Tag Archive for: Boost’

New Pro Flora and Colour Boost Catalogues

/in , /by

New Pro Flora and Colour Boost Catalogues: In order to meet with the increasing demand for conservation mixtures, DLF Seeds have announced expansions to the Pro Flora wild flower and Colour Boost amenity flower collections, in two brand new mixture guides for 2022.

Having recently increased their in-house production for wild flowering species, a number of new mixtures have been introduced – designed to bring biodiversity and visual impact to even more amenity and agricultural spaces.

New Pro Flora and Colour Boost Catalogues

New Pro Flora and Colour Boost Catalogues

Wild flowers have long played a vital role in renovation and landscaping projects, improving visual diversity and providing support and conservation for wildlife and pollinating species. With that in mind, DLF have introduced Pro Flora 15 – Pollinator. Pro Flora 15 contain a mixture of native origin wild flowers and fine-leaved grasses, which will thrive in a range of soil types, and produce a prolonged flowering period – perfect for bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects.

Also new for 2022 is Pro Flora 16 – Coastal. With many of our coastal areas under threat from human activity and the sea, Pro Flora 16 provides land managers with a mixture for restoring some of these spaces and/or regenerating areas with poor quality land. Containing 20% wild flowers such as Kidney Vetch and Viper’s Bugloss, this new mixture can provide valuable habitat for coastal-dwelling insects and invertebrate species.

A number of mixtures have also been launched in the Colour Boost collection, designed for maximum floral impact. Skyscraper contains classics such as Cosmos and Zinnia and is created for areas where a taller growing mixture is required to deliver the desired level of visual impact. As with many of the Pro Flora mixtures, pollinators are at the forefront of species selection for a number of Colour Boost mixtures, with the new Honey Bee & Butterfly mix selecting flowers that will provide both a spectacular display and a valuable nectar source for bees and other pollinating insects. Completing the expanded range is Classical, a mix of blue and white species, ideal for more formal settings.

Full details of the Pro Flora and Colour Boost ranges can be found in the new brochures, available on request, or by visiting www.dlf.co.uk/wildflowers

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.

Forces charity receives boost

/in , /by

Forces charity receives boost: The Forces’ charity HighGround, which strives to improve the wellbeing and employment prospects of serving military personnel and veterans, using the green environment, received a major boost to its funds recently with a donation from corporate supporter British Sugar TOPSOIL.

At a presentation held at the Cricket Pavilion on the stunning Ascott Estate at Wing, to the southwest of Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire, National TOPSOIL Manager Andy Spetch presented a cheque for £5,320 to the charity’s founder and executive director, Anna Baker Cresswell, following a year of fundraising.

Forces charity receives boost

Forces charity receives boost

British Sugar TOPSOIL announced its support for HighGround last autumn and, in addition to this financial donation, has supported the project by providing topsoil products for its horticultural therapy garden at DMRC Stanford Hall near Loughborough. The money raised over the past year will enable the charity to continue its vital work helping those who have served to find jobs, careers and vocational opportunities in the land-based sector once their military careers are over.

Anna Baker Cresswell said:

“I can’t begin to thank Andy and his team at British Sugar TOPSOIL for their generous and ongoing support of our work at DMRC Stanford Hall and now this fantastic donation, which has enabled us to commission a short promotional film as part of our Corporate Champions initiative to generate new corporate supporters. We would be nothing without our Friends and I am proud to count Andy and TOPSOIL as part of our growing network of valued and loyal supporters who enable us to continue to deliver our work with those who have served their country. #outdoorsisbetter!”

Andy Spetch, National TOPSOIL Manager, said:

“We are absolutely delighted to be able to make this donation after a year of fundraising. The charity is doing incredible work to support our armed forces and veterans and TOPSOIL is proud to be able to help them in this way.”

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.

New fleet gives The Blackwood a boost

/in , /by

New fleet gives The Blackwood a boost: A switch in management policies at one of Northern Ireland’s leading golf clubs has resulted in a major £160,000 investment in new John Deere course maintenance equipment.

The Blackwood Golf Centre is situated in the heart of the Clandeboye Estate’s beautiful parklands, just at the top of the Ards Peninsula in County Down. Extending to 240ha, the club runs two 18-hole courses including the par 54 Temple and the par 71 championship Hamilton, plus a 26-bay floodlit driving range, putting green and short game area.

New fleet gives The Blackwood a boost

New fleet gives The Blackwood a boost

Historically the club has predominantly used John Deere machines, but some of the fleet had been faithful workhorses for the past 18 years and so were becoming quite aged. Last August the club underwent some fundamental changes, which included enlisting the help of independent golf management consultant Paul Gray, who has taken on the contract to manage the club.

One of Paul’s first changes was to upgrade the John Deere equipment fleet, directly liaising with course manager Jonny Eager and Ricky Neill, sales manager at the local John Deere turf dealer Johnston Gilpin & Co Ltd.

