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Chemical Cause For Concern

March 28, 2019/in News, Press Release/by Mike Newby

Chemical Cause For Concern: With a dwindling chemical arsenal, more and more greenkeepers are embracing natural alternatives, chief among them being enriched biochar from UK company Carbon Gold. But who are Carbon Gold, what is enriched biochar and, critically, does it work? With iprodione banned and propiconazole and chlorothalonil on their way out, the […]

Shelton Transform Golf Club Greens

March 28, 2019/in News, Press Release, Sport/by Annabel Gilbert

Shelton Transform Golf Club Greens: Lincolnshire drainage experts Shelton Sportsturf Drainage returned to Ross-on-Wye Golf Club earlier this year in the first week of September to install drainage on the remaining 13 greens after the first five had been completed one year previously. Prior to any of the work starting, flooded greens had been causing […]

Chemical Cause For Concern

March 28, 2019/in News, Press Release/by Mike Newby

Shelton Transform Golf Club Greens

March 28, 2019/in News, Press Release, Sport/by Annabel Gilbert

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Chemical Cause For Concern

March 28, 2019/in News, Press Release/by Mike Newby

Chemical Cause For Concern: With a dwindling chemical arsenal, more and more greenkeepers are embracing natural alternatives, chief among them being enriched biochar from UK company Carbon Gold. But who are Carbon Gold, what is enriched biochar and, critically, does it work?

With iprodione banned and propiconazole and chlorothalonil on their way out, the three “silver bullets” of professional sports turf, which the entire industry has relied on for decades to keep our various courses and pitches green and playable, are all at once unavailable. Compounding the issue, it’s almost certain that nutrient application will be stymied on environmental grounds to prevent run off into the water table in the near future.

However, although it’s no doubt a source of anxiety, few greenkeepers are truly despairing just yet, and some are completely at ease having already replaced their chemical and nutrient arsenal with an organic alternative before the chemicals have stopped being sold. That organic alternative? Carbon Gold’s enriched biochar product, Turf Improver.

Biochar is a high-carbon form of charcoal that improves the water-holding capacity, nutrient retention, aeration and structure of soils and substrates. It also provides a permanent protective refuge for beneficial microbiology.

Carbon Gold’s Turf Improver is biochar enriched with beneficial fungi, nutrients and bacteria and delivers improved turf health and vitality, improves rooting and nutrient retention.

Does it work? Commercial trials indicate yes.

At Mullion Golf Club, the most southernly course in the country, enriched biochar Turf Improver was incorporated into the 14^th green which was considered the course’s problem green in Jan 2018. Just eight months on, despite an outbreak of Fusarium on some of the courses untreated greens in the autumn, the 14^th green is completely disease free, the grass is showing better rooting, feels firmer and is looking much healthier.

At Okehampton Golf Club in Devon, the incorporation of enriched biochar Turf Improver into the 5^th and 12^th greens in March 2017 resulted in a 20% fertiliser reduction and a 100% fungicide reduction on both greens.

So who are Carbon Gold?

The company was founded by Craig Sams, founder of Green & Blacks Chocolate, back in 2007 as an organic, peat-free planting aid for the retail sector. But with a few years of incredible results from third-party scientific trials looking into enriched biochar’s effect on plant health in the commercial crop growing and tree care sectors, trade eventually superseded the company’s retail offering.

Enriched biochar is used extremely effectively in the incredibly controlled growing conditions of both organic and conventional greenhouses in the UK and Europe, and is quickly establishing itself as the standard for tree planting and care. It was introduced to the professional sports turf market by Carbon Gold only a year ago but has already picked up the distribution support of Sherriff Amenity, the UK’s leading sports turf consultants and suppliers.

The times are certainly changing, but so are the tools we have at our disposal to keep our turf healthy. With this new generation of environmentally friendly products, like Carbon Gold’s enriched biochar, retiring chemical fungicides and pesticides might not be the handicap it’s expected to be.

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Shelton Transform Golf Club Greens

March 28, 2019/in News, Press Release, Sport/by Annabel Gilbert

The Shelton Lightning Drain System installed in the first 5 greens, had performed so well over the 1^st year, turning the most waterlogged greens into their driest greens which remained in play all year, that it was decided to complete the programme, and drain the remaining 13 greens this September using the same technique. Lightning Drain is a drainage technique pioneered by Shelton using their System 25 trencher; where 35mm wide trenches are excavated into the green using a high-speed digging wheel, 25mm perforated land drainage pipe and Lytag® are installed in a one-pass operation. The club recruited a team of volunteer members who worked alongside Sheltons and the work was completed in just 9 days.

Seeking advice from the club’s agronomist (STRI) on a post recovery programme the greens were then re-seeded using a mixture of dwarf rye (as a nursery crop) and Fescue grass mixed in with the top dressing, giving excellent results; the faster growing rye grass seed emerged quickly allowing the greens to recover and they were back in play in 4-6 weeks, whilst the slower growing Fescue came through before the rye started to respond to mowing. Ross-on-Wye’s Greens Chairman Hugh Elliott said: “The results have been excellent, the grass was growing through the trench lines within 10 days, and it has made a huge difference to the playability of the course. The whole project has been a great success and thanks must go to our brilliant volunteer members, STRI and the team from Shelton – I would recommend Shelton Lightning Drain System to any Club needing to drain their greens”

Shelton Drainage Ltd is a global business, based in Lincolnshire, England. Shelton design and manufacture specialist drainage machinery for the sportsturf and agricultural market which is engineered to maximise the efficiency of drainage systems and minimise the disruption of installation. As a result, and unlike some more traditional drainage methods, Shelton’s machinery and drainage techniques leave minimal impact on the surface.

Shelton machines are sold all over the world and the overseas business is growing quickly in over 20 different countries. Shelton work to an extensive research and development program, they are regular users of their own machinery allowing for continuous improvement. They appreciate customer feedback and use it to ensure that with a Shelton machine you will always get outstanding performance.

Ross-on-Wye Golf Club is a Members Club situated in Herefordshire, www.therossonwyegolfclub.co.uk

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Chemical Cause For Concern

Shelton Transform Golf Club Greens

Chemical Cause For Concern

Shelton Transform Golf Club Greens

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Chemical Cause For Concern

Shelton Transform Golf Club Greens

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