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The sweet smell of success

July 20, 2026/in Turf Spotlight/by Admin

The sweet smell of success Scott MacCallum made the trip over the Holland to visit SGL and see where the birth of grow lights took place. He came away smelling of roses. Back in the late 1990s, following the emergence of many superb all-enclosed stadia, we got used to the sight of pitches not living […]

TGA calls for consistent 28-day exemption during water restrictions

July 20, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

TGA calls for consistent 28-day exemption during water restrictions The Turfgrass Growers Association (TGA), the representative body for professional turfgrass growers in the UK, is calling on all water companies to apply a clear and consistent exemption allowing newly laid turf to be watered for at least 28 days during Temporary Use Bans. At the […]

The sweet smell of success

July 20, 2026/in Turf Spotlight/by Admin

TGA calls for consistent 28-day exemption during water restrictions

July 20, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

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The sweet smell of success

July 20, 2026/in Turf Spotlight/by Admin

The sweet smell of success

Scott MacCallum made the trip over the Holland to visit SGL and see where the birth of grow lights took place. He came away smelling of roses.

Back in the late 1990s, following the emergence of many superb all-enclosed stadia, we got used to the sight of pitches not living up to their new surroundings. They were tearing up following sliding tackles or completely folding up under the pressure of scrums. Indeed, it was often being built into maintenance budgets that the pitches would be relaid at least twice a season.

The sweet smell of success

It dawned on people, not the groundsmen I hasten to add, that it is exceedingly difficult to grow grass under such circumstances. The main purpose of a stadium – to host turf-based sporting events – had not being considered in the rush to ensure sufficient corporate boxes and the requirement to have as many commercial opportunities to offer sponsors as possible. It seems remarkable but was unfortunately true.

Many of the finest agronomic brains on the planet were testing shade resistant grass varieties or looking into the logistics of moving pitches in and out of the stadia themselves.

Around the same time Nico van Vuuren, a rose grower based an hour and a half out of Amsterdam, was walking past one of his massive greenhouses when he noticed that the grass just outside was growing far better than that slightly further away.

This puzzled him until he realised that it must be down to the lighting that was inside the greenhouse helping to boost the growth of his roses.

He was quoted as saying: “How could it be that I was able to grow thousands of roses a day even during the dark Dutch winters, but the grass in soccer stadiums struggling to survive?” He was soon to come to his conclusion. And so, in 1997, SGL was formed. Initially in a very small way. The first employee, fresh out of university, was Frank van Beusekom, who was told that the job may not amount to anything as it was very much the early days and Nico’s hunch might not prove to be accurate or indeed financially viable.

“Nico decided to turn it into a company, and he hired me. I was just a business student looking for a part time job at the time, so I didn’t mind when Nico told me it could fail within six months, because I don’t know whether it would work either,” recalled Frank. Shoot forward 29 years and Frank is now Managing Director, the company has over 90 staff, it has grow lights in over 650 stadiums and venues, on six continents and embraces 12 different sports.

Those grow lights have developed to the extent that they have moved on from the initial HPS bulbs to LED which brings increased efficiency while it has been established that different coloured bulbs each bring their own qualities.

For example, red light is most effective for photosynthesis, while a small amount of blue supports root development. So, the SGL Signature Spectrum is 95% red and 5% blue and this is recommended to 90% to 95% of customers.

Research into LED started in 2010 and by 2021 it was matching HPS quality but with greater efficiency and, as of 2026, no orders have been taken for HPS based lighting rigs, in two years But the company is now so much more than grow lights. Data monitoring, disease management and pitch performance testing has been added to SGL’s services. They have a team of agronomic experts on hand to support grounds teams worldwide, as part of the SGL ecosystem.

The development of robots delivering light based sustenance to target areas of pitches or on golf courses is well advanced and research into adding sensors or brushes to the robots – but not cutting units – is being carried out.

The sweet smell of success

Our visit not only took in SGL, but also gicom, the metal fabrication company an hour away, which constructs all the lighting rigs which are subsequently shipped all around the world.

