Tag Archive for: Care

We Care, That You Care

We Care, That You Care: As we approach STIGA‘s 90th anniversary, the gardening mower and tool company stands at a unique intersection of rich heritage and exciting possibilities.

The ‘We Care, That You Care’ campaign embodies the STIGA passion for nature and the pledge towards a more sustainable future.  The goal? To support 90 community garden groups throughout the UK, honouring each year of the 90th anniversary, by empowering others with innovative, eco-friendly garden products.

We Care, That You Care

We Care, That You Care

Become one of the Stiga 90!

STIGA believes that everyone deserves the chance to cultivate beautiful spaces responsibly, and during 2024 the team are giving away their eco-friendly garden products to community garden groups, up and down the UK, for free! ‘We care that you care’, and this is our way of showing you we care.

Cultivating Connections

The campaign is aimed at a diverse array of community groups, from schools and hospital gardens to urban gardens, food bank gardens, community gardens and guerrilla gardeners. Each one of these groups represents a unique opportunity for STIGA to engage, help and empower local communities.

Growing together

Communities and individuals associated with the community group can engage with STIGA through a dedicated web page, where information about their project will be collected and products selected that will benefit their project. This process ensures every aspiring group has an equal opportunity to bloom with STIGA.

How to get involved

If you are responsible for any non-profit, community group or charity that looks after a green space and would like to receive products from STIGA’s innovative, eco-friendly garden product range…for free, then simply register on the wecare.stigauk.com website.

The STIGA judging panel will assess your application along with your social engagement tokens. You will be notified if you are successful, stating the free products that will be donated to your community group.

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Toro taking care at Bathgate

Toro taking care at Bathgate: Bathgate Golf Club in West Lothian has taken delivery of a new Toro Groundsmaster 4300 rotary mower for the roughs and a used-certified Toro Workman GTX electric machine from distributor Reesink to aid the smooth running of the course.

The Toro Workman GTX machine brings electric power to the club in the most sustainable of ways having had a life before Bathgate at another club.

Toro taking care at Bathgate

Toro taking care at Bathgate

Found through Reesink’s ReeOwn scheme, which sees clubs able to access the best used Toro machinery available in the UK, it has been through a multipoint check by trained technicians at Reesink Scotland and came with a comprehensive 12-month warranty.

Head greenkeeper Peter Smith says: “The machine had very few hours on it and had been thoroughly checked over by the Reesink team so what we got felt like new really. It was an incredibly reasonable purchase and more economical than buying a new diesel/petrol machine.

“As with any utility vehicle, its primary job is to make life easy around the course, aid its smooth running, and it does just that, equal to or exceeding its diesel/petrol counterpart.”

Coinciding with the Workman, was the arrival of a Toro Groundsmaster 4300 rotary rough mower. Cutting the rough grass at Bathgate Golf Club can be challenging as the total area comprise the largest span of turf to maintain and typically house the areas with the most obstructions such as trees, bushes and bunkers etc. so there’s some work to be put in especially when being used daily like as is the case here.

Peter articulates that the Toro Groundsmaster 4300 has been delivering on all fronts: “This machine has been going out daily since it arrived in June and we’re really impressed with the quality of cut, the finish it leaves behind and the speed with which it gets the job done”.

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Getting lawn care ready in September

Getting lawn care ready in September: We know the summer feels like it has only just begun, but the Lawn Association team would like to share some September lawn care tips to keep your sea of green as healthy as it can possibly be!

Keep your eye on thatch!

After the last few months of ridiculous growing weather, the thatch in your lawn would have increased a lot. We only normally produce thatch for say, April, May some of June and possibly September but we have had the whole of June and July and August as well so have literally increased thatch production by 100% extra.

Getting lawn care ready in September

Getting lawn care ready in September

This is not something that many gardeners think about, but of course, when planning good sensible lawn care you should. Do we hit it hard in autumn to compensate or split between two light ones, autumn and spring?

