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SMARTCut™ and SpringRake™ at St Catharine’s College

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SMARTCut™ and SpringRake™ at St Catharine’s College: A 34” INFINICUT® FX, complete with SMARTCut™ cutting reel and SpringRake™ cassette from the TMSystem™ collection has become the newest addition to the machinery fleet at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge.

In the short period of time since its delivery in June, the set-up is making a massive difference to some of the site’s fine turf areas – albeit in quiet fashion, with the evident reduction in noise pollution another benefit thanks to the switch to battery power.

SMARTCut™ and SpringRake™ at St Catharine’s College

SMARTCut™ and SpringRake™ at St Catharine’s College

Under Head Groundsman Chris Tovey’s remit are hockey surfaces, tennis courts and pitches for rugby and football, which convert to host cricket throughout the summer months. “I’d first seen the INFINICUT® at a demonstration a couple of years ago and could tell that the quality of cut it delivered, together with the versatility of the cassette options available, would suit our site down to the ground” explains Chris, who has been at the college for 35 years. “Through the summer months, it will become our go-to mower on our cricket outfield and throughout the winter, it will deliver that next level of finesse to our main football pitch.”

“The quiet operation that comes with the battery-powered INFINICUT® has been a real breath of fresh air for us, having a number of aging and rather noisy pieces of equipment in the shed! This is so important not just for us as operators, but also the benefits that noise reduction brings to the more general educational environment.”

Alongside his 34” cutting cassette, Chris also purchased the new SpringRake™ cassette from the TMSystem™ range. Designed for a less aggressive approach to removing organic matter, lateral growth and/or debris, the SpringRake™ features both tines and nylon brushes to gently ‘scratch’ the base of the plant and move the collected material to the surface for dispersal or collection.

“We’ve been passing the SpringRake™ cassette over our grass tennis courts and cricket square on a weekly basis and it’s done a fantastic job at removing unwanted grasses on these fine turf areas.” Chris concludes, “The set-up is so simple to use and is going to be key to helping us take our facilities to the next level, to the benefit of both the college and the students.”

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Radley College extends Toro relationship

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Radley College extends Toro relationship: World-class sporting facilities are one of the cornerstones of prestigious boys’ school, Radley College in Oxfordshire, so it goes without saying that maintaining impeccable grounds is a must.

After 10 years of successfully using Toro, Radley College has once again renewed its arrangement with Reesink Turfcare to supply Toro fine-turf and groundscare mowers to keep the school’s 228 acres in pristine condition.

Radley College extends Toro relationship

Radley College extends Toro relationship

“Flexibility is key” cites head of grounds, Adam King, who has worked at Radley College for 20 years: “This is the second time we have renewed a five-year deal with Toro and this time we’ve opted for a slightly different range of machines. Rather than having a smaller number of larger mowers we have gone for a wider range of smaller machines. This gives us ultimate flexibility and enables us to work smarter.”

Adam’s 19-strong grounds teams are responsible for maintaining the school’s grounds and gardens, 30 hectares of which are pure sport pitches including rugby pitches, cricket-squares, football pitches, astroturf hockey pitches and tennis courts. Radley College also has a lake and a nine-hole golf course.

Adam continues: “We have 750 boys playing sport five days a week. Whether it’s rugby in winter or cricket in summer, there are seasonal demands on the facilities. Pitches not only need to be playable but immaculate, so in being able to equip the grounds team with the finest machines and deploy them according to the school calendar, we have the ultimate flexibility. We can work sharper and have more options.

“Working with Toro is a no brainer. Clearly we have a duty to look at all manufacturers but we continue to return to Toro based on the fact the mowers are reliable, comfortable and easy for the grounds team to use, and they produce an exceptional cut.”

Thanks to the latest renewal agreement the school now has a nine-strong fleet of Toro mowers which includes two Greensmaster 3150-Q, a Reelmaster 3100-D, a Greensmaster TriFlex 3400, two Reelmaster 3550-D and two compact and lightweight Reelmaster 3555-D mowers.

“Down time is not an option,” Adam continues. “We seldom have issues, but our lease agreement has back-up care built into it. If we have a problem I know I’ll have a mechanic on site the very next day. We’ve never had a machine down for more than 24-36 hours and that’s very important to us.

“It’s all about the machines” Adam concludes. “The finishing, the quality – it’s exemplary.  And with the reliability and performance of our grounds machines taken care of it’s only mother nature we have to worry about!”

