Chesham Council Bowled Over

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Chesham Council Bowled Over: Throughout the Chesham Town Council district there are a large number of highly manicured grassed areas that need dedicated upkeep. 

Having previously used pedestrian mowers with collector boxes, Paul Isom the Parks and Premises Manager, decided they needed to become more efficient.  After speaking with their local dealer P A Turney and following numerous demonstrations they were bowled over by the ISEKI SXG326.

Chesham Council Bowled Over

“The SXG326 ride on mower collected with the same striped finish as the pedestrian mower with the added benefit of completing it in a fraction of the time.  Its powerful 21hp engine means the mower easily tackles varied terrain whilst completing the jobs quickly with its generous 54” width of cut.  The large 600litre hopper saves us valuable hours by limiting the amount of times you need to stop mowing in order to empty the collector.

Collection of autumn leaves by the SXG326 has been a god send, we are all relieved we no longer have to do all the tiresome work of raking.  We couldn’t believe how well the collector picks these up, especially when it’s been raining and everything is sodden and heavy.

Wildflower meadow areas have increased in parks in recent years which does cut down the cutting cycles required throughout the year but the final cut and collect at the end of each Summer can be hard work.  We however set the SXG326 on the highest height of cut and it mows it all down and collects with no issues, that’s when you realise how effective this piece of kit really is!

Above all this and what really surprised us was how brilliant it was at collecting up all the goose poo around the parks, this is such an unexpected but now invaluable bonus! It makes the parks a much nicer place for the general public to visit whilst also making our lives easier with less cleaning to do,” explained Paul.

As the Parks and Premises Manager at Chesham Town Council, Paul Isom looks after all the parks, opens spaces, woodland plus the theatre, townhall, gym and other public facilities along with his team of 7 staff and Deputy Manager.  As part of the maintenance fleet they also have an outfront flail mower, compact tractor, triple mower for all the non pristine grass verges and tractor with flail for the larger parkland areas.   “Having the ISEKI on the fleet with its multitude of uses assists in allowing us the ability to contract out our services to nearby towns and parishes.

Nothing seems too much trouble for our local dealer P A Turney, Joshua Walker ensures any questions or issues are dealt with the same day where possible.  You cannot ask for more than that.

Having purchased the SXG326 purely to cut and collect the massive amount of parks and manicured verges which are required to be rolled and striped throughout the town, I cannot believe how much more versatile this mower is.  I would not hesitate to recommend this product to another person looking for a reliable mower with an outstanding finish left every time.”

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Chainsaw Artist Attempts World Record

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Chainsaw Artist Attempts World Record: Chainsaw artist Ian Murray is attempting to set a new world record by climbing the three highest peaks in the UK and creating wood sculptures at the top of each one by using a Pellenc Selion M12 chainsaw – all within 24 hours.

The purpose of this incredible challenge is to raise money for the three charities that are close to Ian’s heart. As an ex-military man he has decided to raise funds for the Royal British Legion (RBL), the Soldiers Charity (ABF) and the Blind Veterans.

Chainsaw Artist Attempts World Record

Furthermore, Ian could not have a better team behind him as he attempts to conquer the Three Peaks Challenge as he will be joined by army veterans, soldiers who are still serving and junior soldiers from AFC Harrogate.

“It was always on my bucket list,” he said. “When you are in business and find yourself sitting up at 2am in the morning doing paperwork, all kinds of crazy ideas come into your head. So I thought let’s do this challenge with a twist!”

Upon leaving the army in 2002, Ian started a new career as a tree surgeon. However after an accident, which saw him fall from a 60ft tree, he decided to use the skills he had gained with a chainsaw to pursue a new venture in wood carving. It is safe to say that it has been a huge success and some of his designs need to be seen to be believed.

After serving with the army in Bosnia, Kosovo and Northern Ireland, Ian is no stranger to a challenge, however the Three Peaks Challenge could well be his biggest trial yet.

In just 24 hours he will not only be climbing the UK’s three highest peaks but at the top of each he will be sculpting the Scottish Thistle on top of Ben Nevis, the English Rose on Scafell Pike and the Welsh Dragon at the top of Snowden. His tool of choice to create these sculptures is the Pellenc Selion M12 chainsaw.

“It was imperative that the chainsaw I chose for this challenge was extremely lightweight. Originally I stripped down one of my old saws so it weighed just over 4.5 kg. I thought that was fairly light until I was talking to Jonathan Morris from Morris Garden Machinery who told me about the Pellenc Selion M12 chainsaw which weighed just 1.7 kg. Well I thought that it would make my job a lot easier by carrying it while climbing.”

The Pellenc Selion M12 is a battery powered handheld chainsaw with a 1200-watt motor, a 6″ cutting bar and weighs only 1.7kg. This compact, powerful chainsaw lends itself to a wide range of uses and facilitates the gentle pruning work of shade trees, ornamental trees and robust hedges. The machine has been designed with the professional user in mind, as the Selion M12 will operate all day with a single charge – which makes it perfect for Ian’s challenge.

