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MM50 Is ACE For Devonshire Park

October 20, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by Lucy Nicholls

MM50 is ACE for Devonshire Park: Following a successful trial period, Danny Negus – head groundsman at Devonshire Park International Tennis Centre in Eastbourne, has decided to use Limagrain’s MM50 grass seed exclusively across all three of the sites he maintains. Danny has been working with sports turf throughout his whole career and after initially entering […]

Toro Improves Condition Of Turf At Grimsthorpe Castle

October 20, 2017/in Machinery, Press Release/by Rosie Duckworth

Toro Improves Condition And Appearance Of Turf At Grimsthorpe Castle: First time Toro customer, Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire, has purchased a Groundsmaster 4300-D rotary mower to tend the formal gardens. An improvement in the condition and appearance of the turf within the gardens of the 3000-acre estate is already evident. From Easter to September, the 65 […]

MM50 Is ACE For Devonshire Park

October 20, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by Lucy Nicholls

Toro Improves Condition Of Turf At Grimsthorpe Castle

October 20, 2017/in Machinery, Press Release/by Rosie Duckworth

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MM50 Is ACE For Devonshire Park

October 20, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by Lucy Nicholls

Danny has been working with sports turf throughout his whole career and after initially entering the industry as a greenkeeper, eleven years ago he got the opportunity to work within the sport he claims to love.

“I simply love tennis and I think it makes a difference. If you understand what the end use is, you can better perfect your craft. So when the opportunity came up to work at Devonshire Park – I just had to take it.”

Danny has now been the head groundsman at Devonshire Park for the last eighteen months and admits that he is always striving for perfection.

“As the sport of tennis is getting more demanding, players are putting so much into their diets, their mentality and their approach to everything. Therefore it is only fair that we provide a surface for them to play on to do the same. I was looking for a grass seed to beat the standard we were currently at and that is why I decided to embark on the trial work.”

Along with four other members of staff, Danny oversees the maintenance of not just the facilities at Devonshire Park but also the grass courts at the Meads Lawn Tennis Club and Moira House School – both of which are in Eastbourne. These various establishment offered Danny the perfect opportunity to put the seed to the test in three very different conditions – as he explains.

“I trialled Limagrain’s MM50 last year throughout the three sites which consists of approximately 27 courts. We did this because I wanted to see the reaction of the seed on different sites in different conditions. There are a lot of micro climates around here and it enabled us to see how the seed responded in a tournament situation, and also from a club and a professional use. The results I got back from the trials revealed to me that it was absolutely a no-brainer to continue to use MM50 across all three sites.”

Danny is just one of a number of groundsmen who has benefitted from using MM50 as it possesses exceptional shoot density along with tolerance to close mowing making it particularly suitable for grass tennis courts. Other key features include fast recovery from wear and damage and high disease resistance.

This superior mix contains the perennial ryegrass cultivars, Venice, Alison and Malibu, which are renowned for providing a great sward. MM50 is also treated with HEADSTART® GOLD – Limagrain’s unique seaweed based seed treatment which helps to ensure rapid and even germination. This tried and tested grass seed treatment helps the seed get off to the best possible start – therefore it is ideal to use in the less than favourable conditions that can sometimes be found on tennis courts during renovations.

“What impresses me with MM50, is that within three days we can actually start to see the germination process,” says Danny. “This is brilliant for us for when we have a short turnaround time of 15 days between tournaments.

“It has a recovery rate which I am really impressed with – every time that gets knocked the recovery is huge. The colour is fantastic and its reaction to light has been far superior compared to other grasses I have used. I think the blends are really good.

“Simply put, MM50 is the only seed that I use and will continue to use. That is throughout the season – in between the tournaments, any bits of minor renovation works such as baselines and for the main renovation works at the end of the season.”

For further information, please contact Limagrain UK on 01472 371471 or visit the company’s website www.lgseeds.co.uk/amenity

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Toro Improves Condition Of Turf At Grimsthorpe Castle

October 20, 2017/in Machinery, Press Release/by Rosie Duckworth

Toro Improves Condition And Appearance Of Turf At Grimsthorpe Castle: First time Toro customer, Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire, has purchased a Groundsmaster 4300-D rotary mower to tend the formal gardens. An improvement in the condition and appearance of the turf within the gardens of the 3000-acre estate is already evident.

From Easter to September, the 65 acre gardens are open to the public and with footfall increasing so too are the horticultural standards.

Jim Handley, head gardener, explains: “One of my main challenges after accepting the position at Grimsthorpe was to raise the horticultural standards of the gardens. Our expansive lawns are a major attraction for our visitors, especially those with young families, and it’s my responsibility to provide them with the best turf possible to enjoy their visit.

“Soon after arriving at Grimsthorpe I realised that with our heavy clay soil, time constraints and natural mix of turf species, our cylinder mower was struggling to keep the turf in good condition. With little to no seasonal lawn maintenance being carried out previously, I have been formulating plans to begin rejuvenating our turf over a number of years. The first step was to replace our cylinder with a rotary mower to help alleviate some of the problems we were having.”

With it established that a rotary mower was needed to help with the regeneration and improvement of the turf, why a Toro? Jim says: “This is our first Toro mower, chosen simply because out of all the machines we looked at, the Groundsmaster 4300-D was the most suited. Its performance and comfort was unsurpassed and the ease of height adjustment and back up service presented was very good and sealed the deal.”

A rotary mower is favoured for its ability to tackle longer, thicker grass and terrain with contours and undulations with ease. Jim says: “By switching to a rotary mower we have eliminated some of the previous issues we were having. It’s comfortable with the conditions of the ground and even if we miss a day cutting, it handles the longer grass easily, cutting it right back down again with no problem. Under those conditions the cylinder mower tended to roll the grass, which wasn’t helping the plant’s health or appearance. The rotary is helping regenerate our turf, ensuring a good quality cut, resulting with lush and green lawns.”

The GM4300-D is, says Reesink Turfcare’s Stewart Jeffs, incredibly productive with a mowing capacity of 5.4 acres an hour, but its lightweight design means less compaction. This is an especially important consideration for clay soil which is prone to compact.

Jim who has been working at the castle for five years and has a team of four gardeners and groundsman, says the job of raising the standard of the gardens has been made easier since the arrival of the Toro GM4300-D. “We have a lengthy programme of rejuvenation and ongoing maintenance to get our lawns to a good standard, the Toro is a fine addition to our armoury to help make this happen.”

And we’re delighted to hear it’s in good time for the castle which for the first time will be opening in October half-term for visitors to enjoy.

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

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)

MM50 Is ACE For Devonshire Park

Toro Improves Condition Of Turf At Grimsthorpe Castle

MM50 Is ACE For Devonshire Park

Toro Improves Condition Of Turf At Grimsthorpe Castle

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MM50 Is ACE For Devonshire Park

Toro Improves Condition Of Turf At Grimsthorpe Castle

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