Glassboys raise toast to MM60

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Glassboys raise toast to MM60: Volunteers are the lifeblood of grassroots football and you would be hard pressed to find anyone as dedicated to the cause than Ian Pilkington. In fact, he spends most of his free time tending to the pitch at Stourbridge FC’s War Memorial Ground, which he says has been hugely benefited by Limagrain’s MM60 grass seed.

Stourbridge through and through, Ian’s involvement with his beloved club, who are also known as the Glassboys, goes back a long way. When he attended his first game as a seven-year old boy, little did he know that one day he would become a director and a groundsman.

Glassboys raise toast to MM60

Glassboys raise toast to MM60

“My dad started taking me to watch the matches at Stourbridge when I seven years old and I’ve followed them ever since,” said Ian. “After the club got relegated in the year 2000 a number of us were invited to run the committee and then we evolved into a limited company and became directors.

“I started helping to run the club in a number of areas and was lending a hand to the groundsman. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury and there was no one to do the work, so I thought I’d better have a go myself.”

That was 16 years ago, and Ian has tended to the pitch ever since. Without fail, he is at the ground every Sunday morning and every spare moment he has during the week, preparing, repairing, and treating every inch of the pitch to keep it in superb condition.

“I’m a keen amateur,” he says. “I’ve found that you never stop gaining knowledge in the groundcare industry. There are always people that I can ask for help and advice and that is how I have managed to do this job for so long.

“To be honest, I could probably do with retiring, but I enjoy spending time at the club. I love being outside and working on the pitch. However, I have found that you can never do enough in this game, and I am always thinking about what else I can do to improve the pitch.”

Ian claims that he saw a remarkable development in the pitch ever since he started using Limagrain’s MM60 grass seed ten years ago after it was recommended to him by trusted supplier Agrovista Amenity.

Limagrain’s MM60 grass seed is renowned for producing an excellent playing surface. It is a 100% Ryegrass formula which is perfect for renovation and divot repair, has a high disease resistance, fantastic aesthetic qualities and offers extremely fast germination – which is boosted by the inclusion of Headstart GOLD®.

“We use MM60 for our renovation at the start of May. We share the ground with a cricket club so as soon as we finish the football season there is change over to cricket. Therefore, we need something which is very quick in establishment and we’ve found that the MM60 is ideal for that – it gives us great coverage.”

“I also tend to overseed in autumn – so I will use the MM60 on areas which need a bit of a boost, or where the fox has been or where the birds have been pecking at the surface.

Glassboys raise toast to MM60

Glassboys raise toast to MM60

“The colour is also very strong throughout the year – it’s always a vibrant green and is healthy.”

MM60 also includes Limagrain’s Ryegrass cultivar Annecy which has outstanding disease resistance particularly against Leaf Spot. The mixture’s high disease resistance coupled with its hard-wearing sward makes MM60 a seed that Ian can rely on.

“We never suffer from any disease here and I’ve found that the MM60 provides great recovery – even in bad weather conditions. Ultimately, we have consistently good results year in year out.

“I’ve been working with Mark Allen from Agrovista Amenity for more than 10 years and have been using the MM60 throughout that whole time. It’s been a fruitful partnership, which combined with use of the Limagrain seed, only benefits the club and will continue to so in the future.”

For further information, please contact Limagrain UK on 01472 371471 or visit the company’s website www.lgseeds.co.uk/mm – you can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed

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Foxes keep groundsman busy

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Foxes keep groundsman busy: A brush with the local fox population is keeping Leeds Rhinos’ groundsman Ryan Golding busy during the coronavirus crisis.

Most of Rhinos’ 150 employees have been placed on furlough, a form of paid leave, but Golding is among a handful still working – and vulpine pitch invaders are giving him plenty to do.

“They are a nightmare,” Golding said of the four-legged hooligans.

“They live near the railway track, in all the bushes there.

“On a night, when they are scavenging for food, they come into the stadium and they always dig in the same place on the pitch.

“They are digging bones into the pitch – I am finding bones all the time.”

The urban foxes are sometimes spotted on the terraces after games, which is one reason why cleaning crews are brought in so quickly following the final whistle.

Golding hopes fencing will deter the pests and noted: “It’s a unique problem, with it being an inner-city stadium.

“You

wouldn’t have a problem like that on an industrial site, it’s just another thing we have to deal with.”

On the other hand, the foxes do keep Emerald Headingley’s pigeons – another traditional groundsman’s enemy – at bay.

“They are stalking around the pitch on a night, waiting for the pigeons to land,” Golding reported.

“There are feathers everywhere! On a morning I have to go around picking pigeon carcasses up.

“It is like a war zone, but they don’t go near our feed, fertilizers or chemicals, which is good.”

Even without the foxes, Golding has his hands full restoring the pitch to its usual glory following unprecedented rainfall last winter.

“My assistants have been furloughed, so it’s just me,” he said.

“I am having to look after all the stadium and all of Kirkstall [Rhinos’ training base] on my own.

“It is challenging, but it’s quite enjoyable – it is taking me back to when I was younger, getting my hands dirty.