“I’ve used Pellenc equipment before and it was absolutely brilliant. The bonus of doing this challenge with the Selion M12 is that it also has the green factor. There are no emissions, it is solar charged and it ticks all of the boxes when it comes to being environmentally friendly.

“I haven’t got to worry about carting petrol around with me while climbing and the battery will last long enough to get me through the challenge. It is a third of the weight of everything else I will have with me – so anything that makes my life easier is great.”

All Pellenc batteries and tools come with a three-year commercial warranty and are distributed in the UK and Ireland exclusively by Etesia UK.

To view the all-new dedicated Pellenc website please visit www.pellencuk.com.

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

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Toro Lynx At Blackpool North Shore

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Toro Lynx At Blackpool North Shore: Stage one of the irrigation refit at Blackpool North Shore Golf Club is complete with the successful – and quick – installation of a Toro Lynx central control system.

Toro and Reesink Turfcare, an official UK supplier of Toro, have long advocated innovation through renovation in its irrigation strategy, but more often than not customers have a sprinkler upgrade rather than the integration of a central control system.

Toro Lynx At Blackpool North Shore

Blackpool North Shore provides a classic example of how, when it comes to renovation with Toro, it doesn’t matter which part of the system needs replacing success is sure to follow.

Course manager Andy Moore says: “There was no question about it, Blackpool North Shore needed a new central control system. Ours was 13 years old and left unsupported by a brand which had subsequently left the sector. The main issues we had to rectify were getting the control system talking to the sprinklers again and improving operation.

“In recent years, things were held together by hand-watering and returning to the course out of hours and late at night to apply water. Obviously, that wasn’t a sustainable situation, but the shortfallings of the system were really highlighted to everyone in the drought of last year. By then I’d been appointed course manager and this was the project with which I could make my mark.”

Andy had whittled his decision down to two control systems and says Toro Lynx triumphed thanks to its technological benefits and the thorough and comprehensive demonstration provided by Reesink. “Not only did Peter Newton come to demo the system to myself and the team and took his time explaining all the USPs, but he came back and went through everything again in a presentation to the board. That made all the difference, everyone bought into it and knew what we were investing in.”

Installation was completed by Rob Green by Green Irrigation in just a couple of days, to deliver Blackpool North Shore a system more than capable of working with any sprinkler or weather station, no matter its age or brand.

As long as the correct sprinkler data is entered into Lynx, no matter what the brand of sprinkler is being used – and all can be catered for – the result will be accurate watering, as Andy confirms: “The Lynx system has delivered a level of accuracy and consistency we haven’t had in many years. We can now irrigate in millimetres. It’s incredible really and can all be done via the mobile app, which myself and my deputy Dan are finding to be a real benefit and so easy to use.”

Stage one of the irrigation refit is the first step in an all-encompassing plan of course improvements, says Andy: “We’re bringing definition to the fairways of this Harry Colt-designed course. At the moment the fairways are rolling and each seems to roll into the next. By adding gorse plants and pathways we hope to improve the presentation of the course for our members and visitors. We’re also reducing the number of bunkers significantly and making those we keep have revetted faces, and we’ll be releveling the tees.”

And, of course, stage two of the irrigation refit will be taking place. The sprinklers will be replaced for either Toro Infinity or Flex, depending on which suits the club’s system and course best. The Flex Sprinkler has the same riser to Infinity, just a different body. Andy continues: “We’re trialling four Infinity sprinklers on the 18th green at the moment and they’re performing really well. I’ve heard good things about Toro Flex too so the jury’s out for the moment. What I can say is, it’ll definitely be Toro we go for!

“We’re a relatively small greenkeeping team and anything we can do to ease the pressure and load is going to be something we’ll consider. Most of the course improvements we have planned will go some way in helping make the day-to-day maintenance and care of the course easier to manage. The same applies to the irrigation. Technology – and Toro – have proven that one simple change, done in a couple of days, can make all the difference.”

Some have credited Toro’s Lynx control system with bringing industry buzzwords ‘interchangeable’ and ‘future-proof’ irrigation to life, and Blackpool North Shore is the latest living proof in how simple and quick it is to deliver that kind of improvement.

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Husqvarna Expand Innovation Leadership

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Husqvarna Expand Innovation Leadership: Husqvarna, global leader in robotic lawnmowing, today launches Husqvarna EPOS technology, a satellite-based solution for a new series of professional Husqvarna Automower® robotic mowers, enabling mowing with virtual boundaries.

Next year, Husqvarna has pioneered and shaped the robotic mowing segment for 25 years with high performing, silent and direct emission-free robotic mowers that are designed to help landscapers maintain healthy lawns and increase productivity.

Husqvarna Expand Innovation Leadership

In 2019, Husqvarna introduced its first all-wheel drive robotic mowers, allowing residential and professional users to cover areas with an incline of up to 70 % – an important further step into the professional segment. Husqvarna is committed to continue to lead and develop the robotic mowing category through customer centric innovation and solutions.

