Tag Archive for: A

MP Gets a Look at High-Tech Facilities

/in , /by

MP Gets a Look at High-Tech Facilities: Local MP, Tom Tugendhat, got a first-hand look at the work Hadlow College is doing to inspire the next generation of students when he visited the College’s state-of-the-art glasshouse.

Constructed in 2022, the glasshouse plays an integral part in horticulture courses and features cutting edge technology, including:

MP Gets a Look at High-Tech Facilities

MP Gets a Look at High-Tech Facilities

  • Suspended gutters running hydroponics for tomatoes and peppers in separate houses
  • LED and High Pressure sodium lighting
  • Vertical growing farm
  • Latest environmental control computers – PRIVA
  • Fogging systems for plant propagation
  • Dedicated space for individual glasshouse research
  • Outdoor standing down beds for shrub and herbaceous plant production
  • New structures for seasonal bedding plant production

Students work alongside practitioners from leading industry grower Thanet Earth to develop their skills and produce hydroponic tomatoes in the Venlo glasshouse.

The tomatoes are grown on a rockwool system using the industry training system known as layering. Scissor lifts are employed to allow students under supervision to work on the crop at height to carry out all the necessary cultural requirements of the crop. Biological control is used to control any unwanted pests, these are populations of beneficial insects.

The Venlo glasshouse is operated using PRIVA environmental control computers which also control the vertical growing farm where students grow a range of salad crops from seed and harvested as micro leaves in as little as three weeks for some crops.

A misting unit is also built into the glasshouse for the propagation of a wide range of plants from both stem cuttings and seeds with the aim of these finished plants being sold at pop-up plant sales which take place every Wednesday afternoon from 1pm to 4pm at the College outside the glasshouse.

Tom Tugendhat, Member of Parliament for Tonbridge and Malling, enjoyed his visit, saying: “The new glasshouse offers a brilliant opportunity for students to work alongside and learn from the fantastic team at Thanet Earth and I’m sure it will go a long way in supporting their development.”

“It is fantastic to see investment into our community like this. I had a great time visiting the new glasshouse at Hadlow College and it really shows how invested they are in our community.”

Chris Lydon, Vice Principal of Hadlow College, said: “We are proud to be working with Thanet Earth to produce tomatoes in our new Venlo glasshouse. This unique partnership gives students the best opportunities to develop their skills working alongside current practitioners from a leading industry grower and the produce from the tomato crop is used on site in our own student eatery and also distributed by Fair Share.”

Rob James, Technical Director of Thanet Earth added: “We have a long standing relationship with Hadlow going back to 2011 when we set up our first Fellowship with the college, the facilities we now have on site are perfect for nurturing the next generation of experts in our industry.”

The glasshouse illustrates a commitment from the College to regenerative farming and horticulture, using practices that minimize harm to the environment.

Unveiled earlier this year, the College also has a ‘robotic orchard and vineyard’.

This two-hectare area, showcases the latest technology including automated AI management systems, a state of the art irrigation, fertigation and frost protection system and automated fruit picking.

The crops are grown with sustainability in mind at all times. Drones are used to monitor bud set, predict yields and monitor the growth of the crop allowing precise applications of nutrition, pest and disease control methods to be used.

Sensors installed throughout the orchard monitor, amongst other things, moisture, relative humidity, PAR and rain fall.

To learn more about Thanet Earth, visit their website www.thanetearth.com

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 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.

Green-tech announces George Barton is a winner

/in , /by

Green-tech announces George Barton is a winner: Green-tech is celebrating after their key account manager has been named as a winner of the Pro Landscaper ‘30 under 30’ – The Next Generation Initiative.

29-year-old George Barton has been selected as a winner in the industry awards that look to discover 30 of the most impressive young people within the arboriculture, garden design, horticultural, and landscaping sectors.

Green-tech announces George Barton is a winner

Green-tech announces George Barton is a winner

30 Under 30: The Next Generation, is an initiative run by Pro Landscaper to help promote the breadth of career opportunities available and to attract young people to the industry.

