Origin’s ‘Golf Research Week’

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Origin’s ‘Golf Research Week’: More than 150 turf professionals recently attended the very first Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) ‘Golf Research Week’.

Visitors were welcomed to learn more about the establishment of the Origin Amenity Technology Centre in Dunmow, Essex, and see first-hand the work underway in the OAS greenhouse and trials site that will bring benefit to greenkeeping practices, and to the turf management industry as a whole.

Origin's ‘Golf Research Week’

Origin’s ‘Golf Research Week’

Greenkeepers and managers from across the sporting spectrum joined a number of the OAS technical team for the event which took place in mid-September. Following a warm welcome and company overview, speakers outlined how the £0.5 million investment in the technology centre is facilitating trials, research and data collection to safeguard the future of the industry – considering the impacts that the climate, environmental factors and legislative pressures are having on products and practices.

Following the talks, seven stations then provided attendees with an overview of some of the different areas of the Origin Amenity business, including a RainBird irrigation workshop and a laboratory session exploring the world of soil microbiology beneath our feet. Outside, guests were treated to a tour of the greenhouse, amenity area and trials site – the first results of which, from winter 2021, were also shared.

One of the many in attendance was Vince DeMarzo, 1st Assistant at Wildernesse Golf Club. Reflecting on the event, he said “The Origin brands are a household name in our industry, so an opportunity to get an insight into what happens behind the scenes wasn’t to be missed! It was great to see the meticulous detail that goes into producing the best products for us and discover how much research goes into them before they get to market. It was a well-organised day which reiterated with those that attended why we have so much trust in the OAS brands.”

Key to co-ordinating the event OAS Research & Development Director Geoff Fenn added, “We are really proud of the scope and quality of the scientific trial work we can conduct at Throws Technology Centre and it is exciting to be able to open the site to our friends and customers to demonstrate how we’re moving forward. We were keen for our guests to have a relaxed, educational and enjoyable day where everybody could take home some valuable information that would be beneficial for their own site. Based on the fantastic feedback we’ve had, we’re absolutely delighted with its success and we’re already looking forward to putting on some bigger and better events in the future.”

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Origin Amenity Solutions return to SALTEX

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Origin Amenity Solutions return to SALTEX: Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) will be returning to SALTEX, demonstrating how the knowledge, innovation and wealth of products from across its four brands – Headland Amenity, Rigby Taylor, Symbio and Turfkeeper – has established them as a leading force in amenity and grounds management.

Members of the technical team will be available on stand G060 to discuss how, working in partnership, they can offer a solutions-led turf management approach to meet the objectives of both grounds managers and greenkeepers alike.

Origin Amenity Solutions return to SALTEX

Origin Amenity Solutions return to SALTEX

As autumn conditions prevail, so does the risk of turf disease, meaning that Headland’s pioneering 20-20-30 enhanced plant health tank-mix is back under the spotlight. Independently tested at the STRI and at the OAS Turf Technology Centre, the combination of Liquid Turf Hardener, Turfite® Elite and Seamac® Proturf Fe has proven to minimise disease occurrence by boosting turf health and the strength of the plant’s natural defences. Refinements and improvements to the programme saw the recent addition of Mantle® for enhanced efficacy.

From fertilisers to seeds and Euroflor wildflowers, the Rigby Taylor team will again be looking at solutions for the colder months with a focus on tetraploid seed mixtures – delivering enhanced root growth and germination in temperatures as low as 4oc. R140 tetraploid and diploid blend delivers a robust, hard-wearing and stress tolerant sward suited to a range of sports turf applications. Complementing this, Rigby Taylor will also be demonstrating their line marking portfolio, the latest addition to which is the Tiny Pro X robotic line marker from the leading GPS Tiny Mobile Robots range.

An innovative biological thatch degrader from Symbio will be another stand highlight. DegrAID contains beneficial bacteria and fungi that can break down lignin and cellulose in thatch, converting it to humus and making other nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium available for plant uptake. Alongside DegrAID will be the popular range of Symbio Compost Teas.

Completing the line-up, a live demonstration of the newest feature on the digital Turfkeeper platform can also be viewed on stand G060. The Beacon application offers push-notifications direct to a mobile device, helping the operator to keep up to date with their team and the task list while away from the desk.

All of the brand’s products and services are backed by industry-leading support and research, taking place at the £1m OAS Turf Science and Research Centre. More information about past and present trials can be discovered by attending seminars hosted by Research & Development Director Geoff Fenn and Angus Finlayson, OAS Turf Trials Research Manager, across the two days.

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New CEO joins Trilo at SALTEX

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New CEO joins Trilo at SALTEX: It’s been an exciting period of growth for the Vanmac group since their last appearance at SALTEX, with new premises, new products and more new faces joining the team.

This year, stand K070 will feature highlights such as the Progressive TDR-X tri-deck contour mower and infamous Trilo S3 vacuum collector, with the technical team on hand to discuss these and other products from across the Vanmac and Trilo portfolios.

New CEO joins Trilo at SALTEX

New CEO joins Trilo at SALTEX

More than a year on from the extension of the partnership between Vanmac and Progressive, this has borne fruit for both parties with the range of innovative, rotary finishing mowers delivering first-class quality of cut for turf managers across the country and the full spectrum of applications. Debuted at SALTEX 2021, the Progressive TDR-X is now setting the standard for contour following ability – with three independent floating decks offering a cutting height range from 9.5mm to 84.5mm and cutting width of 3.2m. This ability to cut precisely, without scalping, makes the TDR-X a firm favourite with golf courses, local authorities and large-area green-space managers.