Reesink Turfcare is the exclusive distributor in the UK and Ireland for Toro groundscare machinery. For further information on the range call 01480 226800, email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk, or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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College Cup winners prepare Clásico pitch

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College Cup winners prepare Clásico pitch: After winning the 2019 SALTEX College Cup, four students from Myerscough College recently enjoyed an unforgettable experience at Real Madrid’s Bernabéu Stadium.

The annual SALTEX College Cup, sponsored by Toro and Reesink Turfcare, is a student-led sports turf challenge – an academic test of turf management knowledge for student competitors who are enrolled at a college on a relevant course of study.

College Cup winners prepare Clásico pitch

College Cup winners prepare Clásico pitch

Myerscough College, located in Bilsborrow, Preston, entered a team into the competition solely consisting of apprentices. Scott Danter (Warwick School), Ashley Hill (Warwickshire County Cricket Club), Ryan Harrison and Nick George (both from Leicester City Football Club) are all currently studying Level 2 or Level 3 sportsturf apprenticeships.

The competition consisted of paper-based multiple choice and short answer questions on turf management, plus a case study which required a more in-depth written answer. The students were also presented with live test samples in which they had to identify potential threats to the health of turf.

Myerscough College proved victorious and saw off competition from Askham Bryan, CAFRE, Bridgwater and Capel Manor to win the trophy. The Myerscough team was then presented with a prize that money can’t buy – a once-in-a-lifetime visit to Real Madrid’s Bernabéu Stadium, where they would get the opportunity to learn from Paul Burgess, Madrid’s director of grounds and environment.

As part of the prize the four students enjoyed an invaluable groundscare work experience placement in the run up to one of the biggest domestic fixtures in world football, El Clásico, between Real Madrid and Barcelona. During their weekend visit the group enjoyed a full, behind-the-scenes experience of just what it takes to prepare the playing surface for such a prestigious fixture, and even got the golden opportunity to be part of the team that maintains the Bernabéu’s hallowed turf.

It was an experience that will live long in the memory according to student Ashley Hill: “This was a real honour,” he said. “Seeing in detail what the grounds team do at the training ground and at the stadium was inspirational. Mowing the pitch at the Bernabéu was the icing on the cake.”

Ryan Harrison believes that opportunity to learn from Paul Burgess has helped to improve his skill set and will enhance his prospects in the grounds management industry: “Paul and the team were brilliant with us all and I learnt so much. Helping to prepare the pitch for the El Clasico was a real privilege and I am going home a better groundsperson.”

The Bernabéu tour follows three extraordinary SALTEX College Cup prizes in previous years. In 2017 the winning students were part of the Wembley grounds team at the FA Cup Final and the following year the winners enjoyed an unforgettable experience of helping with pitch preparations at the 2018 Six Nations Championships at BT Murrayfield Stadium. Last year saw the winning College win a behind the scenes tour at The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), Wimbledon in which the students received an in-depth look at court preparations the week before The Championships 2019 took place.

The SALTEX College Cup continues to go from strength to strength and Dan Prest, head of technical and learning at the Institute of Groundsmanship, believes it is a fantastic platform to encourage and inspire the younger generation.

“This competition is all about raising standards in our industry. Young people should see this opportunity as a viable career option and that there is a progressive career path for them to follow,” he said.

All colleges interested in participating in the 2020 SALTEX College Cup should email Dan Prest at dprest@iog.org for more details.

SALTEX 2020 will take place at the NEC, Birmingham on 4 and 5 November.

For more information visit www.iogsaltex.com

Follow SALTEX on Twitter @IOG_SALTEX and Facebook – www.facebook.com/IOGSALTEX

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Reesink To Sponsor College Cup

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Reesink To Sponsor College Cup: Toro and Reesink Turfcare are delighted to announce they will be sponsoring the SALTEX College Cup 2019, managed by the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG).

The SALTEX College Cup is a student-led sports turf challenge, testing teams of students on their turf management knowledge with paper-based questions, a presentation and live test samples. The competition held during SALTEX, the industry’s leading turf management exhibition at the NEC Birmingham from 30-31 October, presents a real challenge to its young contestants but with the promise of big rewards.

Reesink To Sponsor College Cup

To celebrate the inaugural partnership, a once-in-a-lifetime prize with Real Madrid Football Club has been planned. The winning team of the 2019 competition will travel to Spain at the end of February 2020 for an invaluable groundscare work experience placement at the club’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in the run up to a major international game.