So what can we do about excess thatch?

Scarification is the key and September is the perfect time to do this, and it will enable you to control thatch levels. Does anyone think that moss may be an issue this autumn and winter? No, of course not, moss will only be thought about when it appears. But have no doubt, it will, because soils have been saturated and air space will have decreased. This happens when the fine soil particles move around and will have consolidated. This means water will move slower through the soils meaning the surface remains wetter for longer.

Thatch is a spongy-like material that sits above the lawn soils. It comprises all the clippings, shoots, and dead organic matter that have accumulated. When this remains wet during winter, moss spores will have a greater chance to germinate, so by regularly scarifying your lawn, this will allow rainwater to run down into the soil and away from the surface, giving the moss spores less chance to germinate (extra aeration will also be required this autumn too)

David Hedges Gower, Chairman of the Lawn Association states “Good lawn care is all about working with nature, not against it. Through dealing with excess thatch sustainably via scarification and other good practices such as sensible mowing and regular aeration, biodiversity and a healthy lawn can be maintained.”

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DLF Didbrook to host the UK Lawn Care Association

DLF Didbrook to host the UK Lawn Care Association: Leading global seed breeders DLF are pleased to be playing host to the last event in a packed summer season of seminars and events for the UK Lawn Care Association (UKLCA).

Open to members, the visit to the trial plots and research facility at Hailes Farm, Didbrook, will take place on Tuesday 11th July with only a limited number of spaces remaining.

DLF Didbrook to host the UK Lawn Care Association

DLF Didbrook to host the UK Lawn Care Association

Hailes Farm has been home to research and development across the amenity, forage and agricultural breeding programme for more than 40 years. With cutting-edge technology, the facility has been deemed a centre of excellency for the trialling and evaluation of grass species in the UK – leading to the emergence of a number of high-performance varieties, used at topflight amenity venues at home and around the world.

In their capacity as sponsors of the UKLCA, DLF will be opening the gates to Hailes Farm next month for members to learn first-hand the science behind some of the most popular lawn mixtures and grass varieties. Following an introduction to DLF, visitors can look forward to a session on grass identification, an overview of the complex breeding processes and tips for optimising usage of the BSPB grass seed guide. Guests will then be given a tour of the trial plots to see some of the latest work and emerging trends in the world of grass seed.

“We are delighted to provide an opportunity to our members to develop their knowledge and understanding of grass science and technology- and where better to do that, than at DLF” comments Tom Arnold, Chairman of the UK Lawn Care Association. “The chance to visit facilities as established as DLF Didbrook are rare so it’s brilliant to be able to host this event with them and thank them for their continued support of those working hard in the UK lawncare sector.”

Numbers are limited, but those interested in attending or who would like further information should get in touch via the UKLCA website – www.uklawncare.net

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Get greens summer-ready with Turf care professionals

Get greens summer-ready with Turf care professionals: Leading manufacturer of golf, lawn bowling greens and other sports turf maintenance equipment, Wood Bay Turf Technologies, has been creating world-class turf maintenance equipment since 1987, and has a range of products to help with all aspects of summer lawn maintenance.

It’s always recommended to start the season with a roll, as greens can be soft and uneven at this time of year. Rolling will help to smooth uneven spots and firm up the surface. The greensIRON 3900 golf greens roller, has been top-rated by leading golf course managers to raise the standard of greens to incredibly high quality, while smoothing out any surface imperfections and creating a firm playing surface. The greensIRON golf turf roller has a light footprint, even lighter than a person making a putt, so it will not make a mark as it rolls.

Get greens summer-ready with Turf care professionals

Get greens summer-ready with Turf care professionals

The machine has uniquely designed handlebars to allow for ease of steering, while its Hydro-Gear makes the transition from one direction to another very comfortable for even the least experienced operator. The roller’s rubber-tracked drive roller also provides superior climbing ability on the steepest, undulating greens and approaches.