Sitting alongside the TDR-X, visitors can expect to see a number of leaf clearance solutions from the Trilo range including the multi-purpose S3 and the BL960. The BL960 is the largest blower in the Trilo range and one of the most powerful on the market. Offering a capacity of 385m3/min and delivering an airspeed of 75m/s, the BL960 offers the fast and effective clearance of leaves to both the left and the right of the unit thanks to the 180o adjustability of the exhaust spout.

Also on the stand will be Vanmac’s new CEO Christiaan Arends. No stranger to the groundcare sector, Christiaan joins Vanmac after more than 20 years at the Royal Barenbrug Group where, amongst other positions, he was working as Head of Marketing and Sales for the last eight years. Since August 2022, he has sat alongside Leo van Loen and Peter van Mispelaar on the board of Vanmac to drive the further expansion and optimisation of activities across the group. Commenting on his appointment, Christiaan said “I am delighted to now be a part of a strong team, who are passionate about what they produce, and all share the serious ambition of growing the company further. I look forward to meeting customers old and new at SALTEX this November.”

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Weedingtech highlight hybrid power

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Weedingtech highlight hybrid power: Weedingtech, the world leaders in non-herbicidal weed control, will be returning to SALTEX with their revolutionary Foamstream product, with visitors to stand E057 able to see the very first hybrid powered unit – the M600H.

The chemical-free solution to vegetation management is already a firm favourite with a number of councils and local authorities around the country, with the new M600H offering further benefits to the operator and wider environment.

Weedingtech highlight hybrid power

Weedingtech highlight hybrid power

With changes to herbicide and environmental legislation and growing public pressure to reduce usage of harmful weedkillers and chemicals in green space management, Foamstream has fast become recognised as the future of non-chemical control. In trials, Foamstream has been proven to be as effective at treating broadleaf weeds – including species that can be difficult to control by conventional methods – as Glyphosate.

Its active ingredient is hot water, which is insulated by a patented foam formulated from 100% natural plant oils and sugars meaning it can be used in any weather and on any surface, including environmentally-sensitive areas and those close to children or animals. The foam maintains kill zone temperatures for six times longer than other heat-based treatments, killing the weed, damaging the root and sterilising seeds and spores to reduce re-growth. This means Foamstream requires fewer treatment cycles than any other alternative solution on the market.

Foamstream is delivered via industry-leading machinery, available in different sizes and with different power options, suitable to mount on a variety of UTV’s or municipal vehicles. The M600H is Weedingtech’s first hybrid unit, combining the economy of Lithium-Ion battery power with the proven efficiency of a diesel-powered boiler. The M600H offers a flow rate of 6 litres per minute and, as the quietest unit in the range, is particularly well suited to jobs in inner-city and rural environments.

In addition to controlling weeds, moss and other unwanted vegetation, the M600H offers further benefit by tackling a host of other urban tasks including sanitisation, gum removal and the cleaning of graffiti.

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Stressbuster is key to nutrition

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Stressbuster is key to nutrition: The Head Greenkeeper at Knole Park Golf Club, in Sevenoaks, Kent, has explained how his entire nutritional programme revolves around ICL’s Vitalnova Stressbuster. 

Knole Park Golf Club is a course steeped in history and is regularly named as one of the top 100 courses in England. With one of the UK’s finest National Trust sites located at one end, the golf course is set across a beautiful, rolling deer park at the other.

Stressbuster is key to nutrition

Stressbuster is key to nutrition

Kris Durrant is the Head Greenkeeper who works tirelessly to maintain the course and claims that his main aim, when the time comes, is to hand the course over in a better condition than it was than when he took it on.

It all starts with the performance of the greens. “As Head Greenkeepers we are judged on how well the greens play,” he said. “In my opinion we have to have the greens playing to a good standard first, then start expanding out to other playing areas.”

Therefore, when Kris began working at the club three years ago, he started looking for products that would help improve the greens. Vitalnova Stressbuster was suggested to him by Andrew Pledger, ICL Technical Area Sales Manager, after Kris outlined exactly what he was hoping to achieve.

“I trialled Stressbuster and was very impressed – the performance of the product was the best I’ve ever seen, and I’ve used many products in my time,” he said.

Vitalnova Stressbuster is a unique liquid formulation designed to pre-condition turf against stress and also aid recovery from stress. The product can be used all year round which is something that impressed Kris.

Kris applies Vitalnova Stressbuster twice a month to his greens and collars at a rate of 20 L/ha.

“The colour it helps produce is the stand-out feature for me,” he said. “It isn’t an in-your-face, artificial green colour. Instead, it provides a nice, subtle green – the way greens should look. It stays this nice consistent colour for the duration I require, and you don’t get any flush of growth from it.

“When I first started working here, we suffered from a lot of dry patch on our greens, and Stressbuster has helped due to the surfactant within it. We just don’t get dry patch any longer.”

Kris sees best results from utilising Vitalnova Stressbuster in a tank-mix which consists of Qualibra, Vitalnova SMX, Greenmaster Liquid Spring & Summer and Primo Maxx II growth regulator.

“How we apply this depends on the weather and the condition of the turf,” continued Kris. “We might need to add extra nutrition from time to time or we may take something out. For example, we will adjust the amount of Primo Maxx II or perhaps we’ll add some iron if there is any disease lurking about to save using a fungicide. We might also up the nutrition rates during periods of high Anthracnose pressure.

“Ultimately, everything revolves around Stressbuster – it is the main product in our nutrition programme. If I’m being honest – I would be using it everywhere if I had the budget!”

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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