#GroundsWeek Returns for 2026: Join the Celebration

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#GroundsWeek Returns for 2026: Join the Celebration: The Grounds Management Association (GMA) has announced the return of its annual awareness campaign, #GroundsWeek, taking place from 23-29 March 2026.

Following a hugely successful campaign in 2025, which reached more than 20 million people worldwide, including audiences in Australia, #GroundsWeek is once again set to shine a spotlight on the professionals and volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the UK’s playing surfaces and green spaces thriving.

#GroundsWeek Returns for 2026: Join the Celebration

#GroundsWeek Returns for 2026: Join the Celebration

Last year’s campaign received widespread support from major sporting organisations including England Football, The All-England Lawn Tennis Club, Lord’s Cricket Ground, Wembley Stadium and England Rugby, helping to amplify the vital role of grounds staff across all sports and community environments.

CHAMPIONING A SKILLED AND ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY

#GroundsWeek is a nationwide celebration of the expertise that go in to creating and maintaining high-quality playing surfaces. The campaign aims to raise public awareness of the grounds management industry and encourage a deeper appreciation for the work involved.

The GMA is encouraging everyone connected to the industry – clubs, organisations, professional grounds teams, volunteers and anyone working in grounds care – to take part throughout the week.

DOWNLOAD YOUR GROUNDSWEEK ENGAGEMENT PACK NOW!

To make it easier than ever to get involved the GMA has launched a dedicated #GroundsWeek Engagement Pack, offering a suite of downloadable resources to make involvement simple and accessible. The pack includes social media graphics, editable templates and tools to help individuals and organisations celebrate.

“Grounds teams are essential but too often unnoticed,” said Geoff Webb, CEO of the Grounds Management Association. “#GroundsWeek is our opportunity to change that narrative and celebrate the people who make sport and outdoor spaces possible.

“The incredible reach of last year’s campaign showed the strength of our community when we stand together. In 2026, we’re determined to build on that momentum and shine an even brighter light on the people whose work benefits millions every single day.”

INDUSTRY SUPPORT

#GroundsWeek is proudly backed by GMA Platinum Corporate Supporters Kubota (UK), Howardson Group, ICL Group, MJ Abbott, Premier Pitches, GKB Machines, ISEKI UK & Ireland and Cramer, alongside GMA Gold Corporate Supporters Rada UK, Aquatrols Europe, Redexim, RT Machinery, SGL and Husqvarna UK.

For more information and to download the Engagement Pack, visit thegma.org.uk/groundsweek.

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STIHL marks century with host of celebrations

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STIHL marks century with host of celebrations: The world’s best-selling chainsaw brand, STIHL, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Since 1926, STIHL has defined the global standard for battery and petrol-powered forestry, landscaping, and residential gardening equipment for professional and domestic users alike.

Built to make work in nature easier, STIHL began as a one-man operation in a Stuttgart workshop. Today, it stands as an internationally renowned leader in dual technology solutions. The family-owned company, rooted in petrol-powered products, celebrates its centennial by continuing to lead innovation across both petrol and battery-powered technologies.

STIHL marks century with host of celebrations

STIHL marks century with host of celebrations

To mark the milestone, STIHL will host a range of celebrations in Great Britain and across its global network throughout the year. To kick off, STIHL will pay tribute to the famous MS 500i, the world’s first mass-produced petrol chainsaw with electronically controlled fuel injection, by launching a centennial edition of the model. The tool achieves an impressively low power-to-weight ratio of 1.24 kg/kW and features an elegant black design and distinctive centenary detailing. Remaining true to the performance of the original, the special edition model continues to set the benchmark for demanding forestry applications and will be available to buy later in the year from selected dealers.

Additionally, STIHL will run a series of competitions on its social channels throughout the year to reward its loyal customers and help them share in the celebrations.

Taking place at its Contra House headquarters on 25th June, STIHL will also host a special dealer conference with dedicated awards ceremony, recognising its valued dealer network. The STIHL 100 Awards will shine a spotlight on star dealers, acknowledging the contribution they make to the brand’s continued success.

Dr. Nikolas Stihl, Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Advisory Board of STIHL, said: “Any company that reaches the grand old age of 100 hasn’t got there by relying on tradition alone.”

“It can only stay successful for a century if it knows its roots, while also recognising when it’s time to start a new chapter. With that in mind, our anniversary is not just a time to look back, but also a moment to recognise the strength that comes from our combination of heritage, engineering expertise, and the courage to innovate.”

For more information on STIHL products, visit www.stihl.co.uk or contact your nearest STIHL Approved Dealer.

Find out more about STIHL’s historic milestone, here: https://100.stihl.com

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Greenmaster Liquid Advance sets a new standard

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Greenmaster Liquid Advance sets a new standard: ICL has launched Greenmaster Liquid Advance, a new liquid fertiliser range developed to support turf performance during periods of stress.

Building on the long-established success of the Greenmaster Liquid range, Greenmaster Liquid Advance represents a significant evolution in liquid turf nutrition, introducing new technology and performance capability beyond what has previously been available across liquid fertilisers.

Greenmaster Liquid Advance sets a new standard

Greenmaster Liquid Advance sets a new standard

Designed for professional turf managers, the range combines proven liquid nutrition with a biostimulant package containing MTU®, a patented molecule now available in turf for the first time.