Working to raise awareness of academic rigour in turf management, the SALTEX College Cup is a fantastic way to reward those dedicated to and passionate about the industry while promoting the importance of education.

Commenting on the challenge, Dan Prest, Head of Member Services – Learning and Consultancy at the IOG, says: “This is a fantastic opportunity for turfcare students to witness the working practices at an elite venue and draw inspiration from Paul Burgess, a respected UK grounds manager. The winning team will have proven their knowledge in the competition and will also be able to add to their practical skills under the guidance of Paul and his team at Real Madrid.”

As companies dedicated to supporting the grounds sector and to encourage younger people into the industry, Toro and Reesink, an official Toro distributor in the UK, have teamed up with the IOG once again, to complement their successful partnership as sponsors of the IOG Young Board of Directors.

Reesink Turfcare’s marketing manager Rochelle Bedford says of the sponsorship: “By sponsoring the SALTEX College Cup, we are demonstrating Toro and Reesink’s long-term commitment to the development of the industry and providing valuable learning opportunities for the brightest young groundsmen out there, which we hope will help them further their careers. Young talent and excellence in the groundscare industry is where the future lies and this latest partnership with the IOG will, we hope, help ensure progression in the sector. We are delighted to be involved.”

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Wimbledon Visit For College Cup Winners

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Wimbledon Visit For College Cup Winners: After winning the 2018 SALTEX College Cup, students from Bridgwater and Taunton College in Somerset, recently enjoyed their prize of a behind the scenes tour at The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), Wimbledon.

Simon Cook, Jacob Camplin, Ryan Tate and trainer/assessor Cary Rawlings experienced an unforgettable day when Neil Stubley, the AELTC’s Head of Courts and Horticulture, provided them with an in-depth look at court preparations the week before The Championships, Wimbledon took place.

Wimbledon Visit For College Cup Winners

Sponsored by Ransomes, the competition took place at SALTEX 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham, where the three Bridgwater and Taunton students competed against other UK-based horticultural colleges in an in-depth academic test of turf management knowledge.

Commenting on being involved in this extraordinary opportunity, college student Ryan Tate said: “The experience was really educational. I was very lucky to get to see turf management at the highest tier and I’ll really benefit from it.”

Fellow college student Simon Cook added: “It has been a real eye opener, especially getting the chance to speak to and learn from someone like Neil Stubley.”

“The attention to detail here at Wimbledon is incredible and I feel very lucky to have been here to witness it,” said Jacob Camplin. “We’ll be back at SALTEX this year to defend our title and we’re going for our second win so bring it on!”

Commenting on the SALTEX College Cup, Neil Stubley said: “I was fortunate to be invited to sit on the judging panel at the SALTEX College Cup in 2018 and it was a great experience to see up-and-coming grounds personnel with their key knowledge and their willingness to learn. I’ve enjoyed showcasing what we do to the winning team and explaining the challenges we have to work with to deliver exceptional surfaces for The Championships.”

The Wimbledon tour follows two extraordinary SALTEX College Cup prizes in previous years. In 2017 the winning students were part of the Wembley grounds team at the FA Cup Final and the 2018 winners enjoyed an unforgettable experience of helping with pitch preparations at the 2018 Six Nations Championships at BT Murrayfield Stadium.

Since its launch in 2017, the SALTEX College Cup has grown each year both in size and reputation, and Cary Rawlings believes that even more colleges should enter the competition.

“I can highly recommend the SALTEX College Cup to all colleges that are involved in delivering sports turf. It is a fantastic opportunity for young students to challenge themselves and it provides them with the opportunity to gain experience of delivering a presentation to industry professionals that will set them in good stead for future job interviews.

“It also gives a good overview of the knowledge that your students have taken on-board during their course and also highlights any areas that may need to be revisited.

“We are looking forward to entering again this year and I implore other colleges to participate in this event. It is not every day that your students get the opportunity to experience life behind the scenes at a major sporting event. Once the seed has been planted for something like this it will drive our future custodians of the industry on to bigger and better things.”

All colleges interested in participating in the 2019 SALTEX College Cup should email Dan Prest at dprest@iog.org for more details.

Toro and Reesink are the new 2019 sponsors of the SALTEX College Cup. The 2019 winners’ prize will be a trip to Real Madrid’s Bernabau Stadium.

