Latest ICL webinar announced

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Latest ICL webinar announced: ICL will be holding a live online webinar on Monday 30th November entitled – UK & Ireland Native Invasive Weeds: The Importance of Biology.

The seminar will feature keynote speaker Dr Dan Jones, Managing Director of Advanced Invasives, who presented ICL’s trilogy of Invasive Science Lite online webinars earlier in the year. This latest webinar is again set to attract many attendees when it takes place on Monday 30th November from 3.00pm – 4.00pm.

Latest ICL webinar announced

Latest ICL webinar announced

Despite Invasive Non-Native Plants (INNPs) capturing the headlines, native weeds can also become invasive, growing and spreading quickly to crowd out other native plants and reducing biodiversity.

Similarly, to INNPs, native invasive weeds can be difficult to manage and to control them better, we need to understand their biology and ecology. This knowledge enables us to target control measures more effectively and efficiently, and also allows us to avoid control measures that will be ineffective and/or expensive for our clients.

This webinar reviews current management practice for the rhizome-forming native weeds Field horsetail and Ground elder in the context of how these plants grow, reproduce and sit within the wider landscape ecology. Highlighting similarities and key differences between these species, the webinar will provide better understanding of the unique management challenge that these species present, in addition to providing practical, long term and sustainable recommendations for rhizome-forming native weed management.

Registration is required. Full details about how to join the webinar will be sent once you’ve registered.

For more information and to register please go to https://bit.ly/ICLIV4

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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Xpedite® rescues Manor of Groves GC

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Xpedite® rescues Manor of Groves GC: Having exhausted all mechanical methods of improving surface drainage, Manor of Groves Course Manager Lee Brinkley went into the winter of 2019/20 facing the challenge of managing saturated greens once again.

Or so he thought! A consultation with his regional Headland Amenity Technical Manager led to a trial of Xpedite® on four of the club’s problem greens and, despite it being one of the wettest winters on record, the greens had never been drier.

Xpedite® rescues Manor of Groves GC

Xpedite® rescues Manor of Groves GC

Nestled in a secluded spot on the Hertfordshire/Essex border, many of the greens at Manor of Groves are surrounded by trees, restricting both light and airflow to the surface. “It is no exaggeration to say that my predecessor and I had tried everything” explains Lee, who heads up a team of six greenkeepers. “We’ve hollow-cored, top-dressed, removed thatch and even installed drainage to try and solve the issue. Speaking with Peter Blackaby of Headland was a final roll of the dice to try and avoid the problems we’ve had for many years; with retention of water and the knock-on impact this has on overall playability and plant health.”

“We trialled Xpedite® on four greens, using the equivalent of 14 x 20kg bags per 500m2 of surface after hollow-coring last October, and were astounded with the results” Lee explains. “We had both mild, and wet conditions last year but the greens treated with Xpedite® stayed dry and playable throughout. This specific application dovetailed our existing nutritional programme which is delivering fantastic plant health, strong sustained growth and disease-free greens.”

Xpedite® is a soil amendment product that introduces non-compacting pore space into problematic rootzones. The porous nature of the Xpedite® granule, produced from diatomaceous earth, increases oxygen-holding potential and helps to improve permeability and drainage. In summer, it is able to retain water within its structure – which is then available to the grass plant during periods of dry weather.

Lee concludes, “Following the success we achieved last winter, we are about to hollow-core and apply Xpedite® on all 18 of our greens. The impact this will have on plant health should see us deliver the quality surfaces demanded by the golfers, as well as reduce the need for remedial treatments as we emerge in the spring.”

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Hayter launches landmark Harrier® GreenSeries®

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Hayter launches landmark Harrier® GreenSeries®: Hayter, makers of the finest mowers, announce the launch of the all new Hayter® Harrier® 60V GreenSeries® range. These battery powered mowers mark the first of the iconic Harrier range to make the jump to a greener focused future.

The cordless Harrier 41 and 48 will feature the same 60V battery power system used in the rest of the GreenSeries® range, as well as brother brand Toro’s® Flex-Force Power System®. The mower’s 41cm deck is perfect for those tending to smaller lawns, while the 48cm deck lends itself perfectly to mowing medium to large sized gardens.

Hayter launches landmark Harrier® GreenSeries®

Hayter launches landmark Harrier® GreenSeries®

As is a staple for the Harrier range, these mowers are equipped with the quintessential ribbed rear roller, to perfectly and effortlessly create those sharp striped lawns, which are loved by the British consumer. Both Harrier models feature the two piece, ribbed rear roller which allows for superior traction, manoeuvrability and helps to avoid any turf marking when turning the mower. The trim sides of the usual Harrier models are also a feature on these GreenSeries models, meaning users can still cut right to edge of the lawn – ideal for around borders, raised flower beds and retaining walls.