We also have the opportunity to visit Porta Nova, which sits close to the SGL HQ where it all began and Nico’s greenhouses and rose growing company. With 750,000 roses in one giant greenhouse at any one time , and three greenhouses in total, growing 70 million roses a year, it is an astonishing facility. The factory-style rose selection and packaging facility it is also remarkable – the sight of thousands of roses travelling down conveyor belts matched only by the magnificent smell.

The previous night we had dined in a fantastic, and historic, Amsterdam restaurant, where we sat at an old table on chairs which carried small plaques noting the names of the notable who had once sat on them.

Alongside me had been a chair once enjoyed by Bruce Springsteen, Mick Jagger and David Cameron. Opposite me had once been Vera Lynne, while I was sitting exactly where Henry Ford had enjoyed a meal.

I say this because Henry was famous for saying that you could have one of his cars in any colour you liked, so long as it was black. In the rose facility, they had once also produced white roses, but now it is a case of you could have any colour you liked, so long as it is red.

But with roses, what better colour could there be?

Getting back to the lighting rigs. Fittingly the first trials were held in 2002 at The Stadium of Light, the home ground to Sunderland Football Club in the north east of England, and two years later PSV Eindhoven became SGL’s first customer whose manager at the time, the legendary Guus Hiddink, declared that “top players deserve a top pitch”.

The sweet smell of success

Four years later Arsenal, under Arsene Wenger, followed and the SGL client list was beginning to take on a prestige look.

Since then that list has expanded, but not lost that quality, and over 650 customers rely on the lighting rigs and turf solutions provided by SGL. Indeed they have been on every FIFA World Cup finals pitch since 2010, including the 16 venues (in 12 different climates) of the 2026 USA, Canada and Mexico event.

The difficulty in 2026 is that half of the stadiums have transitioned from artificial to natural turf and eight out of the 16 have roofs. All the time same standards were expected for every match.

I came away having witnessed how one man’s intuition in an industry far away from that of giant modern stadiums has grown into a not just a single solution in the shape of grow lights, but much more more.

My thanks to SGL for opening their doors to us and for showing us such wonderful Dutch hospitality.

TGA calls for consistent 28-day exemption during water restrictions

July 20, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

TGA calls for consistent 28-day exemption during water restrictions

The Turfgrass Growers Association (TGA), the representative body for professional turfgrass growers in the UK, is calling on all water companies to apply a clear and consistent exemption allowing newly laid turf to be watered for at least 28 days during Temporary Use Bans.

TGA calls for consistent 28-day exemption during water restrictions

At the time of writing, six water companies have announced or introduced Temporary Use Bans across all or part of their supply areas: Affinity Water, Anglian Water, Cambridge Water, South East Water, Southern Water and South West Water.

The TGA fully recognises the pressures facing water supplies and supports sensible measures to reduce unnecessary water use. However, while most current restrictions include an exemption or concession allowing newly laid turf to be watered during its initial establishment period, the wording and conditions vary considerably between water companies.

Some companies allow newly laid turf to be watered for 28 days after installation, while others only permit the watering of turf that was laid before restrictions began. Some also impose conditions relating to watering times, methods or evidence of when the turf was laid.

The TGA believes this inconsistent messaging risks causing unnecessary confusion among consumers. That uncertainty can then affect the wider supply chain, leading to cancelled or postponed turf orders and landscaping projects.

The commonly used term “hosepipe ban” can add to this confusion, as it may suggest that every use of a hosepipe is prohibited. Temporary Use Bans are more accurately understood as water-use restrictions, with specific exemptions and concessions remaining in place for certain activities.

Freshly laid turf must be watered while it establishes roots into the soil beneath it. Without sufficient water during this critical period, the turf may fail, wasting the turf itself, the resources used to produce and transport it, any water already applied and the customer’s investment.

The TGA has worked with water companies, water-industry bodies and the wider landscaping sector for many years to establish a clear distinction between newly laid turf and established lawns.

