Tag Archive for: Best

Best To ‘Be Safe’ With Makita

in , /by

Best To ‘Be Safe’ With Makita: Several hundred students attending Merrist Wood College, a multi-award winning, 400 acre estate and ‘outdoor classroom’ in Guildford, Surrey, are benefiting from Makita UK’s invaluable Be Safe training modules.  The College specialises in a variety of subjects from animal welfare and arboriculture, to landscaping, garden design, equine management, sport, Public Services and horticulture.  For students on the land-based courses Makita UK, Britain’s number one professional power tool manufacturer, has started to deliver a series of Be Safe modules in grounds maintenance, landscaping and horticulture.

These informative 1.5 hour Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE) Correct and Safe Use modules, which carry the LANTRA Awards Approved Training Provider badge of recognition, provide a grounding in machine selection using the right tool for the job, safe use and correct control of Makita machines used for grounds care, horticulture production and amenity horticulture.

Best To 'Be Safe' With Makita

“It is important to give these students an easy-to-understand course in basic machinery safety and selection,” says Kevin Brannigan, marketing manager, Makita UK.  “The students will receive some practical training during their courses but it is vital that they appreciate the risks and processes related to powerful equipment such as hedge trimmers, brush cutters, line trimmers and many more pieces of equipment in our Outdoor Be Safe seminars which brings a fresh approach to this important training.”

The first Outdoor Be Safe modules have been delivered and several more are scheduled in the months ahead.  From January 2019 and onwards the October 2018 apprenticeship intake will also benefit in the course.  This training is completely free of charge and certificates of training are awarded by Makita for all participating students.

“After attending the Makita Be Safe workshops our land-based students were given generous hands-on experience testing some of Makita’s leading cordless machinery including lawnmowers, chainsaws, strimmers.  Linking with Makita UK has been really valuable for our students in showcasing safety but also the direction of quieter and more sustainable options for their core equipment needs,” says Richard Dewing, Associate Principal Curriculum and Head of Campus – Merrist Wood.

Simultaneously, Makita’s highly popular Construction Be Safe modules are being delivered at Guildford College of Further Education, Guildford, Surrey (another college alongside Merrist Wood in the Guildford College group).  These are being delivered to students attending the plumbing, electrical and construction courses, with day-release apprentices also attending from January 2019 onwards.

Bookings can be made by downloading the fax-back form from the Makita website or email leads@makitabesafe.com.  Makita will contact the College in each case and make arrangements directly.

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 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.

CPL’s Best Groundsman Award

in , , /by

CPL’s Best Groundsman Award: The Hero Caribbean Premier League has created an award for the groundsman that has overseen the greatest improvement in the pitches at tournament venues since the league’s inception in 2013. The award will see the winning head groundsman being flown to New Zealand to work with world renowned pitch expert Mark Perham.

The winner will visit New Zealand for three weeks spending time in both Christchurch and Auckland to see how pitches in other countries are prepared. This is an amazing opportunity for professional development and further cements the Hero CPL’s commitment to improve pitches across the region.

CPL's Best Groundsman Award

Speaking about the award Mark Perham said: “I have been delighted to work with the groundsmen across the region to help improve the pitches in the Caribbean. This opportunity for the groundsman that has made the biggest improvement to the standard of wickets at their venue is just reward for a lot of hard work, but I would also like to extend my thanks to all the ground staff who have also put in a lot of hard graft over the years.”

Damien O’Donohoe, CEO of Hero CPL, said: “As a tournament we are firmly committed to playing our part in the improvement of cricketing infrastructure across the Caribbean and we are very pleased to have been involved in the improvement of pitches. This award is another example of CPL investing in the development of West Indies cricket.”

Click here to read the original article

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 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.

Only The Best Nematodes In Leading Products

in , /by

Only The Best Nematodes In Leading Products: BASF is the UK’s largest producer of beneficial nematodes, and it goes to great lengths to ensure that its product is of the highest quality available on the market. It’s vital that the quality is as high as possible because low quality nematodes will either die before use or will be ineffective in hunting down prey.

Nematodes are micro-organisms that occur naturally in the soil, where they hunt down and attack pests. Each nematode species has its own specific prey, meaning that they will harm their prey, and only their prey. They are already present within the soil, but more often than not, this is at such low levels that they are ineffective at controlling major pest infestations. In order to see the benefit, you must boost the numbers of live nematodes present in the soil; this is where BASF comes in!