Craig Hoare, Sales and Marketing Manager for Hayter and Toro, said: “With Hayter set to celebrate it’s 75th Anniversary in 2021, it couldn’t come at a better time to update our flagship model. The GreenSeries Harrier comes with the same convenience as your petrol lawnmower but with no exhaust emissions from the lawnmower.”

The new 60V system is simple to operate with plug and play technology that is comfortable and easy to use. Using the latest in lithium-ion technology, with no self-discharge or memory effect, users will have power at their fingertips whenever they need it. Using the Power Boost technology, a feature available across all GreenSeries products, the battery is able to automatically increase or decrease the power output only when needed, maximising the overall run time of the battery.

Craig also went on to say: “’We’ve combined Hayter quality and design with 21st century technology, so users don’t have to sacrifice on performance or ease. With Hayter being such a traditional, British heritage brand, we wanted to make sure that all of the quality and class of the Harrier was preserved, while simultaneously looking ahead to the future by providing a battery-powered alternative for lovers of the Harrier.”

The 60V GreenSeries Harriers have been designed and engineered by the team at Hayter and will also be produced at Hayter’s Spellbrook factory in Hertfordshire alongside the petrol versions, so users can be rest assured that the premium quality of Hayter Harriers is also present in the electric range.

As part of the GreenSeries range and compatible with Toro’s Flex-Force range, the battery is compatible across any of the products in either of these ranges. The user can simply move the battery to whichever product from the range they need to use. If the user already owns a product from either range, there’s no need to purchase an additional battery.

The rapidly expanding GreenSeries range currently includes the Osprey 46 and has more models set for launch in 2021. On the Toro side of the Flex-Force range of garden tools, a string trimmer and leaf blower are both available, along with a hedge trimmer and chainsaw which have recently joined the range.

For more information please visit www.hayter.co.uk.

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Chairman thanks league groundstaff

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Chairman thanks league groundstaff: Colin White, chairman of the Dales Council League, has praised the forgotten heroes of local cricket’s response to Covid-19 this spring and summer – the groundsmen and women.

Read the full article from The Telegraph and Argus here

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The FairWays Foundation completes inaugural grant cycle

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The FairWays Foundation completes inaugural grant cycle: After Aquatrols founded The FairWays Foundation in January 2019, the global not-for-profit has completed its first grant cycle this summer, with successful grant announcements having now taken place.

The FairWays Foundation has awarded over $106,000 / £80,000 worth of funds to a varied cross-section of environmental projects in both the USA and UK. The funds are available as a result of Aquatrols committing to transferring a percentage of sales to The FairWays Foundation. In the USA, Aquatrols customers are also able to donate points earned through the Approach points redemption platform, if they so wish. This has been seen as another way for the green industry to support conservation and environmental efforts.

The FairWays Foundation completes inaugural grant cycle

The FairWays Foundation completes inaugural grant cycle

Successful grant projects range from stream and grassland restorations and environmental conservation education for children to Ayrshire coastline pollinator movement The Irvine to Girvan Nectar Network in conjunction with The Scottish Wildlife Trust. To view more information about all the projects that are being supporting this year, click here.

Matt Foster, CEO & President of Aquatrols and President of The FairWays Foundation said in a recent interview with Scott MacCallum of Turf Matters, “The most important message for us to share is this is not a contest.  Applicants do not have to “beat” one another to get funding.  They simply must qualify as a sound project supporting conservation, stewardship or education.  As a former greenkeeper, I can remember wanting to cultivate environmental projects that made sense for our land and operation.  But I did not always have access to necessary resources.  Now those resources are available through The Fairways Foundation to greenkeepers across the land.  Truly a grass roots approach to making a difference to their world.” You can view the full interview here.

The FairWays Foundation now looks ahead to the 2021 funding cycle which opens in April 2021. Find out how to apply.

About The FairWays Foundation

The FairWays Foundation is a stand-alone not-for-profit organization dedicated to safeguarding our environment, supporting conservation-based projects; big and small, as well as educational events for professionals, newcomers to the field and for future minds.

Environmental stewardship is not an initiative. It is a long-term investment into our future and the future of our industry. The FairWays Foundation directly funds local and global projects that advance the conservation of our natural resources. These projects will help to preserve the environment we live and work in whilst encouraging education and stewardship not only within our own industry but also within wider communities.

More information: www.thefairwaysfoundation.com

About Aquatrols

More than 60 years ago, Aquatrols introduced the world’s first commercially available soil wetting agent. Since creating an entirely new product category to address water management challenges and opportunities, the company has remained a top innovator and producer of high-performance soil surfactants and related technologies. In addition to its core business of wetting agents, Aquatrols has launched four active ingredients and is the exclusive distributor for Redox’s portfolio of turf products. Aquatrols’ advanced product suite optimizes soil-water-plant interactions in agricultural, professional turfgrass, and horticultural industries in more than 40 countries. Headquartered in southern New Jersey, Aquatrols also has offices in the United Kingdom and conducts business on six continents.

More information: www.aquatrols.com or call (800) 257-7797

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