In its 2011 response to a consultation on proposed changes to powers to restrict non-essential uses of water, the TGA called for newly laid turf to be watered for 28 days to ensure successful establishment, while supporting restrictions on the unnecessary watering of established lawns. The Association also warned that excessive discretion between water companies could lead to confusion, uncertainty and inconsistency.

The TGA is therefore calling on all water companies to apply and clearly communicate a consistent minimum 28-day establishment exemption for newly laid turf.

This is not a request for unrestricted water use. It is a practical and responsible measure that recognises the essential watering needs of newly laid turf and helps prevent the greater waste caused when turf fails and must be removed and replaced.

Richard Owens, Chair of the Turfgrass Growers Association, said:

“The TGA fully understands the need to protect water supplies and supports responsible action to reduce unnecessary water use.

“However, the conditions currently being applied vary considerably between water companies and are not always easy for customers to find or understand. This creates avoidable uncertainty at a time when people need clear and practical information.

“Although these restrictions are widely described as ‘hosepipe bans’, that phrase can suggest that a hosepipe cannot be used under any circumstances. In reality, a number of exemptions and concessions remain in place, including for newly laid turf in many affected areas.

“Freshly laid turf must be watered during its establishment period. During prolonged hot and dry weather, this may require frequent watering to ensure that both the turf and the soil beneath it remain adequately moist. If it is not watered sufficiently, the turf may fail, wasting the turf itself and all the water, energy and resources already used to grow, harvest and transport it.

“The TGA and the wider landscaping industry have worked with the water sector over many years to establish a responsible approach to watering newly laid turf. We now want to see that principle applied consistently, with all water companies allowing at least 28 days for establishment and communicating this clearly to their customers.

“This is not about seeking unrestricted water use. Water should be used carefully, efficiently and only for the essential establishment of newly laid turf.

“We encourage homeowners to check the specific rules published by their own water company rather than assuming that newly laid turf cannot be watered.”

Advice for landscapers, turf suppliers and customers

Before ordering or laying turf, customers and contractors should confirm which water company supplies the property and check whether restrictions apply in that area.

They should then confirm whether newly laid turf may be watered throughout its establishment period and note any conditions relating to the installation date, permitted watering times, watering methods or evidence that must be retained.

Where watering is permitted, the TGA recommends:

• applying water only to the newly laid turf;
• using no more water than the turf genuinely needs;
• avoiding runoff onto paths, roads and surrounding areas;
• comply with all local watering restrictions and, where permitted, water during the early morning or late evening to reduce evaporation and improve effectiveness;
• retaining evidence of the date on which the turf was laid;
• checking the turf and soil regularly during prolonged hot and dry conditions, as more frequent watering may be required while roots establish;
• reducing or suspending watering when rainfall provides sufficient moisture;
• delaying mowing until the turf has rooted into the soil and mowing is genuinely necessary;
• setting the mower to a higher cutting height when the turf is first cut, helping to reduce stress during hot and dry conditions;
• avoiding the removal of more than one-third of the grass height during any single cut; and
• stopping hosepipe use once the permitted establishment period has ended.

An exemption or concession for newly laid turf does not provide permission for the continued watering of an established lawn. Once established, lawns should generally be allowed to respond naturally to dry conditions and will usually recover when cooler and wetter weather returns.

The TGA has published a summary of the current water company guidance at: https://turfgrass.co.uk/hosepipe-bans-and-newly-laid-turf-2026/

Restrictions, exemptions and the areas covered may change at short notice. Customers should always check the complete and most recent guidance published by their own water company before ordering or laying turf.

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

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Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

The sweet smell of success

TGA calls for consistent 28-day exemption during water restrictions

The sweet smell of success

TGA calls for consistent 28-day exemption during water restrictions

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

The sweet smell of success

The sweet smell of success

TGA calls for consistent 28-day exemption during water restrictions

TGA calls for consistent 28-day exemption during water restrictions

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