MTU® has been developed to support plant efficiency when conditions limit normal turf response. Stresses such as low light, temperature extremes, and heavy wear can restrict nutrient uptake and recovery. By helping maintain key plant processes during these periods, MTU® supports turf resilience and more consistent performance.

Integrated into the Greenmaster Liquid Advance formulations, MTU® works alongside balanced nutrition to help turf make more effective use of applied nutrients under pressure. The range also contains pidolic acid, included to support nutrient uptake and stress tolerance, giving turf managers a practical way to feed surfaces when stress limits normal plant response.

Key benefits for turf managers

  • More consistent turf response under challenging conditions
  • Improved nutrient efficiency and colour retention
  • Stronger recovery and playing quality under pressure

Andy Owen, International Technical Manager at ICL, said: “Greenmaster Liquid Advance is designed to support turf performance when stress limits normal plant response. Conditions such as low light, temperature extremes and heavy wear reduce how efficiently turf can use applied nutrition. By combining proven liquid nutrition with MTU® and pidolic acid, the range helps maintain key plant processes under stress, supporting more consistent turf performance and colour through challenging periods.”

Jaroslav Nisler, Head of the Isotope Laboratory at the Institute of Experimental Botany in the Czech Republic and the lead scientist behind MTU®, added: “MTU® is a patented molecule with a clear mode of action. Even at very low concentrations it delivers results, helping turf maintain green leaf area and recover more quickly after stress. Its inclusion in Greenmaster Liquid Advance makes this technology available to turf managers for the first time.”

Availability

Greenmaster Liquid Advance is available now through ICL’s distribution network.

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

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Bionema launches WeevilIntercept™ for adult vine weevil control

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Bionema launches WeevilIntercept™ for adult vine weevil control: Bionema Group, a UK-based biological crop protection company, has announced the launch of WeevilIntercept™, a ready-to-use biological solution designed to control adult black vine weevils (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) in ornamental horticulture, nurseries, and retail plant production systems.

Vine weevil is one of the most economically damaging pests in UK horticulture, with total plant losses estimated at approximately £40 million annually across nurseries, garden centres, and retail supply chains. While adult vine weevils cause visible cosmetic damage to foliage, the most severe economic losses are caused by larvae, which hatch from eggs laid by adults and feed on plant roots, often leading to sudden plant collapse and death.

Bionema launches WeevilIntercept™ for adult vine weevil control

Bionema launches WeevilIntercept™ for adult vine weevil control

For professional growers and retailers, tolerance is effectively zero. The presence of even a single larva or adult vine weevil can result in crop rejection, lost sales, and reputational damage, particularly at the point of sale.

WeevilIntercept™ is designed to break this cycle by targeting adult vine weevils before they lay eggs, helping reduce subsequent larval pressure and protect plant quality. The product exploits the natural daytime hiding behaviour of adult weevils and contains encapsulated entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernema carpocapsae) housed within a moisture-stable wooden shelter. When adult weevils enter the trap, the nematodes infect and kill the pest through a wholly biological process, leaving no chemical residues.

“Adult vine weevils may cause cosmetic damage, but they are the source of the larvae responsible for the most serious plant losses,” said Dr Minshad Ansari, CEO and Founder of Bionema Group. “WeevilIntercept™ provides growers and retailers with a practical biological tool to intercept adults early, complement existing larval control programmes, and strengthen integrated pest management strategies.”

Each WeevilIntercept™ unit provides approximately 10 square metres of coverage and remains active for up to 8-10 weeks when kept moist. The product is intended for use by professional growers, nurseries, landscapers, garden centres, and home gardeners managing vine weevil pressure during the active adult period from spring through mid-summer.

Free from microplastics and synthetic pesticides, WeevilIntercept™ supports Bionema’s wider mission to reduce reliance on conventional chemical inputs while maintaining reliable, practical pest control performance.

WeevilIntercept™ will be available for the 2026 vine weevil season, with an initial focus on the UK horticultural and retail markets. Growers and retailers interested in evaluation or supply for the 2026 season are invited to contact Bionema Group directly.

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Allett launches LEDMASTER UVC 100

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Allett launches LEDMASTER UVC 100: Complementing the Allett Omnia launch, Allett will also display the LEDMASTER UVC 100 UV-C Light Bar at BTME 2026. LEDMASTER is a new turf disease management tool that integrates directly into routine mowing operations.

Mounted behind compatible professional mowers, the LEDMASTER UVC 100 exposes freshly cut grass leaf surfaces to a controlled dose of UV-C light during normal mowing runs. This exposure can help suppress foliar pathogens and reduce disease pressure, decreasing reliance on chemical fungicides while fitting seamlessly into existing mowing schedules.

Allett launches LEDMASTER UVC 100

Allett launches LEDMASTER UVC 100

Key features of the LEDMASTER UVC 100 include reduction in foliar disease pressure as part of the standard mowing process. There are no additional labour, residues or regulatory limitations. Proven positive outcomes in stadium trials show reduced visible symptoms of common turf diseases such as leaf spot and red thread.

“By activating UV-C treatment as grass is being cut, grounds teams can build a cumulative suppressive effect on disease pathogens without extra passes or labour,” says Allett. “This represents a practical, sustainable step forward in integrated turf management.”

The LEDMASTER UVC 100 comes with an independent rechargeable battery with up to four hours’ operational capacity. LEDMASTER is shown for the first time at BTME 2026 alongside the new Allett OMNIA range. Further technical details and availability information will be released following the exhibition.

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