For more information visit www.iogsaltex.com

Follow SALTEX on Twitter @IOG_SALTEX and Facebook – www.facebook.com/IOGSALTEX

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Toro A Hit At Radley College

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Toro A Hit At Radley College: Four years ago, Radley College welcomed a new Toro fleet of Groundsmaster and Reelmaster mowers to the independent boys’ school in Oxfordshire. As the facilities continue to grow we hear how Toro has performed during its tenure.

There’s a lot of pressure on Radley College’s grounds team. Not only does it have the upkeep of some of the most extensive and finest public school sporting facilities in the country on its hands, but with the school increasing the number of bursaries and scholarships for the first time in its 172-year history, the sports facilities are expanding too.

Toro A Hit At Radley College

Luckily, grounds manager Adam King and the 19-strong team in the estates department, including groundsmen, greenkeepers and gardeners, have the benefit of a Toro fleet of Groundsmaster and Reelmaster mowers working across the 14 rugby pitches, 10 cricket squares and football pitches, three astroturf hockey pitches, tennis courts and a nine-hole, par 34 golf course.

The College’s latest fleet joined four years ago in a significant lease agreement with Reesink,

Adam says: “With more to do, the biggest benefit from our Toro fleet in the last four years is how it’s saved us time, allowing us to be more efficient and productive. Having two Reelmaster 3100-D mowers for the weekend cutting of the cricket outfields and aprons has been particularly beneficial.”

As the school gears up for a new boarding house opening in 2020 and the expansion of the sporting facilities to accommodate, the reliability of the fleet as well as its time-saving aspects has not gone unnoticed by Adam.

“We chose this combination of machines with specific work in mind and they’ve not only delivered on that but more. We’ve built more natural and artificial sports surfaces into the equation and got them into play. Plus, there have been no problems running the fleet, no breakdowns or issues.

“The lease agreement with Reesink allowed us to have new machines straight away, while also covering winter service, and all at a fixed cost. We were able to manage our budget and benefit from new and upgraded equipment at an important time in the College’s history.”

So, what’s next for Adam and the team? “We were at BTME to take in the new technology and product development on offer, and I was most interested in seeing lightweight three-wheel fairway mowers and greens mowers which we haven’t specifically had before. Plus, there’s been developments in engine size and I’ll be interested in seeing the effect of that on our surfaces here.”

Since then, Adam and the team have trialled the Toro Reelmaster 3555 and 3575 mowers across the School, based on which Adam concluded they are the “best bits of new kit I’ve seen in a long time and versatile enough to be multi-sports mowers”.

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Duchy College Student Joins Vincent Tractors & Plant

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Duchy College Student Joins Vincent Tractors & Plant: A Duchy College Rosewarne student has been awarded a scholarship with Fraddon based machinery dealership, Vincent Tractors & Plant.

This years’ recipient, Barnaby Hills has already started his work placement at the Cornwall and Devon Kubota franchise as part of his scholarship package as he works towards his Level 2 land-based engineering certificate at Duchy College.

Duchy College Student Joins Vincent Tractors & Plant

It is the third year in a row that Vincent Tractors & Plant have offered this scholarship to a Duchy College Rosewarne student as part of its ongoing commitment to encourage new entrants into the engineering industry.  Paul Vincent, Managing Director at Vincent Tractors & Plant recognised that there was a shortfall in engineers and provided the scholarship as a means of encouraging youngsters into the industry.

16 year old Barnaby said “I was really surprised and pleased to receive the scholarship.  It’s really interesting working on all the different machines.  The team at Vincents are great fun to work with and the staff at the college are really helpful“.

As part of the application process, candidates had to complete an application form, attend an interview and carry out work experience with the dealership.

Service Manager, Andrew Hoddinott said “Barnaby is the third recipient of the scholarship in partnership with Duchy College.  The other two recipients have both gone onto an apprenticeship within the company.  As a business we are keen to invest in the future and this scholarship is our way of encouraging new people into the industry.  We are training up local engineers to provide a good quality local service”.

Danny Sellors, Program Manager Land-Based Engineering at Duchy College, Rosewarne commented “Barnaby is settling in well to college life.  The last month he has had a lot of new experiences and is coping really well.  The health and safety unit is finished and we have moved onto engine technology, stripping down and assembling Perkins four and six cylinder Phaser Engines.  They are now learning about engine components, two and four stroke cycles, the differences between indirect and direct diesel engines, cooling and lubrication.  After half term the Level 2 students will be taking the first of three examinations, the health and safety exam”.

