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Why Sheffield Wednesday’s Pitch is One of the EFL’s Toughest Groundskeeping Challenges

March 24, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Why Sheffield Wednesday’s Pitch is One of the EFL’s Toughest Groundskeeping Challenges: Sheffield Wednesday’s stadium presents a challenging environment for turf, with significant shade and limited use of supplementary lighting. Alongside this, the pitch sees consistent use from first team and under-21 fixtures, as well as training sessions. “Our biggest challenge is a very old, […]

Segway Navimow robotic lawn mowers set new benchmark

March 23, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Segway Navimow robotic lawn mowers set new benchmark: Segway Navimow, the pioneer in lawn care technology, has successfully subjected its X420 and i206 AWD robotic lawn mower models to rigorous testing by TÜV Rheinland. Both devices are the first and only to receive the coveted Lawn Care certification. This award confirms that Navimow robotic lawn mowers […]

Why Sheffield Wednesday’s Pitch is One of the EFL’s Toughest Groundskeeping Challenges

March 24, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Segway Navimow robotic lawn mowers set new benchmark

March 23, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

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Why Sheffield Wednesday’s Pitch is One of the EFL’s Toughest Groundskeeping Challenges

March 24, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Why Sheffield Wednesday’s Pitch is One of the EFL’s Toughest Groundskeeping Challenges: Sheffield Wednesday’s stadium presents a challenging environment for turf, with significant shade and limited use of supplementary lighting. Alongside this, the pitch sees consistent use from first team and under-21 fixtures, as well as training sessions.

“Our biggest challenge is a very old, heavily shaded stadium with limited use of lighting rigs,” says Head Groundsman Lee Jackson. “Maintaining grass cover through the season is never straightforward.”

Maintaining Grass Cover in a Shaded Stadium

As part of a partial rebuild ahead of the 2025 season, ProSelect 1 Premium Pitch, a perennial ryegrass mixture designed for high-wear sports pitches, was used for renovation and overseeding.

“I’ve used ProSelect 1 for close to 10 years and have always trusted how it performs, so I had no hesitation using it again, even in a completely different environment,” Lee explains.

Establishment proved difficult initially due to high temperatures during summer 2025 and the nature of the rebuild.

“The early grow-in was tough because of the heat, but once it got going the coverage developed faster than I’ve seen for a number of years.”

Following establishment, the pitch was subjected to sustained use, particularly between December and February.

“We had eight first team games and ten training sessions on the pitch during that period, and we’re around 10% up on usage compared to last season,” says Lee.

Despite this, grass cover has been maintained through the winter months.

“We’ve kept more grass cover than many expected through that period, and recovery after use has been strong, especially considering the environment.”

Presentation and surface consistency have also improved across the season, supported by relatively low disease pressure.

“There’s been a noticeable improvement overall, and that’s been recognised by players and staff who have been here a number of years,” Lee adds.

For Lee, performance in this type of environment is the real measure.

“If you can get grass growing and maintain it in this kind of stadium, with limited lighting, it shows its value as part of the overall pitch management programme.”

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-growingsolutions.com

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Segway Navimow robotic lawn mowers set new benchmark

March 23, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Segway Navimow robotic lawn mowers set new benchmark: Segway Navimow, the pioneer in lawn care technology, has successfully subjected its X420 and i206 AWD robotic lawn mower models to rigorous testing by TÜV Rheinland.

Both devices are the first and only to receive the coveted Lawn Care certification. This award confirms that Navimow robotic lawn mowers have Minimal Lawn Impact Performance, thus setting a new standard for ultimate lawn protection.

Segway Navimow robotic lawn mowers set new benchmark

The certification is based on a comprehensive test catalogue that incorporates international standards as well as TÜV Rheinland’s own benchmarks and certify the performance characteristics for maintaining a healthy and well-maintained lawn. As part of the intensive Accelerated Ageing Model a full calendar year of high-frequency mowing was simulated under European conditions. The results demonstrate:

Minimal lawn impact: Both models achieved Level 2 of TÜV Rheinland’s 5-level damage standard, meaning that after long-term operation, only minimal, localised traces remain, which do not affect the overall aesthetics and health of the lawn and are only visible upon close inspection.
Ultimate terrain capability: The robotic mowers successfully navigated steep slopes—the X420 operated smoothly on inclines of 57.7 percent (30 degrees), the i206 AWD on 47.6 percent (25 degrees)—while simultaneously recognising and avoiding complex obstacles such as tables, chairs, and cables.
Industry leadership
- The X420 is the world’s first four-wheel drive robotic mower to receive TÜV Rheinland Lawn Care certification.
- The i206 AWD is the only 3-wheel AWD robotic lawnmower on the market with this official certification.

With this TÜV Rheinland certification following rigorous testing, Navimow underscores that its mowers achieve the perfect balance between ultimate off-road capability and meticulous lawn care, even in complex gardens and demanding environments.

For more on the i2 AWD, visit the Segway Navimow website.

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.

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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)

Why Sheffield Wednesday’s Pitch is One of the EFL’s Toughest Groundskeeping Challenges

Segway Navimow robotic lawn mowers set new benchmark

Why Sheffield Wednesday’s Pitch is One of the EFL’s Toughest Groundskeeping Challenges

Segway Navimow robotic lawn mowers set new benchmark

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Why Sheffield Wednesday’s Pitch is One of the EFL’s Toughest Groundskeeping Challenges

Segway Navimow robotic lawn mowers set new benchmark

Segway Navimow robotic lawn mowers set new benchmark: Segway Navimow, the pioneer in lawn care technology, has successfully subjected its X420 and i206 AWD robotic lawn mower models to rigorous testing by TÜV Rheinland.

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