honing his golf course construction skills  as Project Manager for Tanto International Golf.

CONTACT
Ken Siems

Tel: 00 44 7577 659 426

Email: kenjsiems@gmail.com

www.kensiems.com

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YANA and Harrowden Turf support rural mental health

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YANA and Harrowden Turf support rural mental health: Harrowden Turf is pleased to announce a new partnership with YANA – providers of rural mental health support. Early in 2021 a new Harrowden Turf delivery vehicle will feature YANA branding and will be seen across the country.

YANA provides practical guidance and confidential counselling to those in farming and rural businesses. Farming or working in the countryside is usually a good way of life but it can be a demanding and stressful occupation. Many people involved with agriculture can feel isolated, depressed or unable to cope.

YANA and Harrowden Turf support rural mental health

YANA and Harrowden Turf support rural mental health

One in five people in the UK will experience poor mental health so Harrowden Turf is working with YANA to emphasise that no-one who works in the rural economy is alone.

Harrowden Turf has adopted the YANA corporate identity one of its trucks which will cover more than 100,000 miles every year. The objective of the partnership is to make more people aware of the support that exists and which is focussed on the rural economy.

Stuart Ridd-Jones – Harrowden Turf Managing Director:

“If 2020 has taught us anything it is that we are stronger together and whilst all businesses have had to adapt to the pandemic those within rural businesses often work alone, can feel alone and struggle to access support services.”

Melinda Raker –YANA Patron:

“YANA is delighted to take to the road in this way. This Harrowden Turf vehicle with our logo and contact details will help to ‘drive’ home the message that there is practical help and advice available to improve rural mental health.”

For more information:

  1. Harrowden Turf and Turfonline Media Office please email marketing@harrowdenturf.co.uk or call 07980 568842

YANA – please email pr@yanahelp.org.uk or visit our website www.yanahelp.org.uk

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GreenMech Arborist 130 a ‘Pocket Rocket’

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GreenMech Arborist 130 a ‘Pocket Rocket’: In such a turbulent year, for Roy Brown of R M Brown Tree Services, when it came to purchasing a new woodchipper there was no better time to stick with what he knows and trusts – exchanging his existing Arborist 130 machine for a brand new Arborist 130 from GreenMech!

The Perthshire-based business have been using GreenMech machines for 10 years, with the newest model proving to be a real ‘pocket rocket’.

GreenMech Arborist 130 a ‘Pocket Rocket’

GreenMech Arborist 130 a ‘Pocket Rocket’

Undertaking both surveying and tree-surgery work for a range of commercial and domestic customers, including in the utilities sector, versatility is a must for Roy when it comes to his equipment. “Every day is different and every job has its own unique requirements and challenges so our woodchipper needs to be the right size to navigate residential areas, for example, but man enough to deal with whatever material we need to put through it.”

“The Arborist 130 is a real pocket rocket – it’s the ideal size for us and handles 95% of our tree surgery jobs. With the popularity of log burners, it’s rare these days to be chipping anything much larger than 3 or 4”, but with this machine capable of processing timber up to 6” we’ve got the capacity to chip all sizes and varieties of woody waste and brash.”

Roy exchanged machines like-for-like, in October 2020 through his local dealer Gammies Groundcare, and, having already put the new unit through its paces, has been impressed with the powerful performance. “The GreenMech machines have always proven themselves to be solidly built and well-engineered, with the disc-blades delivering clean, precise chipping. The Arborist 130 has fantastic pull through, the twin vertical hydraulic rollers take in the material really well reducing the amount of preparation work we need to do.”

Roy adds, “As important as the machine itself is the back-up support and technical advice, which from both GreenMech and Gammies has been excellent. With COVID creating challenges for the delivery of the new unit, Gammies really went the extra mile in supplying us with a loan machine when we needed it which really helped to minimise disruption and reaffirms why, when it comes to upgrading equipment, we go back to GreenMech every time.”

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Safe and effective weed control

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Safe and effective weed control: Adam Pilgrim from ANP Services Spalding Ltd, has long relied on Roundup ProActive from ProGreen claiming that it offers several benefits to both the contractor and the customer.

Roundup ProActive is a highly active glyphosate formulation which provides total broad spectrum weed control. Its advanced technology has secured the herbicide as a market leader and is the choice of many professionals across the UK.