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New Allett C34 At Girton College

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New Allett C34 At Girton College: Steve Whiting has been Head Groundsman at Girton College, Cambridge, for nineteen of his thirty years in the industry.

Girton’s main site has the best on-site sports facilities of any of the University of Cambridge colleges with fifty-five acres of sports and formal grassed areas that cared for by Steve’s team of two Groundsmen and five Gardeners. He describes himself as having: ‘always been an Allett man’. The grass sports catered for at Girton College range from football to rugby, cricket, tennis and croquet, as well as hard courts for basketball, netball and tennis. The College has recently purchased a new Allett C34 Cylinder mower from the professional mower range, to add to their ‘Allett fleet’ which includes two RM34’s, a Tournament 20 and two ‘vintage’ Regals.

“I’ve done many, many miles on an Allett,” says Steve, “and purchasing the C34 was an easy choice to make. You know with an Allett they will never let you down. I have never had one breakdown in all these years. They are easy to use, reliable, professional, and we have a great relationship with Allett.”

New Allett C34 At Girton College

The Allett C34 mower features the ‘Quick Cartridge’ cylinder, with interchangeable cartridge heads for a variety of turf maintenance tasks. There is the choice of six or eight blade cylinder and the machine can swiftly convert to a turf rake, powered scarifier, verticutter, brush and sorrel roller. Power comes from the Honda GX200 engine, the working width being 86.4cm/34” and the handlebars are adjustable with anti-vibration mountings. The cut height is adjustable between 8mm/0.32” and 55mm/2.17”

“We use the C34 on all the grass pitches, football, cricket, and formal lawns. The finish is brilliant and the turf rake is great for cleaning up.” Steve adds, “it’s exactly what we want, all in one mower.”

New Allett C34 At Girton College

Sport plays an important part in the life at Girton. The College fields men’s and women’s teams in football, rugby, hockey, cricket and tennis and the facilities are also hired out so it’s especially important to maintain these to the highest standards. Steve Whiting and his Alletts are ensuring that remains the case.

Allett Mowers 01889 271503

For more information, visit: www.allett.co.uk

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Bright Future Ahead After SALTEX College Cup

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Bright Future Ahead After SALTEX College Cup: The SALTEX College Cup returned to the NEC once again at this year’s event and highlighted just how well young grounds staff are academically prepared for careers in the industry.

The SALTEX College Cup, sponsored by Ransomes, is a national student-led sports-turf challenge. It is an academic test of turf management knowledge for student competitors who are enrolled at colleges throughout the UK on relevant courses of study.

Bright Future Ahead After SALTEX College Cup

Askham Bryan College, Bridgwater & Taunton College, Myerscough College and, last year’s winners, the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Greenmount Campus competed for a chance to have its name engraved on the trophy in support of their respective turf programmes.

In teams of four, the colleges embarked on the two-hour competition consisting of paper-based multiple choice and short answer questions on turf management, plus a case study which required a more in-depth written answer. The students were also presented with live test samples in which they had to identify potential threats to the health of turf.

CAFRE, from Northern Ireland, claimed the top prize for the second year running although Askham Bryan were only one point behind in what was a closely fought competition between all of the colleges. CAFRE was awarded the trophy, a £500 cheque for the college’s turf department, and each student received a £50 Amazon voucher. The team was also presented with a prize that money can’t buy – the chance to get involved with pitch preparation at the 6 Nations, Scotland vs England, at BT Murrayfield Stadium.

Results were announced on the first day of SALTEX and CAFRE’s senior tutor, Paul Campbell, revealed his delight at picking up the trophy for a second successive year.

“A combination of excitement and disbelief ensued among the squad as they emulated the achievement of 2016 – particularly for team captain and rugby fan Michael Dundee as he realised he was on his way to BT Murrayfield – and he didn’t need a ticket!

Paul continued: “CAFRE staff and students fully support the concept of the SALTEX College Cup – it provides a forum for showcasing and acknowledging the skills of young people making a career in the industry and allows college staff to benchmark how their programmes are performing against other specialist colleges in the UK. The excellent organisation of the event, the generous sponsorship and the once-in-a-lifetime experience afforded to the winners will mean healthy competition for next year`s team and guarantees CAFRE will return to defend the title in 2018.”