Only The Best Nematodes In Leading Products

BASF ensures a consistently high quality by growing them through an extremely high-tech and specialised procedure. The facilities designed by BASF are reminiscent of a cutting edge distillery or brewery, filled with stainless steel stills and white lab coats. There are endless factors considered with each stage of the process being carefully monitored by experts in the field, and the most advanced equipment specifically designed for the job is used; but whilst the growing process is technical and scientific, the application process for the gardener could not be easier!

Due to the fact out BASF’s nematodes are delivered straight to the customer’s door, as a fresh, live product, it is able to guarantee product consistency, concentration (of 90-95% pure nematodes) and the unique formulations which provide the most optimum stability and product performance for which it has established a market leading reputation. BASF is the only nematode grower to offer this type of service.

Nemasys and Nemaslug are the most effective biological product ranges that meet all environmental standards, and this continues to drive growth year on year, with the products being compatible with organic gardening and creating no resistance issues.

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 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.

Toro “The Best” At Huntercombe

in , , /by

Toro “The Best” At Huntercombe: Huntercombe Golf Club, celebrating the recent success of being named the number one course in Oxfordshire by the Top 100 Golf Courses, has switched to Toro for its irrigation system because according to course manager Grant Stewart “it’s the best on the market” for covering compact tees and vast greens.

The historic golf course designer Willie Park Junior designed and owned Huntercombe, and to this day the course continues to be played to the original 1901 layout. With some greens on the 18-hole course near Henley-on-Thames over 1000m2, finding the right sprinklers to guarantee thorough, even coverage was of the utmost importance says Grant:

Toro "The Best" At Huntercombe

“Huntercombe has large greens. Altogether they cover 1.7 hectares, with some up to 1000m2! We chose Flex 55 for the job because of the distance they can cover. We installed a ring main around the larger greens to control the pressure, which allowed us to feed the heads with water to cover two directions. The heads on my fourth green put out 16 litres of water a second, guaranteeing every inch of that big green is well watered.”

Applying equally efficient irrigation to the small tees are the Toro T5 sprinklers. Grant continues: “We have the opposite problem on the tees in that some of them are quite small, so we needed to find a sprinkler that would work well in a much smaller area.”

With an operating area of 6.5-12m, it’s easy to see why the T5s fit the bill. But something all the sprinklers have in common, including the FLEX 35 also used on the greens, is their maintenance and ease of use, as Grant explains: “The best feature of all the sprinklers we’ve chosen are the heads which allow us to change the arcs when they are running with no tools. I can move the heads to water any area and don’t have to be concerned that the gears will be damaged.”

The brains behind this irrigation brawn is the Lynx central control system chosen because trying it at another club showed Grant just how easy it was to use. But surpassing all these reasons for opting for Toro irrigation is the fact that Grant, who has been at the club for two years, with previous deputy roles at Sunningdale in Ascot and Fairmont St Andrews has the support of a greenkeeping team of eight, knows and trusts the brand:

“I looked to Toro irrigation to get the same quality of irrigation product as the machinery we use. I have always used Toro machinery and know it to be reliable, so when the time was right to invest in a new irrigation system there was no question I’d go with Toro, it was more a case of which items in the range would best suit our needs.”

Completing the order with Reesink Turfcare is a selection of Toro machinery including the Groundsmaster 3500-D, two Greensmaster TriFlex 3420 mowers, a Multi Pro 1750 and a Workman MDX-D, all of which will no doubt play some part in helping Grant and the team in their endeavours to reduce thatch in the greens. The aim being to improve the species of grass in the playing surfaces and aid regeneration work over the next couple of years, with Grant concluding: “We’re very proud to now be a ‘Total Solutions’ club.”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.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 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.

Toro Best For North Foreland

in , , /by

Toro Best For North Foreland: Ten new machines are scoring top marks for results on the ‘Long’ and ‘Short’ courses at North Foreland Golf Club, based in Broadstairs, Kent.

The purchase marks a change in strategy by course manager Simon Grand, who joined the club two years ago, and greens chairman Mark Strand as Simon explains: “The frontline machinery was suffering from under investment and the number of breakdowns we were having were coming at a significant cost.”

Toro Best For North Foreland

The order of two Reelmaster 3575-D, four Greensmaster TriFlex 3400, two GreensPro 1260, a Groundsmaster 4700-D and a Workman HDX-D is the first lease deal for North Foreland, and has brought big differences to the courses’ appearance and the club’s maintenance regime.

“This investment, which is spread over five years, has solved all our equipment issues,” says Simon. “It’s made us competitive and efficient, and the change in the presentation of the courses is undeniable – members noticed a difference within weeks.”