George started at Green-tech in 2018 in the warehouse where he learnt about the business from the ground-up. Demonstrating a hunger to progress and a keen interest in sales, George moved into the sales department where he flourished, and his career has gone from strength to strength. He has secured several promotions and is today one of only five key Account managers at Green-tech. He is also an ambassador for BALI GoLandscape and visits schools and colleges to inspire the next generation into the industry.

Commenting on his success George said, “I am absolutely delighted to be a winner of the Pro Landscaper’s 30 Under 30. I have worked my way up in Green-tech to the position I am in today and I’m so proud that my achievements have been recognised outside of my organisation. This is a fantastic industry to work in and these awards reflect the high standards that we work to.”

Green-tech’s Managing Director Kris Nellist adds, “George is the eighth person from Green-tech to have achieved this high accolade since the 30 under 30: The Next Generation was first launched in 2014.  I am genuinely proud of this and of our company ethos that supports and nurtures our young people to reach their full potential.  George works hard and is well respected by his peers and customers alike.  He has a bright future ahead and I wish him every success.”

The official awards ceremony will be held at FutureScape 2023 on Tuesday 21st November at 12pm.

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 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.

GKB to showcase a range of machines at SALTEX

/in , /by

GKB to showcase a range of machines at SALTEX: No trip to SALTEX is complete without a stop by the bright and bold stand of GKB Machines! This year, stand H051 has been redesigned to maximise visual impact and make space for a wide range of machinery from across GKB’s portfolio of maintenance solutions for natural, hybrid and synthetic surfaces.

Part of the wider GKB Group, GKB Machines has been developing innovative machinery solutions since 1985. Using the knowledge and experience gained from their contracting division, the range is renowned for its robust build quality, functionality and efficiency – with the customers’ needs at the core of every design.

GKB to showcase a range of machines at SALTEX

GKB to showcase a range of machines at SALTEX

From the natural offering, particular highlights include the Deep Tine Aerator (DTA) and GKB Sandspreader. The Sandspreader range features four models, offering hopper capacities between 1m3 and 4m3 to cater for fine turf, sports turf and contractor applications. The material is transported from the hopper to the adjustable metering valve via an internal conveyor belt, before being efficiently and evenly distributed via the double disc hydraulic spinners. As well as trailed and mounted formats, GKB also offer the SPM model, which features a side material handler for the convenient filling of bunkers or trenches.

On synthetics, one important fact to consider when it comes to both the usage and maintenance of a surface is minimising the migration of infill into the environment. With the use of a synthetic pitch, infill will naturally tend to disperse outwards towards the pitch perimeters which is where effective maintenance will be needed, to ensure infill is returned to the higher use areas where it is required for surface stability and playability.

The easiest way to achieve this is via brushing, for which GKB have a range of options. The 4m wide Brush is ideal for quick surface coverage, with hydraulically foldable wings for convenient transportation and storage, while the GKB Quick-Brush can be configured with a range of optional extras including a rake or rubber finishing mat to suit individual requirements. Also in the GKB stable is the Rotobrush, equipped with a rotating brush head which can switch between clockwise and anti-clockwise operation, which effectively collects infill accumulations from the perimeter and move it towards the centre of the surface.

The GKB team will be on hand to answer any technical questions over the course of the two days, and look forward to seeing customers old and new this November.

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 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.

A perfect pitch with Mansfield Sand

/in , /by

A perfect pitch with Mansfield Sand: Visitors to the Mansfield Sand stand (E150) at SALTEX can expect to see a wide range of sand-based products that are vital to the overall health and performance of a sports pitch.

Mansfield Sand has pioneered the development and production of premium silica sand-based products for over 170 years. The company provides a wide range of innovative products for sports, landscaping, and equestrian uses. These include stadium and training ground facilities; championship golf courses and world class show jumping arenas.

A perfect pitch with Mansfield Sand

A perfect pitch with Mansfield Sand

The company’s leading experts will be on hand at SALTEX to explain how some of the following products could make a difference to your sports turf projects.