As the next step, Husqvarna today launches the Husqvarna EPOS technology, a high-precision satellite navigation system that delivers an accuracy of 2-3 centimetres. It is used to create virtual boundaries for professional robotic mowers. The new system will significantly increase the flexibility and use of professional robotic mowers in green spaces, as virtual boundaries can be adapted to meet the ever-changing needs of sports fields and public spaces. This new system further opens up opportunities for areas which historically were challenging for robotic lawnmowers, for example areas passing hard surfaces or those which are often remodeled as well as making aerating and scarifying easier.

Sascha Menges, President Husqvarna Division, commented: “Robotics and autonomous solutions will play a major role in the future of green space management. We are committed to continuously improving professional green space management and Husqvarna EPOS is a technological breakthrough in Husqvarna’s robotic mowing that will further accelerate the adaptation of robotics in professional lawn care. “

Husqvarna pro robotic mowers with Husqvarna EPOS integrate with Husqvarna Fleet Services, a digital fleet management control system, and make the management of large lawns and green spaces easier and more flexible and efficient than ever before.

The new technology is the next step in Husqvarna professional robotic lawnmowing and will be launched with selected professional customers in US, France, Germany and Sweden in 2020.

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ICL On Target At Temple GC

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ICL On Target At Temple GC: A fortnightly greens tank-mix consisting of Vitalnova Stressbuster, Greenmaster Liquid, Primo Maxx II and Ryder turf pigment, has proved to be a valuable base feed which has helped to reduce the use of fungicides according to Ben Kebby, Course Manager at Temple Golf Club in Berkshire.

Built on land once owned by The Knights Templar, The Temple Links, as the course was first known, was designed in 1909 by Willie Park Junior. The Club recently celebrated its 110th year anniversary and its membership base is thriving – seeing an increase from 250 to 750 in just five years.

ICL On Target AT Temple GC

Perhaps it is no coincidence that Ben also started at the Club five years ago but the modest Course Manager refuses to take credit for the rise in membership. It is however evident that he has implemented a number of positive changes at the Club but when asked about his success Ben instead prefers to talk about his love for Temple.

“From the very start I was as ambitious as anyone but that has changed now,” he said. “As with most people, when you start in greenkeeping you want to be in charge at the world’s best course overseeing the sport’s most prestigious tournaments. However, since arriving at Temple I have come to the conclusion that lifestyle and happiness trumps ambition. The members here are fantastic, my boss Keith is superb and the area I live in is amazing. I am close to family and it ticks every box for me.”

Ben crossed the channel where he was working as an Assistant Superintendent at a course in the West of Paris to take the position at Temple Golf Club and felt that it was a vital chapter in his greenkeeping journey. His days as an apprentice at Berkshire Golf Club may seem a lifetime ago but Ben has rose rapidly up the career ladder and claims that choosing the correct products is key, especially when it comes to the greens.

“We live and die by the standard of our greens and we are only as good as the day before,” he said. “Last year we were hit quite badly with disease on the greens and I sprayed more fungicide than ever before and I just felt like I was chasing my tail – so that was one reason I went with this new tank-mix.

“The other reason for using the mix was because we had an ICL seminar here in spring last year with Andy Owen (ICL International Technical Manager) and he revealed the results of a trial he carried out in which he didn’t use a fungicide application throughout the autumn to see if he could achieve acceptable standards of greens performance. By using the right technologies, an example being Vitalnova Stressbuster, and getting timing of applications correct, he was able to achieve his goal and significantly reduce disease outbreaks to an acceptable level, this prompted me to examine my own approach.”

Inspired by Andy Owen’s trial work and after discussing it in more detail with Matt Nutter (ICL Area Sales Manager), Ben decided to push ahead with a tank-mix which consisted of Vitalnova Stressbuster (10 L/ha), Primo Maxx II (0.3 L/ha) Greenmaster Liquid 25-0-0 (10/20 L/ha) and Ryder (1 L/ha).

ICL On Target AT Temple GC

“I’ve been using it for approximately five months now and have seen some notable improvements. For starters, drought resistance is better – I was usually putting down about 2mm a night of water as a minimum whereas this year I can run on 1mm. The moisture is now far easier to control and before using this tank-mix I had to over-water just to control it.

“Another remarkable improvement is that the disease pressure has significantly reduced, in fact so-much-so that I have not sprayed a fungicide since February. In recent weeks we have had some heavy rain and high temperatures and we’ve had no disease outbreak whatsoever.

In this sense my thoughts go towards Ryder and Vitalnova Stressbuster with that little bit of iron mixed into it. The foliar grouping works together really well as a preventative, and was inspired by Andy’s presentation.”

While Ben continues to see consistently good results from his tank-mix, he believes that ICL’s continuous product research, trial work and data are essential in helping the industry to move forward.

“The trials, the studies and the explanation of data are incredibly important to me. Anyone can say they have run a trial but I am so much more comfortable going with a product which has some clear data and research behind it.

“It helps greenkeepers to move forward and to overcome obstacles. For example, I can sit here and know that if fungicides were withdrawn tomorrow, I can use the example set by ICL’s trial work presented by Andy and I have the confidence to design a programme to allow the greens to perform well throughout the whole season. It is a nice position to be in.”

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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