The greensIRON 6200 Lawn Bowling Greens and Tennis Court Roller is based on the same design as the greensIRON 3900, but has wider rollers at 62” instead of 39”. The greensIRON 6200 is ideally used for rolling lawn bowling greens and tennis courts to make them smoother and play faster, improving the turf surface and creating a consistent green speed.

Another key task is turf dethatching and thinning out thatch to clear out old, dead grass and other organic matter that has built up, but not broken down, over the autumn and winter months. Dethatching opens up the lawn surface to allow for improved nutrient and water intake. The Wood Bay fds9200 multipurpose turf dethatchers are lightweight, flexible and responsive, and are engineered to handle a variety of surfaces, from the contours and undulations of a golf course to the flat surfaces associated with sports fields, race tracks and equestrian arenas.

Finally, it’s is an ideal time to make sure that all equipment is in tip-top condition. Along with turf specialist machinery, Wood Bay also manufactures dynaBlade verti-cut blades for all leading brands of turf machinery. Strong by design with tungsten carbide tips, the blades are engineered to save time and money with the most efficient linear aeration.

Wood Bay Turf Techonologies’ products are available exclusively from Henton & Chattell’s dealer network. For more information, please contact Sam Russo, sales specialist turf machinery, email sr@hentonanchattell.co.uk or call 07716 992587.

Further information about Wood Bay and its products can be found at https://www.woodbayturftech.com/

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STIHL enhances care and clean kit range

STIHL enhances care and clean kit range: STIHL has extended its range of care and clean kits with the launch of the MS and MS PLUS, suitable for all petrol, cordless and electric STIHL chainsaws.

Both MS and MS PLUS care and clean kits feature the new VarioClean Eco, a universal cleaning agent made from natural raw materials, which are compatible with all chainsaw surfaces such as polymer, metal, rubber and aluminium.

STIHL enhances care and clean kit range

STIHL enhances care and clean kit range

The ECO-Cert certified cleaning agent is suitable for removing oil, resin, and grease from all parts of the chainsaw, including HD2 air filters. Users simply spray on VarioClean Eco to the relevant chainsaw area and leave for five minutes before wiping it down with a damp cloth or brush.

In addition, both kits also boast a wooden handled cleaning brush, which features plastic bristles and a metal blade. This ensures the brush is suitable for removing dirt from the guide bar groove, cleaning the oil bores, loosening stubborn dirt from the sprocket cover, as well as loosening dust build up on cylinder fins.

The MS Plus care and clean kit features a wash bag that can be used as a microfibre cloth or alternatively a cleaning glove, which offers more effective cleaning of HD2 filters. Once the HD2 filter has been sprayed with VarioClean Eco and left for five minutes, simply put the filter in the wash bag and wash at 600C as users would their PPE.

The launch of the MS and MS Plus care and clean kits follows STIHL’s recent launch of service kits for petrol handheld tools that enable professional and domestic owners to carry out simple routine engine maintenance themselves, increasing their tool’s reliability and longevity.

For more information on STIHL’s new MS and MS PLUS care and clean kits, please visit www.stihl.co.uk.

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Delta Turf Care partners with Mow-Sure Training

Delta Turf Care partners with Mow-Sure Training: Delta Turf Care is pleased to announce that they have entered into a strategic partnership with Mow-Sure Training Ltd to provide Lantra Certified Training for their customers across the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.

This Partnership is part of Delta’s strategy to promote learning and development of turf technicians and spray technicians in the regions as well as creating a training hub to help promote and create more opportunities for technicians to join the turf industry in the Middle East.

Delta Turf Care partners with Mow-Sure Training

Delta Turf Care partners with Mow-Sure Training

The Training courses provided to customers will consist of Grounds Care Machinery Maintenance or PA 1,2 & 6 Sprayer training depending on customer requirements. The training courses will be conducted on a quarterly basis with individual assessments per candidate prior to the next training course.