Reinforced Rootzone

A range of Reinforced Rootzones developed to obtain greater use from natural turf surfaces whilst maintaining the high standards demanded by today’s sports industry and meeting the expectations of ground staff at all levels. Mansfield Sand’s reinforcement technology provides stability and durability to all sand dominated Rootzones allowing the pitch to remain free draining and consistent over the whole surface.

Products include Fibre Reinforced Rootzone – reinforced with polypropylene fibres; Fibrelastic Rootzone – reinforced with polypropylene fibres and flexible Elastane fibres and Fibresand – particularly advantageous when grass cover has been reduced due to heavy usage and wear during the winter period.

Sand Soil Rootzones

Mansfield Sand understands exactly what is needed to achieve the surface that turf managers require week-in-week-out and that is why their rootzones contain only the best quality materials to meet that demand. For renovation or construction, the company’s superior rootzone blend Mansil 40 Silica Sand with a quality screened topsoil, guarantees the perfect start.

Sand Compost Rootzones

A range of premium quality sand organic material blends which are perfect for creating a rootzone where an organic rich material is required within the profile, aiding in the retention of nutrients whilst providing increased drought resistance.

Top Dressing

Produced for the fine turf market, Mansfield Sand’s Soil Top Dressing is a manufactured homogenous product made from their own premium silica sands combined with top quality soils. All passed through a sterilising unit, over a 3mm screen to produce an easy to spread, stone and pebble free dressing. Mansfield Sand can also produce bespoke dressing blends and combine soil amendments into any product.

Mansil Silica Sand Sports Range

Sourced from the company’s Two Oaks Quarry in Mansfield where the Mansil range of Silica Sands is produced. These products are predominantly used in the construction and maintenance of a wide range of sports surfaces – from winter sports pitches, golf courses, bowling greens and all amenity turf areas.

For more information visit www.mansfield-sand.co.uk

You can also follow the company on Twitter – @MansfieldSand and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MansfieldSandSportSurfaces/

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 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.

Terrain Aeration hitches a lift

/in , /by

Terrain Aeration hitches a lift: Devonshire Homes has been committed to building high quality new homes across the West Country for more than thirty years. As a wholly owned subsidiary of London and Devonshire Trust, they have built over 1500 new homes and created over thirty new communities.

One such development at Gwallon Keas, St Austell, is built on clay laden soil and they encountered a common problem facing new build developers. During construction, the use of heavy machinery can unavoidably cause compaction panning in areas designated to be the gardens of new houses. Even with land drainage installed and soil ripped, the compaction can reach such a depth normal treatment will not relieve it and provide the natural drainage needed. Consequently, with seven gardens of the new houses, severe waterlogging was occurring. To rectify it, they were given what they called ‘some silly quotes’ with no guarantee the solutions would work. A ground works contractor recommended compaction specialists Terrain Aeration and Devonshire Homes decided to proceed with them. However, there was just one further problem, how to get the Terrain Aeration’s Tracker Terralift machine, compressor and aggregate backfill material into the gardens with limited access.

Terrain Aeration hitches a lift

Terrain Aeration hitches a lift

The solution was a crane presented itself with the arrival of a crane to lift bags of topsoil into the gardens. Whilst Terrain Aeration has had machines lifted before, they have never been this high. The fences between the seven gardens had been taken down, so the Tracker Terralift could move along the gardens to do its work. This comprises the machine’s JCB road hammer and probe driving down to a depth of one metre. At this depth, a blast of compressed air is released to a maximum of 20Bar (280psi). This has the effect of fracturing the compacted soil and creating fissures. The treatment is worked on a grid system at two metre spacings so the fissures interlink. As the probe withdraws, dried seaweed is injected which expands when it rains and keeps the fissure open to allow normal drainage. The probe holes are then backfilled with aggregate It is a solution Terrain Aeration has specialised in for over thirty years, treating areas ranging from back gardens to sports pitches, golf courses, bowling greens, race courses, parks, trees and public spaces. For Devonshire Homes, it provided a timely solution, albeit one which, on this occasion, needed a crane to carry it out.

Terrain Aeration 01449 673783 www.terrainaeration.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 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.