Safe and effective weed control

Safe and effective weed control

Adam, from ANP Services Spalding Ltd, a company working in garden and grounds maintenance, have been using Roundup ProActive for the last seven years in a wide range of areas.

“We have been using Roundup since 2013 across domestic and industrial sectors, everywhere from spot control of problem weeds to broad scale weed control across commercial and industrial sites,” he said.

“We have also used it for cut stump treatment to prevent regrowth of problem small trees and ivy stumps.”

Roundup ProActive uses improved adjuvants to enhance performance and plant up-take. It has also been designed for safe use and has a non-hazardous label.

Further benefits of Roundup ProActive include:

  • Rainfast within 1 hour
  • The widest label fields of use
  • Widest range of tested tank-mixing partners
  • Drift reduction properties
  • Excellent in challenging conditions

“With regards as to why we choose Roundup ProActive, there are a variety of reasons,” continued Adam. “The quick rain fastness of the product makes it an ideal choice for using in tight weather windows. Its recognised position as a market leading, premium product means that it gives commercial clients the confidence that it will be safe and effective.

“Furthermore, the surfactants and water conditioners already added lessen the need to carry additional chemical containers on the vehicle, reducing cost of purchase and eliminating having lots of measuring jugs to wash out. This is especially useful when only a few litres of made up solution may be required for a small-scale site.

“Its variable application rates and speedy effectiveness, even at lower dosage rates means that it is both cost effective for the contractor and environmentally responsible for the client.

“We have used adjuvants previously to improve the herbicide uptake such as Speedway Total and Mixture B, especially on difficult to control weeds such as rosebay willow herb and ivy. These can provide a noticeable difference in the ‘stickability’ of the product to more difficult to penetrate leaves.”

Roundup ProActive is distributed in the UK by ICL.

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

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New kit for new pitches at Towcestrians

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New kit for new pitches at Towcestrians: With two rugby pitches and a new, dedicated cricket pitch all constructed to add to the existing two rugby pitches, Towcestrians Head Groundsman, Tom Waldock, knew he would need some new machinery to keep everything in shape!

While waiting for a new compact tractor and roller mower, Tom was putting in about 40 hours a week on his new Ransomes TR320 to cut all the sports pitches as well as the outfields, edges and training areas!

New kit for new pitches at Towcestrians

New kit for new pitches at Towcestrians

 

Now his new Iseki tractor (with bucket) and topper have arrived he’s looking forward to sharing the load in 2021 and getting more remedial work done to improve both the old and the new playing surfaces.

“I was looking for a tractor that would be able to operate a slitter and vertidrain as well as perform other tasks, but not damage the surfaces. I was originally considering a smaller model but went for the bigger 46hp Iseki TLE4490 with the extra carrying capacity in order to get the performance. It will also pull the cutting deck on the backfields.”

“I also went for the loader and have already used it more than I thought I would! It’s been a godsend for filling holes in the car park and carrying stuff around. Now I’m just purchasing one more bit of kit for the Iseki to pull to help out with the many events we host in between all the sports training and fixtures.”

Before coming to Towcestrians, Tom spent several years each at Peterborough United, MK Dons and latterly at the Ricoh Stadium. He’s used a lot of different mowers and would have said they were all pretty similar, but says he feels differently about the Ransomes.

“I wanted a decent cylinder mower for the playing surfaces on the main pitches and surprisingly I’ve found the Ransomes TR320 to be the best machine I’ve used. It’s really smooth and makes the cut very easy. It’s the lightest machine on the market which was important because we have a full clay-based surface and I wanted minimum compaction. The Ransomes is certainly delivering both for me and for the pitches.”

“I’m really pleased with the advice and help I’ve had from RT Machinery in choosing the right equipment. Richard and Andy’s knowledge across a large range of brands and machinery, right off the top of their heads, is just unbelievable and has been incredibly helpful as part of the five-year plan I drew up for the development and improvement of the grounds.”

“Aside from the Ransomes and the Iseki, I also now have a new Wessex CRX180 fine turf roller mower from them for the edges and rougher areas where the juniors train. In addition they’ve supplied a used Sisis Multi Slit and a Husqvarna TC138 Lawn tractor and they’ve been able to offer great value on servicing, which will be critical in keeping everything working well across the seasons.”

“Back to work and preparing the grounds for a welcome return to grass roots sports!”

For more information, please call 01844 299037, or visit rtmachinery.co.uk

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