Four of Delta’s technicians had recently completed their Lantra Turfcare Machinery Certification as part of a yearlong training course which included quarterly assessments by a qualified assessor.

The technicians from Delta Turf Care, Delta Irrigation and Garden & Farm in Saudi Arabia completed their last training and assessment at the Delta Turf Care facilities in Dubai. This put’s Delta in a unique position with the only Lantra Turfcare Machinery certified technicians in the Middle East.

Marinus Koekemoer, Regional Manager of Delta Turf Care said: “We are excited to be working with Mow-Sure and Lantra to provide local training oppertunaties for technicans and spray technicians.  The partnership strengthens Delta Turf Care’s portfolio of high-quality turf care solutions, and further solidifies our position as a partner well placed to meet the needs of our customers. We are always looking to improve the services and products we can offer to our customers, and we believe this new partnership will significantly help to do that. We look forward to expanding the value-added training portfolio to the region.”

Ian Sumpter, Managing Director of Mow-Sure said: “Having worked with Garden & Farm, Delta’s sister company in Saudi Arabia for many years there is already a strong relationship. The partnership further strengthens this bond and ensures that Mow-sure and Lantra can deliver our training through the most reliable partners in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. I am look forward to supporting Delta Turf Care as they continue to invest in development of technicians and spray technicians in the Middle East.

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Lantra to promote turf care training

Lantra to promote turf care training: Lantra are exhibiting at Europe’s largest turf management show, SALTEX next week to continue its ongoing Instructor recruitment drive and promote a NEW forward-thinking course aimed at meeting major challenges in the sector and advances in science and technology.

Members of the Lantra team will be available on exhibition stand K124 at SALTEX 2022 to update industry professionals on their NEW Landscape Multi-Tools course which has been developed in light of feedback from both land-based industries and training Providers.

Lantra to promote turf care training

Lantra to promote turf care training

SALTEX is Europe’s leading turf management show for grounds care volunteers, professionals, suppliers, and manufacturers.

The two-day event, which will be held at the Birmingham NEC November 2-3, attracts industry experts and hundreds of leading brands every year and gives exhibitors and event visitors the opportunity to see the latest technological and product developments – and this year SALTEX marks its 76th year by introducing a new look for 2022.

As well as sharing details on its new Landscape Multi-Tools course, Lantra will also be on hand to provide information on its wide range of other courses in turf industries, such horticulture, sports turf and landscaping, and give advice on how people can become training Instructors and Providers.

People can take their ‘green careers’ further by choosing from a wide range of courses in the horticulture industry which contributes a massive £9 billion each year to the UK economy.

Courses include – Safe Operation of Ride-On Mowers, Awareness of Integrated Weed Management, Installation of Artificial Grass Surfaces and Ground Care Machinery Maintenance.

Lantra also provides training and qualifications in the Safe Use of Pesticides which includes CRD-recognised certificates of competence.

David Fisher, Lantra’s Head of Industry Partnerships for the area, said: “We’ve been reviewing and updating our Landscape tools assessed training courses with sustainability in mind.

“To meet demand we have seen from Providers, we have also extended the content of some of our courses to include coverage of battery-operated equipment, and have developed a specific course for Landscape Multi-Tools which will be launched at the event.

“The two-day course consists of modules covering small engine maintenance, grass trimmers, hedge trimmers and leaf blowers, and will be relevant to both petrol and battery powered machines.

“SALTEX is the ideal place to launch the updated courses and materials, as it is where industry professionals come together to learn the latest developments for turf industries, and to share best practice.

“At Lantra, we recognise that, like so many other land-based industries, a shortage of suitably skilled labour is a major issue in the landscape sector. A key solution to addressing this skills gap, and growing the sector, is without doubt high quality, industry-recognised training and qualifications.

“That’s why we believe it’s crucial we attend events like SALTEX to share details of our latest training initiatives and keep our finger on the pulse in terms of what’s needed in the real world of work.

