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Turf Tank Unveils Expanded Robot Capabilities at GroundsFest

August 26, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Turf Tank Unveils Expanded Robot Capabilities at GroundsFest Turf Tank, the leading name in robotic line marking solutions, is returning to GroundsFest 2026 to showcase the newest additions to their robot line marking solution. Visitors to stand RB200 will experience live demonstrations and get a first look at new technologies. Introducing Base Station Pro Turf […]

Improve nutrient management in elite turf nutrition

August 26, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Improve nutrient management in elite turf nutrition Plant nutrition can be optimised by helping turf grass to utilise more from fertilisation. This, suggests Agronomist Kate Finlayson, can be achieved by incorporating silicon into grounds care maintenance routines. “Silicon is not always discussed in the same way as nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium or iron, but I […]

Turf Tank Unveils Expanded Robot Capabilities at GroundsFest

August 26, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Improve nutrient management in elite turf nutrition

August 26, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Turf Tank Unveils Expanded Robot Capabilities at GroundsFest

August 26, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Turf Tank Unveils Expanded Robot Capabilities at GroundsFest

Turf Tank, the leading name in robotic line marking solutions, is returning to GroundsFest 2026 to showcase the newest additions to their robot line marking solution. Visitors to stand RB200 will experience live demonstrations and get a first look at new technologies.

Turf Tank Unveils Expanded Robot Capabilities at GroundsFest

Introducing Base Station Pro

Turf Tank is proud to announce the release of the Base Station Pro at GroundsFest 2026. A permanent, fixed installation designed to deliver high accuracy through a private connection signal. Base Station Pro extends signal coverage to 5 miles without requiring a clear line of sight.

A single Base Station Pro can support multiple robots at once. Multiple units can also operate together on the same network, extending coverage across large sites or facilities with complex layouts.

What Else to Expect at Groundsfest 2026:

Alongside the Base Station Pro, Turf Tank will be showcasing versatile features designed to save grounds teams significant time and labour.

Car Park Marking: Beyond sports pitches, Turf Tank now simplifies site management. Facility managers can mark complete car parks or individual bays on their own schedule, completing the job in stages to minimise disruption and avoid closing off large areas.
Logo Bundles for Pro Subscribers: Grounds teams can instantly select and paint from a preloaded library of sports logos, seasonal graphics, and event designs. Detailed pitch art for school sports days, awareness campaigns, or key fixtures can be set up and painted straight from a tablet.

Live Demonstration & On-Site Experience

Curious to hear more about the new Base Station Pro and see the robot in action? Visit the Turf Tank stand at GroundsFest 2026 for a live demonstration.

For those unable to attend, request a demo at your site by visiting www.turftank.com/en/ or contacting your local Turf Tank Representative:

Central & Northern UK: Atwa Somobwana | atwa@turftank.co.uk | 07465 295 836
Southern UK: Alex Robinson | alex@turftank.co.uk | 07311 370 250
Scotland, Northern Ireland & Ireland: Alan Donaldson | alan@turftank.co.uk | 07426 436 090

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Improve nutrient management in elite turf nutrition

August 26, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Improve nutrient management in elite turf nutrition

Plant nutrition can be optimised by helping turf grass to utilise more from fertilisation. This, suggests Agronomist Kate Finlayson, can be achieved by incorporating silicon into grounds care maintenance routines.

Improve nutrient management in elite turf nutrition

“Silicon is not always discussed in the same way as nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium or iron, but I think that is changing,” she says. “In elite turf, the question is not just what has been applied. It is whether the plant can actually use that nutrition effectively and turn it into performance.”

Granular fertilisers, foliar feeds and soil drenches all remain essential tools for professional grounds teams. Granular fertilisers provide the nutritional foundation, foliar nutrition allows more targeted support when a faster response is required, and soil drenches can focus activity in the rootzone.

Plant-available silicon sits alongside these approaches. Its role is not to replace existing nutrition, but to help strengthen the plant and support more efficient use of the programme already in place.

“A nutrition programme is only as effective as the plant’s ability to access and use the nutrients available to it,” says Kate. “If rooting is weak, uptake is restricted. If the plant is under stress, nutrient assimilation can be compromised. If photosynthesis is limited, the plant has less energy available for recovery and growth. That is particularly relevant in stadium turf, where light, temperature, wear and recovery windows are constantly changing,” she adds.

Plant-available silicon is associated with stronger cell walls, improved leaf rigidity and greater tolerance to wear and environmental stress. In practical turf terms, this can support a tougher plant that is better able to tolerate mowing, play, divoting and short recovery windows.

Recovery is where Kate believes silicon becomes especially relevant. “After play, the turf plant has to rebuild damaged tissue, maintain density, continue producing new roots and shoots, and restore surface integrity. Nutrition is central to that process, but the plant has to be in a position to use the nutrients being supplied. That is where plant-available silicon can add value,” she says.

Trial work carried out with the STRI, using Orion Future Technologies’ plant-available silicon, Fossil, showed improved uptake of several key nutrients. In the turf data, the most relevant responses were silicon, calcium, iron and magnesium. Kate says that profile matters because each nutrient links directly to turf performance.

“Silicon supports structural strength. A plant with stronger cell walls and improved rigidity is better equipped to tolerate wear and maintain leaf quality. Calcium is essential for actively growing tissue, particularly root tips, shoot tips and new leaf growth. In sports turf, that links directly to recovery because the plant needs to rebuild damaged tissue and keep producing new roots and shoots after play. Iron supports chlorophyll function, colour and plant performance, while magnesium sits at the centre of the chlorophyll molecule and is essential for photosynthesis. That is particularly relevant where light is restricted, such as shaded stadium environments or winter periods,” she says

She further suggests that silicon should not be treated as a standalone input and instead should be considered as part of the wider nutrition strategy.

“Traditional fertiliser planning often focuses on what is being applied: nitrogen levels, potassium balance, iron source, foliar mix or rootzone treatment. Those questions still matter, but the next question is how effectively the plant is using that nutrition,” she says.

For top-end venues, sustainability is also becoming a bigger part of the nutrition conversation. The focus is not simply on reducing fertiliser inputs, but on demonstrating that nutrition is being managed intelligently, with a clear link between inputs, plant response and surface performance.

“Silicon should not sit outside the nutrition programme, it should be built into it with a clear objective,” adds Kate.

She suggests potential outcomes could include improved recovery in high-wear areas, better rooting in restricted zones, support during periods of shade, or helping the plant cope when recovery windows are tight.

“The most effective approach is targeted and measurable. Using tissue analysis, visual assessment, recovery observations and surface performance data will help understand the response,” she says.

Plant-available silicon provides a way to strengthen the link between nutrition and performance. By supporting plant structure, nutrient uptake and recovery, it can help grounds teams get more value from granular fertilisers, foliar feeds and soil drenches.

“In modern sports turf management, nutrition is no longer just about feeding the plant, it’s about building a stronger, more resilient plant system,” she concludes.

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

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Follow us on Twitter and Instagram 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)

Turf Tank Unveils Expanded Robot Capabilities at GroundsFest

Improve nutrient management in elite turf nutrition

Turf Tank Unveils Expanded Robot Capabilities at GroundsFest

Improve nutrient management in elite turf nutrition

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Turf Tank Unveils Expanded Robot Capabilities at GroundsFest

Turf Tank Unveils Expanded Robot Capabilities at GroundsFest

Improve nutrient management in elite turf nutrition

Improve nutrient management in elite turf nutrition

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