And that’s down to the quality of the machines, as Simon explains: “It’s been said many times before, but you really do notice the difference when it comes to Toro. The quality of cut and reliability it offers makes a big difference to the way we do our job; it’s so much easier now. We’ve also been impressed by the increased operator protection provided by the addition of the new Toro golf ball protection cages we have fitted to all the mowing machines, as well as the way using Toro is changing the way we manage the cutting of certain areas. For example, with the Reelmaster 3575-D we can close-cut the run-off areas around the links-style greens because the machines are so lightweight and benefit from ‘no tread’ balloon tyres.”

The deal comes as the club, which is one of only six designed by two of golf’s pre-eminent golf architects, Herbert Fowler and Tom Simpson, enters a period of restoration as Simon tells us: “We’re restoring the course to its original downland design, including the refurbishment of the bunkers. This will be aided greatly by all the Toro machines at some point, but especially the Workman HDX-D for transportation.”

Richard Wood, from Reesink, an official UK distributor of Toro, says this is a classic example of how easy it is to catch up on machinery replacement: “This deal marks North Foreland’s return to machinery leasing and is already making a significant difference. It’s provided a huge boost to the club, the course and the team.”

Simon agrees: “Investment reflects and demonstrates the value placed on the work we do. It’s been great to see the way the team has responded, and how much more enjoyable and less frustrating the work is.”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.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 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.

Fresh Is Best In Nematodes’ Battle Against Pests

in , /by

Fresh Is Best In Nematodes’ Battle Against Pests: Beneficial nematodes are microscopic worm-like organisms that are found naturally in garden soil. They are nature’s way of controlling slugs and other garden pests and BASF, the EU’s largest specialist nematode producer, has harnessed this natural control process and grows five species that each attack different pests.

Nematodes are grown at BASF’s facility in Littlehampton, Sussex, and can be used to control slugs, vine weevil, leatherjackets, ants, chafer grubs, as well as a product containing a number of different nematode species which will protect against a range of pests that attack various fruit and vegetables.

Fresh Is Best In Nematodes' Battle Against Pests

BASF is passionate about supplying its nematodes fresh, rather than dried, as this ensures the quality of the product remains high and consistently effective.

Gavin Wood, BASF’s European account and sales manager, says “To successfully hunt down their prey, nematodes must be healthy when customers receive them. That is why we do not freeze dry them and they are delivered fresh, with enough food matter in the packet so that they remain alive. It is safe to store them in the refrigerator and use before the date shown on the packaging.”

Watered on to borders, beds, lawns, hanging baskets, houseplants and containers, nematodes are a harmless biological control that do not pose a risk to children, pets or non-target species such as birds and small mammals.

An entire season’s worth of pest control can be purchased via online stockists and delivered straight to your door throughout the season, allowing you to spend more time in the garden and rest assured that your pest control is taken care of for another year.

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 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.

Husqvarna Automower Best In Test

in , /by

Husqvarna Automower Best In Test: For the third year in a row, Husqvarna Automower® is unchallenged in robotic lawn mower performance after being awarded Best in Test and Best Premium Choice by testing site Price Runner UK.

Husqvarna Automower® 315 received the Best in Test accolade in this year’s assessment. It was praised by an independent panel of testers for its excellent terrain-handling abilities along with its ease of use, intelligent design, low noise level, reliability and its excellent app function.

Husqvarna Automower "Best In Test"

The feedback received stated Husqvarna Automower® 315 as ‘a very good purchase for anyone who wants a reliable and easy to manage robotic lawn mower.’

Husqvarna Automower® 430X, which was also awarded Best Premium Choice, was complimented on its many strengths – excellent terrain-handling abilities, a phenomenal problem-solving capacity and lots of intelligent functions.

Testers commended the robotic lawn mower, stating ‘it’s very easy to install as a result of clear markings and a straightforward connection method. It has no problems with cutting the stated maximum surface area. It doesn’t even need to go out cutting often to achieve an excellent result. And it always finds its way home.’

All robotic lawn mowers were tested over a period of several months on several types of lawns and in different weather to ensure test results were as reliable as possible. The assessment focused on the following characteristics – performance, effectiveness, reliability, ease of use, design, construction quality, functionality and safety.

On Husqvarna’s achievements, Husqvarna UK Sales and Marketing Director Ken Brewster said: “For Husqvarna Automower® to be recognised for its outstanding abilities three years running is fantastic. The feedback received from the test was great to hear. It highlights our commitment to the continued development of Husqvarna Automower® and robotic lawn mower technology to make it much more time efficient and easier for customers to maintain their lawns.”