“This year, we’ll also be continuing with our drive to recruit experienced industry experts as training Instructors who can inspire, motivate, and educate both the current and future landscape workforce.”

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Statement from Campey Turf Care Systems

Statement from Campey Turf Care Systems: Richard Campey and everyone at Campey Turf Care Systems are deeply saddened by the news that Arsenal FC Head Groundsman Steve Braddock has passed away.

Richard said “I have known Steve a very long time, after we met at London Colney. He became a close friend, and we shared the same drive and interest in maintaining natural surfaces for sport. Steve was always willing to try out new methods and machinery ahead of their time. You always knew where you stood with him. He was a true gentleman and never wavered in the pursuit of perfection for his sports pitches and was an advocate for the highest standards for the industry as a whole. He will be greatly missed.

Statement from Campey Turf Care Systems

Statement from Campey Turf Care Systems

We send our sincere condolences to Steve’s wife Shuk, their daughters Jasmine and Lily, and all Steve’s family and friends.”

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North Berwick takes care with Toro

North Berwick takes care with Toro: With the order of a full fleet of Toro equipment including three key all-electric mowers, North Berwick Golf Club in East Lothian, Scotland, didn’t have to choose between caring more for its putter than its puffins: now it can do both.

Near the largest puffin colony on the east coast of Britain, North Berwick Golf Club has environmental and noise pollution factors to consider highly in its machinery choices.

North Berwick takes care with Toro

North Berwick takes care with Toro

Course manager Darren MacLaughlan, who has been using and recommending the brand for the best part of 20 years, explains: “North Berwick has been a GEO certified course since 2015 and is located on some of the finest links terrain in the world. With that comes a responsibility to the site ensuring we are operating in the most sustainable manner possible.

“We are recognised as the 13th oldest golf club in the world and only at St Andrews has golf been played continuously over the same stretch of land. While it is important to preserve our rich history, we had to move forward with machinery and this has started with the introduction of both hybrid and electric technology.”

Toro has led the way in the turfcare electric machinery revolution and Darren opted for two Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 riding greensmowers and a Greensmaster eFlex 1021 pedestrian mower.

“There are multiple reasons we opted for electric technology,” says Darren. “Our firm commitment to lower emissions in line with our GEO status and the quietness of their operation, which allows us to start work early in the morning without disturbing neighbours. Then there’s the reduction in fuel costs, which, with fuel prices as they are, is a huge consideration.

“And while we did not factor this in before the purchase, these machines have actually helped the mental health and wellbeing of our staff. Mowing the greens in the morning, without the old ear defenders, listening to the waves gently roll in from the beach and the birds fly over the bass rock is an experience no other course in the world can offer.”

Also included in the deal from distributor Reesink Scotland were two Greensmaster TriFlex Hybrid 3420, three Reelmaster 3555 lightweight fairway mowers, a Groundsmaster 3500 rotary deck mower, a Multi Pro 5800 turf sprayer and a Pro Force debris blower.

Darren continues: “We’ve received four of the thirteen machines ordered fleet due to the supply chain issues worldwide and we’re sure that when the rest of the kit arrives, we will be even better placed to produce classic links conditions.”

The branch is also providing additional support kit for The Women’s Open final qualifying event held in August at North Berwick. Darren says: “With Neil Mackenzie on the road, the support from Rab Wilson and his aftersales team and Richard Green directing operations, we have always had full confidence in Reesink.”

He concludes: “We pride ourselves in thinking out the box here at North Berwick. As a result, we have seen the course go from strength to strength in the past two years and we are proud to have Toro as a part of our firm commitment to continual improvement.

“Regularly ranked in the world’s top 50 and the UK top 10, we have high expectations to meet for our customers. That means having the best machinery and technology available on the market, and that’s undoubtedly Toro.”

To talk to someone about Toro technology and how the Toro range could suit your course, call 01480 226800.

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