“It is very negative circumstances, but it is what it is – there’s people dying, so you can’t really moan.”

The last few months have been tough for Rhinos’ ground crew who, as well as looking after Headingley, had to cope with flooding at Kirkstall.

Golding recalled: “We had a record three months of rainfall – around 300-350 millimetres.

“That is a hell of a lot – and it wasn’t necessarily the weather, it was the timing.

“We always seemed to get downpours the night before games and the morning of.

“We weren’t really getting any luck and the game where it turned was the double-header [when Headingley staged Rhinos’ Betfred Super League opener against Hull immediately after Castleford Tigers had faced Toronto Wolfpack].

“We had a lot more rain than expected after the first game.

“I had two choices, to leave it as it is and have a slow surface, or take it on the chin and make it a fast one.”

Rhinos scored 154 points in their three home games after the loss to Hull and Golding added: “People say it looks like a beach, but it plays really well.

“That’s something I had to discuss with the management team, Rich [Agar, Rhinos’ coach] and Kev [Sinfield, director of rugby].

“I am not bothered what people say if it allows us to play fast rugby and get two points.

“That’s what we did, we applied sand quite regularly to make a fast, stable surface to enable the players to gain purchase – rather than it turning into a mudbath.”

The break has allowed Golding time to work on the pitch, but – with no clear indication when rugby will resume – he explained: “I don’t want to throw everything into recovery yet.

“It’s a bit like a finely-tuned athlete, you don’t want to hand it all the supplements and everything it requires now because it’s going to keep needing that.

“It is a sand-based surface so it drains very quickly and leaches nutrients very quickly, so I have to be careful with what I am applying.”

Life won’t get any less hectic for Golding – and his team – when the season eventually resumes.

Midweek matches are likely as Super League clubs race to make up for lost time, but Golding has no concerns over having to prepare the ground for multiple games in a short space of time.

He stressed: “I don’t see it as a bad thing.

“You get some groundsmen who are very much ‘keep off the pitch’, but I wouldn’t have a job if it wasn’t for the sport so let’s get as many games on as we can and get back to enjoying sport.”

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Rigby Taylor a Soil Scout reseller

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Rigby Taylor a Soil Scout reseller: Data collection and interpretation are critical for making good agronomic decisions on Turf, use of in situ sensor technology developed by Finnish company Soil Scout provides a particle and cost-effective method to achieve this objective.

Peter Corbett, Business Development Manager for Rigby Taylor says “We are excited to be taking on the Soil Scout product in the UK. We see this technology as a step forward for our customers and Agronomist to work off real data to make better more timely and sustainable decisions. This data combined with our agronomic knowledge, Turf products and access to the latest Rain Bird irrigation control equipment provides an unbeatable combination.”

Rigby Taylor a Soil Scout reseller

Rigby Taylor a Soil Scout reseller

Soil Scouts International Sales Manager, Adam Sedgwick, says ” to have a company with the Professionalism, and reach of Rigby Taylor is a massive coup for our relatively new business. We are there alongside them now, to offer full backing and support with the solution we provide, to a company with such high acclaim in the UK”

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Sheep taking over golf courses

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Sheep taking over golf courses: At least two closed and empty English golf clubs have been taken over by sheep during the coronavirus lockdown – where the ruminants have been taking on the grass cutting duties normally reserved for the currently furloughed greenkeepers.

Several UK golf courses are located near to farmland but animals are typically deterred from venturing towards the courses due to the presence of golfers and greenkeepers. Plus, their source of food, which is now growing more quickly than it has been in recent months, is usually mown away just as rapidly.

But with no golfers bar one or two breaking the rules, and with most golf clubs furloughing all but one greenkeeper, golf courses are proving to be rich pickings for hungry sheep.

Avington Park Golf Course and Bramshaw Golf Club, both in southern England, have showcased the hard-working animals on social media.

According to entertainment website TMZ, there have been about 100 sheep roaming and grazing on Avington Park’s 32-acre golf course.

Bramshaw Golf Club also saw the funny side of the invasion – and also outlined the benefits to the course.

The club wrote on Twitter: ‘Been out there for a couple of days. Not doing any harm at the moment.. free labour!’

While sheep on golf courses due to a lack of golfers because of a pandemic may be something new, many golf courses around the world do use herbivores to help out with the maintenance of their facilities.

Machrihanish Dunes in Scotland has used sheep to control the rough in the past.

A spokesman told The Golf Business in 2014: “Here at Machrihanish Dunes we are very proud of our eco friendly status.

“By using the natural lawnmowers to thin out the rough on the course we are able to help preserve several rare and protected species of orchids that grow here on this site and in few other places. The added benefit is visitors can enjoy the company of these unique companions as they play a round. These woolly wonders will have people flocking to see them in action.”

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Commercial mower guide

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Commercial mower guide: The sun’s out. The weather is getting warmer. And we’re all thinking the same thing – a time for a turf maintenance refresh. Luckily for you, we have put together a handy guide that includes the best commercial mowers on the market to help you pick the right mower to complete the job.