For the full test results visit www.pricerunner.uk/reviews/robotic-lawn-mower

To learn more about the Husqvarna Automower® range, visit: www.husqvarna.com/uk/products/robotic-lawn-mowers/

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 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.

Revenge Is Best Served… Fresh!

in , /by

Revenge Is Best Served… Fresh!: Remember last year, when pests decimated your carefully planned and sowed plants and flowers before you even had a chance to enjoy them? This year start plotting your revenge now, by ordering a season’s worth of fresh nematodes, to be delivered straight to your door to provide ongoing protection. 

Nematodes offer a biological solution to pest control, and the various species grown by BASF, in the only specialist nematode production facility in Britain, can protect your plants from a variety of pests.   Nematodes are naturally occurring microscopic animal organisms that act as natural pest controls.

Revenge Is Best Served… Fresh!

BASF grow a range of nematode products including Nemaslug and Nemasys Chafer Grub Killer, Leatherjacket Killer, Vine Weevil Killer and No Ants. There is, even, a nematode product, containing a variety of different nematode species, created specifically for fruit and vegetable pests, making it perfect for gardeners who are passionate about ‘grow your own’.

BASF grows fresh nematodes, rather than dehydrated, and is passionate about doing so as this ensures the quality of the product remains high and consistently effective.

Nematodes attack the pest by entering natural body openings, releasing a bacteria which quickly and safely kills it. The nematodes then reproduce inside the dead pest and release a new generation of hungry nematodes, which disperse and search for further prey.

Unlike alternative pest control solutions, nematodes can be used as a preventative control, so even if you are lucky enough to have not seen any damage yet, treating the garden to a dose of nematodes will keep the critters at bay before they become a real problem.

Simply mix with water and either apply from a watering can with a coarse rose or spray the nematodes onto the foliage and soil, depending on the variety. There is no need to keep children or pets away from treated areas and the whole programme is entirely biological so that all the Nemasys products can be used by organic gardeners.

All Nemasys products can be ordered online, with an entire season’s worth being ordered and sent out as and when needed. This means that all of your planning can be done now, and you can concentrate of planting and growing, safe in the knowledge that your pest control is taken care of.

For more information, visit: www.basf.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 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.

Madrid Demand Best Of Groundsman

in , /by

Madrid Demand Best Of Groundsman: “The expectations of Real Madrid are to have the best,” they could easily be the words from a famous player or coach, but it is instead the club’s groundsman Paul Burgess who is reflecting on the demanding culture at the Spanish club.

Burgess’s work will be seen by an estimated television audience of 650 million people when newly crowned world champions Madrid host Barcelona in El Clasico on Saturday (1200GMT, 1500EAT).

Madrid Demand Best Of Groundsman

However, he is used to dealing with that pressure having been lured to Real in Galatico style in 2009 after winning Premier League groundsman of the year three times in 12 years at Arsenal.

“Real Madrid and Spain is like the dream move for anybody whether it be the groundsman, the footballer or the press officer,” Burgess told AFP on a cold and grey Madrid morning with preparations for the Clasico in full swing.

“That’ll be the sunniest place in Madrid today,” he added pointing to the rows of high-powered lights beaming down on one side of a pitch that has to cope with plus 40 degree heat in summer and freezing temperatures in winter.

“For El Clasico there is obviously more build-up, more cameras on the side of the pitch, everyone is talking about it so there is more pressure from the outside.”

A two-week layoff since Real’s last home game, though, has ensured Burgess’s best work will be on show for the big day.

“The pitch for El Clasico will be better than say a Champions League game because for a Champions League game you have the opposition training the night before,” he said.

“Going into El Clasico we’ve got a two-week build up, the conditions look pretty good so the pitch will be in great condition not only for Real Madrid but also for Barcelona. It will be a nice pitch and the best team will win.”

The best team in recent times has tended to be Madrid, who have won five trophies in a calendar year in 2017 for the first time in the club’s storied history.

“100 percent,” joked the affable 39-year-old when quizzed as to how much success is down to him. “I think the pitch certainly adds value, but the bottom line is the pitch is the same for both teams and it is down to the team to perform on the day. We do our best to give them what they want.”

‘SERIOUS MONEY’ AT STAKE

Unlike Real’s star names and faces, though, Burgess tends to only get the criticism when things go wrong rather than acclaim as the trophies roll in.

“The only time I get feedback is if there is a problem. That is the correct way. I don’t go round looking for compliments, I don’t say to Cristiano (Ronaldo) ‘nice goal’. That’s his job and my job is to produce a good surface.”

