STIGA Technology Enhances Glenapp Castle’s Gardens

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STIGA Technology Enhances Glenapp Castle’s Gardens: The STIGA team is proud to announce that Glenapp Castle, Relais & Châteaux, perched high above the dramatic coastline of southwest Scotland, has chosen STIGA’s robot mowers to care for its historic lawns.

Overlooking the Irish Sea and the iconic Ailsa Craig Island, Glenapp Castle is a baronial retreat hidden within 110 acres of enchanting parkland, including an Italian garden designed by renowned horticulturalist Gertrude Jekyll. Beneath its fairytale towers and turrets lie grand interiors adorned with rich fabrics, art, and antiques that echo the splendour of a bygone era. With award-winning cuisine, access to country sports and world-class golf, and its own all-weather boat for exploring the surrounding isles, Glenapp Castle offers an unrivalled Scottish escape.

STIGA Technology Enhances Glenapp Castle’s Gardens

STIGA Technology Enhances Glenapp Castle’s Gardens

STIGA’s range of autonomous robot mowers has been officially certified by Quiet Mark, making STIGA the only autonomous robotic mower brand to receive this prestigious recognition. Combining cutting-edge innovation with eco-conscious engineering, the mowers deliver exceptional performance while operating with minimal noise, helping to preserve the tranquillity of gardens and estates like Glenapp.

The adoption of STIGA’s robotic mowing technology has already proven transformative at Glenapp Castle, complementing the expertise of the estate’s gardening team and allowing them to dedicate more time to vital restoration and conservation work.

Jill Chalmers, Managing Director of Glenapp Castle, said:

“We are delighted to introduce STIGA’s Quiet Mark-certified robotic mowers to our estate. The technology not only maintains our gardens to the highest standard, but also does so in harmony with the peaceful surroundings that our guests so greatly value. This innovation supports our talented gardening team, allowing them to focus on preserving the heritage and natural beauty of Glenapp Castle for generations to come.”

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Future leaders step into the spotlight at SALTEX

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Future leaders step into the spotlight at SALTEX: The Grounds Management Association’s (GMA) future leaders and young professional ambassadors, GMA NextGen, are set to take centre stage at SALTEX 2025 with their first-ever takeover of the show’s renowned Learning LIVE programme. 

GMA NextGen is made up of talented young professionals dedicated to championing the grounds management industry and inspiring the next generation. Their mission is to attract and engage young people by showcasing the diverse, rewarding career opportunities available in the sector.

Future leaders step into the spotlight at SALTEX

Future leaders step into the spotlight at SALTEX

For 2025, Learning LIVE – the largest free educational event of its kind in the industry – will feature two dedicated NextGen sessions on the Spotlight Stage. Topics include Diversity in the Grounds Industry and a panel of NextGen alumni discussing youth engagement, change-making and their own journeys into the group and, most importantly, how the sector can continue to attract the next generation of grounds staff.

The takeover doesn’t stop there. The reimagined SALTEX Clubhouse will also play host to a confirmed under 35s meet-up for networking and Q&As. Afterwards, visitors should stick around for the 3pm Happy Hour, where a special sporting star will swap the pitch for the decks and DJ the afternoon away – more details coming soon!

Learning LIVE highlights

  • Wednesday 12 November, 1:00pm – 1:45pm

Youth Engagement: Hear from past members as they discuss the importance of bringing young talent into the sector, the changes they want to see and why they got involved. Hosted by GMA NextGen members Jack Langley, Jack Leather and Flynn Good.

  • Thursday 13 November, 12:00pm – 12:45pm

Diversity in the Grounds Industry: An open and candid conversation on inclusion and representation, exploring how the sector can continue to evolve.

Clubhouse Meet-up

  • Wednesday 12 November, 1:45pm – 2:45pm

Join the dedicated NextGen Meet-Up and Q&A in the reimagined SALTEX Clubhouse. The informal session is the perfect chance to network with peers and be part of their growing NextGen community.

“SALTEX is a fantastic platform to showcase what GMA NextGen is all about, and to highlight the real career opportunities available for young people looking to enter the industry,” said Jack Langley, Co-Chair of GMA NextGen and Deputy Head Groundsperson at Ashton Gate Stadium.