Here at Balmers GM, we understand that choosing the right mower is essential for maximising performance whilst still maintaining a quality finish on every job. This is where John Deere’s comprehensive range of commercial mowers come in.

Commercial mower guide

Commercial mower guide

Although each mower is unique in their own way, your choice of product will ultimately depend on a number of key factors. These include; the size of the area you have to mow, how frequently the area requires maintaining, how intricate the mowing area is with any obstacles you may have to navigate around, plus the type of finish that’s required.

The full range of John Deere commercial mowers start off with their professional line-up of walk-behind mowers, moving up to their powerful diesel mowing tractors, zero-turn mowers for fast and efficient mowing, front rotary mowers for more challenging terrain, wide-area mowers for larger areas and their compact tractor series with a range of attachments to give you ultimate versatility.

All John Deere commercial mowers are easy to operate with their comfortable, intuitive, ergonomic controls, and depending which model you choose, most come with powerful 3cylinder diesel engines, hydro-static transmissions, power-steering, 2WD or 4WD options and larger fuel tanks for longer periods of continuous mowing.

Other great features include simple cutting height adjustment, drive over mowing decks, hitip grass collectors and the superb Michelin X Tweel turf airless tyres which are immune to sharp objects and last three times longer than conventional pneumatic tyres. Above all else, a John Deere commercial mower will leave a professional, class-leading cut whilst increasing your businesses’ productivity, performance and profitability.

The 4 Key Models

Diesel Mowing Tractors: John Deere X950R

The John Deere X950R is a powerful rear discharge, rear collect diesel mowing tractor and is a popular choice with landscapers, estates, holiday parks and all the other turf professionals that need to mow larger areas whilst collecting the grass clippings.

Featuring a fuel efficient high-torque 3-cylinder diesel engine, heavy-duty wheel motors, hydraulic power-steering, ergonomic controls and a high-back seat for operator comfort all day long.
The X950R can be configured with a choice of either a 48” or 54” mowing deck and a choice of high or low tip grass collector – the outstanding ‘tail follows trail’ design makes it easy to mow near fences, walls and obstacles with the collection box fitted. Alternatively, a rear deflector chute can be easily fitted to the tractor for those jobs where grass collection isn’t necessary.

Zero-Turn Mowers: John Deere Z997R

If its speed and efficiency you’re after, nothing compares to the manoeuvrability of a zero turn mower. Their ability to turn 360 means navigating around obstacles can be done easily and without slowing down, saving you time and money – making them a popular choice with landscapers and contractors alike.

The Z997R can be configured with either a 72” side discharge deck or a 60” side or rear discharge deck, which can all be easily converted to mulching deck if required.
Another popular option for zero turn mowers are the Tweel Turf Tyres. As they are airless, it’s impossible to lose tyre pressure (one of the main reasons operators are often left with an uneven cut due to loss of tyre pressure causing the mower deck to tilt) and of course are puncture proof too!

Front Rotary Mowers: John Deere 1500 Series

For those larger contract mowing jobs, a commercial front rotary mower is certainly worth considering as they’re specifically engineered to mow through thick grass at high speed for longer periods of time – up to 10 hours of continuous mowing for some models!

The John Deere 1500 series of commercial front rotary mowers come with 4WD as standard and are fitted with high performance 3-cylinder diesel engines with direct injection to increase economy and mowing performance.

All models are available with a choice of mowing decks; the 7-Iron Pro side discharge deck is designed for more challenging areas and is available in either a 60” or 72” width of cut or in areas where people may be present the FastBack rear discharge deck is available in either a 62” or 72” width of cut.

Compact Tractors: John Deere 1026R

For many turf professionals, a good option is a compact tractor. Not only will it easily tackle those seasonal mowing jobs, a compact tractor is a sound investment for all sorts of groundcare jobs all year round.

The rear PTO can operate a whole range of attachments such as leaf blowers, chippers and log-splitters for Autumnal work, and when Winter comes – snow brushes, blades and gritters can be attached quickly. Other attachments include front loaders, buckets and pallet forks and to the rear of the tractor accessories such as transport boxes and trailers are quickly attached to a 3-point hitch.

The John Deere 1026R is the smallest compact tractor in the range and is designed to let the operator switch tools and attachments quickly. Standard features include hydro-static transmission, 4WD and power-steering for smooth operation – plus a deluxe seat and suspension, tilt steering and a lighting kit for all-day, all year round work.

The AutoConnect mower deck connects to the tractor without you having to leave your seat. Simply drive over the deck ramps, listen for the two clicks as the deck attaches and you’re done. Yes, it’s that easy. And quick!

For a limited time only, you can get the 54” AutoConnect mowing deck when you purchase the John Deere 1026R model for JUST £1 – a saving of over £3,000!

If you’re still unsure on which type of commercial mower is the right one for you, then our dedicated sales team will be happy to offer advice, guidance and machinery demonstrations to help you through the decision-making process. Simply enquire now.

Balmers GM are one of North England’s largest dedicated turf machinery dealers and are John Deere’s main dealers for golf and turf machinery covering Lancashire, West and South Yorkshire. Find out more.

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