He recalls a “tough” conversation with Jose Mourinho on the eve of the Portuguese’s first match in charge in 2010 due to a summer “outbreak of disease”.

However, the importance of a perfect pitch isn’t just reflected in how good it looks on TV, but can be vital in keeping multi-million euro players fit.

“They are paying serious money for these guys and they want them playing football, not injured. Something like 80 percent of injuries are non-contact with another player, so the only contact is with the grass.

“That doesn’t mean 80 percent of injuries are the fault of the grass, it could be bad diet, fatigue, but certainly a percentage is down to the pitch so it is very important we have dialogue between the medical department and my department to try and create consistent, comfortable surfaces for them to play on.”

That desire to stop avoidable injuries has seen Burgess travel the world looking at the latest technologies to bring back to the Bernabeu and Madrid’s vast Valdebebas training complex.

“I’m always trying to be a bit of a pioneer in my industry. By doing that you do make mistakes as well, but you try to be at the forefront of any new technology and Real Madrid reap the rewards of that.

“They invest in that, they should be applauded for what they are doing. They want to be the best and want to do everything they can to be the best.”
Just like for players and coaches, that investment brings increased pressure.

“When you are working for a big club it is more extreme. If we win it is the best thing in the world, if we lose it’s a disaster.

“I’m just part of that, but we have more good days than bad days and that’s the important thing.”

Click here to read the original article

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

Newcastle Receive Best Pitch In 15 years With MJ Abbott

in /by

Newcastle United Football Club Receive Best Pitch in 15 years, working with MJ Abbott: Newcastle United’s stadium manager, Eddie Rutherford, has hailed the new SIS Grass pitch at St James’ Park, installed by MJ Abbott and Premier Pitches, as the best in his 16-years at the club.

St James’ Park sits in the centre of Newcastle as a monument to football, with progress being made under Rafael Benitez after bouncing back from The Championship at the first time of asking in 2016/17.

Newcastle Receive Best Pitch In 15 years With MJ Abbott

Results on the new pitch have been promising through to the end of October, seeing three wins, a draw and one loss, but the decision to install a new irrigation system and playing surface was taken at short notice and required swift planning and cohesive team work between MJ Abbott and Premier Pitches, with the result delighting Eddie and the club.

“We are extremely happy with the pitch, it’s played really well,” Eddie said. “It’s probably the best the pitch has been since I’ve been here, and I know it hasn’t gone through the winter period yet but at the same stage in the last 15-years it hasn’t been any better.

“We did the job at very short notice. We decided to put the SIS Grass pitch in with only four weeks’ notice, so considering the time they had to get everything organised and put in place I couldn’t fault them.

“My only worry was that when you put two companies together, will they work well together. But they were both spot on throughout the project. When one is getting towards the end the other needs to be ready and mobilised and that worked really well, it couldn’t have worked any better.

“MJ Abbott come as a partnership with Premier Pitches when installing SIS Grass pitches. Premier Pitches have done a lot of work in the past with us and do our end of season renovations, but I know MJ Abbott are good contractor so I was quite happy to work with the two combined”

Nathan George, Contracts Manager at MJ Abbott explained “The project comprised removing the existing fibre sand surface down to a suitable depth as to expose the existing drainage slits. This operation had to be very carefully completed as to not destroy the integrity of the retained drainage.”

“A new fully automatic pitch irrigation system was installed and an imported rootzone laid to re-establish the original pitch levels. Premier Pitches completed the preparation and seeding of the new pitch, which delivered the project a week ahead of the proposed programme”

“The SISGRASS stitching was installed following grass establishment, a process that took 7 days”

The quick planning required for the project was helped by Premier Pitches’ experience at the city centre venue, and director, Russell Latham, commended the work of the design team in the build-up to the start date.

“The design team needs to work well together from the outset, especially on this project because of the time scale, but more importantly the men on the ground need to work in harmony from start to finish.

“Newcastle United have been a long-standing client of Premier Pitches so the pitfalls of working at a city centre Premier League stadium were well known. Nevertheless, without the rigorous planning and logistics from the outset things still could have gone wrong.

“The logistics of plant deliveries, material removal and material deliveries all had to be scheduled to the second to ensure that the project ran smoothly.

“We have worked with MJ Abbott on our prestigious pitch construction projects for over five years now. Their efficient and meticulous way of approaching a product from design and planning to delivery is everything that our key clients want to see but it doesn’t stop there. The back-up and support and knowledge is second to none.”

For more information, visit: www.mjabbott.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.