“Visitors will also get the chance to hear from NextGen alumni who are now thriving in established careers, which we hope will inspire others to follow in their footsteps. It’s no secret that this is an ageing industry, so being able to take over Learning LIVE is a real step forward in our mission to attract and retain new talent in grounds management.”

Sarah Cunningham, Director of Commercial, Membership and Events at the GMA, added: “We’re incredibly proud to be showcasing the GMA NextGen group at SALTEX. They’re already making waves within the industry and bringing fresh ideas to grounds management, so by providing them with a platform at Learning LIVE will allow them to highlight their achievements and show the important role young professionals will play in shaping the industry’s future.”

To find out more about GMA NextGen, visit thegma.org.uk/nextgen.

Register for FREE at www.saltex.org.uk and be in with a chance of winning a Cramer Tools Lawn Mower, complete with charger and battery, worth £2,240!

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The Power of Botanical Balance

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The Power of Botanical Balance: The spring of 2025 was the hottest and driest on record. Four heatwaves, rainfall 40% below the average and soaring evapotranspiration have left reservoirs low and much of England officially in drought.

For turf managers, this isn’t a one-off challenge — it’s the new pattern. Fairways, in particular, have taken a hit with heavy traffic and hydrophobic ‘dry patch’ soils slowing recovery and reducing the overseeding window. Beneath the surface, next season’s outcomes are already being decided so what can you do create surfaces than not only survive, but thrive? Stuart Yarwood, Regional Technical Manager at DLF Seeds explores.

The Power of Botanical Balance

The Power of Botanical Balance

Resilience isn’t about one species — it’s about balance. Each grass brings unique strengths and, when blended intelligently, they create swards that can survive drought, recover faster and maintain presentation. The deep roots and rolled leaves of Fescues provide natural drought tolerance. Slender & Strong Creeping Red deliver rhizomatous recovery, Chewings provides fineness and root mass while Hard and Sheep’s add density on poorer soils. The creeping roots of Bents provide stability, boost drought recovery and wear tolerance, all with low inputs. Ultrafine Ryegrasses provide rapid establishment and resilience to traffic, ideal for situations where fast cover is critical.

Botanical diversity is an insurance policy: if one species falters, others fill the gap. This strategy forms the backbone of mixture formulation, with each Johnsons Sports Seed and Masterline mix from DLF a carefully tuned orchestra of grasses working in harmony to protect your surfaces from whatever the climate throws next.

Looking specifically at the Johnsons Sports Seed range, J Sustain Fairway is the ultimate ‘Climate Guardian’, with a five-fescue blend of Hard, Slender, Strong, Chewings and Sheep’s working together like a defensive line. J Fescue is a smooth, balanced and adaptable all-rounder for greens, tees, approached and fairways, while J Premier Fairway is a focused, premium fescue cocktail for fairways that provides consistency, density and top-class presentation. The new 2025 formulation of Johnson’s J Fairway is another gamechanger – featuring 5% Teetop Browntop Bent which equates to 10 million plants per bag! Its creeping roots stitch fairways together for outstanding resilience and accelerated recovery.

When traffic is high and recovery needs to be fast, the J Ultrafine Rye range is your emergency service – available with 25%, 50% or 100% ultrafine rye for superior play and presentation. For coastal conditions, you can consider the 100% Slender Creeping Red fescue blend of J Links – salt-tolerant, wind-tough and bred for true links authenticity.

The autumn brings warm soils, cool air and dews — perfect conditions for overseeding. Walk your fairways and study what’s survived to match seed choice to site conditions. Relieve compaction when soils soften, aerate to chase roots deeper and use wetting agents to re-wet profiles. Once overseeding is complete, protect seedlings from traffic and communicate realistic timelines with golfers.

2025 has been brutal, but intelligent overseeding is your defence. Combine botanical diversity, cultural best practice and DLF’s unrivalled seed purity to future-proof your fairways. Overseeding isn’t just repair — it’s an investment in resilience, playability and sustainability.

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Two Ventrac’s for Chelmsford GC maximise versatility

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Two Ventrac’s for Chelmsford GC maximise versatility: Chelmsford Golf Course was founded in 1893. Head Greenkeeper, James Pickess, has been there for twenty-five years, starting as an assistant greenkeeper, then moving into a mechanical role and eventually becoming deputy, and then Head Greenkeeper nearly two years ago. His team consists of seven full-time staff.