With the help of a five-year John Deere Financial package, the club bought a John Deere 8900A PrecisionCut fairway mower, 2500E hybrid electric greens triplex mower, 2653B PrecisionCut tees & surrounds triplex mower and two TH 6×4 Gator utility vehicles. Also included in the purchase were a Trimax Snake articulating rotary mower and a Buffalo debris blower.

Course manager Jonny Eager is very pleased with the new fleet and says the machines have boosted production and efficiency. “We have been using John Deere machines at The Blackwood since 2003 and have always found them very reliable and easy to use.

“With this new deal we replaced two of our older Gators with the TH 6x4s, while the rest of the machines are additions to the fleet, which now consists of 12 John Deere machines in total. They do a great job and the backup we receive from the dealer is first class. All round we think they represent longevity and good value for money.”

Blackwood Golf Centre consultant manager Paul Gray adds: “Machinery replacement in the past had been fairly neglected here, so one of the first changes I made was to embark on a new replacement programme, starting with this financed machinery purchase deal.

“Since changing to the new machines this season, members have been full of praise for how the courses look and play. Given the really difficult spring we had in terms of weather, the members have really complimented the staff for the excellent conditions the courses are in.”

“Part of the deal included full training for The Blackwood’s own mechanic, who came up to the dealership and spent some time with one of our technicians to learn how all the machines are assembled, used and operated,” explains Ricky Neill.

“We are very keen for the greenkeeping team to carry out all their own regular servicing and maintenance, with support from our expert technicians should they require it. Our dealership at Lisburn has had a good relationship over the years with The Blackwood Golf Centre, and we are here to assist them with any future machinery requirements as the club develops.”

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.

Colour Boost brings conservation closer to home

/in , /by

Colour Boost brings conservation closer to home: Providing a new home, rest and rehabilitation for rescued animals from across the globe, the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary (formally the Isle of Wight Zoo) have, for the last twelve months, been working on a project to support species much closer to home.

With flower mixtures and support from DLF Seeds, the work at the sanctuary and at local schools has been hailed a great success – with Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Bates noting both the improvements in bio-diversity and awareness of the issues affecting our native habitats.

Colour Boost brings conservation closer to home

Colour Boost brings conservation closer to home

Lawrence began planning the habitat creation with the help of DLF’s Paul Hadley in a previous role a few years ago and saw the opportunity to resurrect it upon joining the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary in July 2019. “It can be difficult for people to understand how important our behaviour and efforts are for supporting our own native species that are under threat, when a lot of the media focus is on animals on the other side of the globe. Our vision with this project is to look at spaces closer to home, increase the bio-diversity to provide habitats, shelter and food for invertebrates which, in turn, helps animals further up the food chain.”

“Paul visited the island and advised on the most suitable species for our new flower meadow on site, but also what would work for projects at some local schools, which weren’t going to be maintained by experts!” Selected were Colour Boost 1, a mixture containing quick-to-establish, high impact annuals and Colour Boost 6, comprising of over 40 different species and subspecies, the appearance of which is constantly changing throughout the growing season.

Four flower meadows were sown at the schools on the island prior to the lockdown in March 2020, with the Sanctuary’s own meadow then planted in June 2020. “The result from these two Colour Boost mixtures was phenomenal! Not only did the students benefit from the educational programme around wildflowers and conservation, but it completely transformed previously neglected areas of the school sites, and our own site, with hardy blooms that created a dazzling, long-lasting display of colour.”

“We received so many lovely comments from Head Teachers with numerous other schools now wanting to get involved. We’re also talking to local churches and a number of businesses through the Green Impact Group about new sponsored plots of land.” Lawrence concludes, “The programme is growing fast and the impact this will have on the wildlife is exponential! Without DLF and their ongoing support, the project wouldn’t have got off the ground.”

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.

Need an instant boost?

/in , /by

Need an instant boost?: Ignition is a brand new AGS exclusive plant-health-solution specially formulated to provide ultra-rapid foliar uptake even in the colder months.

This special formulation of Nitrogen, Calcium and Magnesium provides an all-round turf strengthening package. The Nitrogen is delivered in a form that is instantly available for use by the plant giving this product the perfect characteristics for use throughout the autumn, winter and spring.

Need an instant boost?

Need an instant boost?

  • Boosts growth, recovery and health in stadiums and training grounds during cooler weather.
  • Encourages Poa growth in cold springs to aid mixed Poa/Bent greens to grow evenly during this awkward cool period.
  • Enhances winter and early spring growth of fairways, tees and outfields to improve sward density and health following high use.
  • Pre-tournament green-up and health boost for greens, tees and fairways.

Calcium is known for its cell strengthening properties alongside improving nitrogen uptake and stress tolerance. Magnesium gives good colour without lush growth and helps plant sugar production and new leaf development.

Apply at 10-20lts per Ha with 200lts-400lts water volume. Can be used 12 months of the year. Available in 5lts & 200lts containers. Can be tank mixed with a range of products.

For more information on this product or to enquire about ongoing opportunities to join the team please call 01183-914540 or email info@advancegrass.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.