Chelmsford is a parkland course of just under a hundred acres, featuring push-up greens and ancient woodland integrated into the design. The soil is primarily Essex clay, leading to some very wet spots. The topography includes hilly and sloped tee banks, with some challenging steep areas such as “The Snake Pit” and “The Valley” which are ancient clay digging sites for bricks. “Some slopes are as steep as 28 degrees, posing challenges for normal mowers”, said James.

Two Ventrac’s for Chelmsford GC maximise versatility

Two Ventrac’s for Chelmsford GC maximise versatility

James initiated the purchase of two Ventrac 4520 traction units, an MR770 triplex reel mower, a rotary MJ840 Contour Mower, a Tough Cut mower and an ET202 Turbine Blower, when he became Head Greenkeeper, driven by the machine’s versatility. He noted that “specialized grass machinery is increasingly expensive. The appeal of Ventrac was its ability to perform two, four or even ten different jobs,” said James, “offering more value for money and making it a worthwhile club investment.” James specified optional rear 3-point-hitches with quick hitch 3 in1 adaptors to allow generic attachments to be used such as turf conditioners and a carrying box. This allows for simultaneous operations (e.g., one machine with reels, another with the contour deck) and easy swapping of attachments.

James explained that “previously, the first cut was done with a rotary mower, which struggled with damp, dewy mornings, leaving grass clippings behind.” The Ventrac’s reel mowers were purchased to transition to a cleaner cut, effectively managing wet conditions and improve contour following. The course has some very undulating terrain. Larger previous mowers struggled to follow contours, leading to scalping. Ventrac’s reel mowers and contour deck “hug and float” [the ground] better, adapting well to the terrain. The Ventrac’s allow for precise cutting heights, “25mm with the cylinder mowers and better definition from the green to the collar, using two bands with the cylinder mower and two further bands with the contour deck 51mm”. said James.

In addition, previously, tasks like clearing brush, bracken, and bramble in woodland areas between greens required hiring machinery. Now, the Ventrac Tough Cut Deck can be deployed on demand, saving time and costs associated with hiring. The Ventrac Turbine blower, utilizing the diesel-powered tractor’s engine, is more fuel-efficient and maneuverable than the previous petrol-powered, tow-behind blower, which also tied up a utility vehicle. Significant manpower savings are achieved by combining tasks, for example, using a GreenTech turf conditioner on the three-point hitch at the back while simultaneously using the blower on the front. James explained that “this allows one person to do the work that previously required two, saving about a day, to a day and a half over three days of work on the fairways”. The Ventrac’s stability on steep slopes (up to 30 degrees) makes it safer. Chelmsford has slopes of up to 28 degrees. James also highlighted “excellent support” from Price Turfcare and Invictor Ground Care, noting quick parts replacement and technical assistance.

While the Ventrac units were only acquired just after Christmas 2024, James anticipates long-term financial savings and has already seen significant time and manpower efficiencies. He is considering adding more attachments in the future, such as a power rake or rotary brush.

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Makita’s charging chase is electrifying

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Makita’s charging chase is electrifying: The new Makita BCC01 is a robust and efficient 8-port battery charging case intended to streamline the charging of power tools for busy professionals. Designed with a compatible shape suitable for Makpac carriers – Makita’s interlocking storage system, this product is a game-changer for productivity on site.

With the advantage of eight charging ports, the case enables the simultaneous charging of up to four Makita batteries at a time. The smart ‘Switch Change’ function automatically cycles to the four remaining batteries once the first four are fully charged to ensure batteries can be rotated when needed, creating minimal disruption to workflow.

Makita's charging chase is electrifying

Makita’s charging chase is electrifying

The BCC01 is compatible with XGT 40V batteries and with the optional ADP10 adapter (sold separately), the charging case supports LXT 18V batteries too. The charging case charges batteries quickly, charging four 2.0Ah XGT batteries simultaneously in as little as 75 minutes. To charge eight, it takes 150 minutes.

“The BCC01 has been built for high-demand environments where efficiency and productivity are critical,” said Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita. “With simultaneous multi-port charging, automated cycling, and full Makpac integration, it delivers a compact, convenient solution that supports both XGT and LXT platforms — making it ideal for having on site.”

To find out more about Makita’s full range of products, visit: www.makita.co.uk

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