Commenting on the sponsorship of the 2017 SALTEX College Cup, Ransomes senior director Alan Prickett said: “The SALTEX College Cup was another success this year, and we were delighted to have sponsored it for the second year running. Ransomes has a commitment to educating the next generation of groundscare professionals, and we aim to support this in a variety of different ways, including sponsoring the SALTEX College Cup competition. CAFRE, based in Northern Ireland were deserved winners again this year.

Congratulations to CAFRE and we look forward to seeing if the college can retain its title for a third time next year!”

For more information visit www.iogsaltex.com

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College Reports Excellent Results From ICL

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College Reports Excellent Results From ICL: Radley College in Abingdon, Oxfordshire has reported excellent results from ICL, with Grounds Manager Adam King saying the ProTurf and Vitalnova Stressbuster have helped him improve the health and presentation of the school’s range of sports pitches.

Adam has been at Radley for 17 years, and is responsible for the maintenance of the huge 800 acre site which includes a tenanted farm and a 9-hole golf course as well as the numerous natural and synthetic pitches. Sports played at the College include rugby in the Michaelmas Term, hockey, rowing and football in the Lent Term and cricket, rowing, lawn tennis and athletics in the Summer Term.

College Reports Excellent Results From ICL

“We have 694 boys at Radley and sport is a major part of their life,” says Adam. “The campus is incredibly busy and the pitches are in use all-year round. We host 26 rugby teams, 16 football teams, 22 hockey teams and 24 cricket teams each year.”

Adam has a large team to help him with the mammoth work required to keep the facilities to the impeccable standards expected by Radley College. There is a total of 18 grounds staff including Adam, which consists of eight groundsmen, two greenkeepers and seven gardeners.

The team has strict maintenance procedures in place and, according to Adam, ICL products play an integral role.

“I have a long history with ICL and I have always found the products to provide consistent results.

“What I like about ICL is that, as a company, they are always looking ahead, always developing new products and adding to the stable of quality products. For what we need to do and what we need to achieve at Radley, no matter what the time of year – whether it is relieving turf stress or making grass grow, whatever you need ICL has, and you know that the products perform as you would expect.”

Adam applies ProTurf 15-5-15+2CaO+2MgO in readiness for a busy period of winter sports in which the potassium element can help pre-condition the turf for intensive play and the inevitable harsh weather.

“ProTurf is applied in early August so the grass surfaces are actively growing for the start of the season. The one thing we work on really hard here is recovery – for as long as we can. As long as the soil temperatures are there and the moisture levels are there, we want the grass to keep growing because we have 14 weeks of rugby followed by 12 weeks of football. We all know that by the time we get to January or February the recovery rates are minimal so if we can keep it growing up until Christmas then we will and this is where ProTurf really helps.”

College Reports Excellent Results From ICL

ProTurf contains a combination of Poly-S controlled-release fertilizer technology, readily available urea Nitrogen, and Polyhalite, a naturally occurring mineral sourced from ICL’s Cleveland Potash mine.

The Poly-S technology gives consistent, regular growth over a 2-3 month period without growth peaks while the uncoated Nitrogen portion provides an immediate turf response, even in cooler conditions. Polyhalite contains four macro-nutrients – Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium and Sulphur. Potassium is required for the process of energy transfer, especially photosynthesis and the breakdown of carbohydrates.

“We base feed with ProTurf,” Adam continues, “and then top up with liquid irons and Sportsmaster WSF SeaMax (a soluble seaweed concentrate) along with Vitalnova Stressbuster – which is a product I would use absolutely everywhere if I could.”

Vitalnova Stressbuster is a unique liquid formulation which pre-conditions turf against stress and helps generate a quick recovery. Featuring iron which provides an instant colour, Stressbuster also contains a unique combination of macro and micro nutrients, wetting agents, bio-stimulants and amino acids.

“Stressbuster is a lovely cocktail of everything you require which gives you a superb result. It contains iron, bio-stimulants, a little bit of sugar, some nitrogen – all of which encourage recovery. Colour-wise I would say we get about 21 days out of it and you get an instant colour-up overnight which is perfect when we apply before a game. It can also be complimented with some Primo Maxx II growth regulator.

“Ultimately Stressbuster is helping us to produce a tightly knit sward that keeps its colour and sends as many roots down as possible. That’s what it is all about in winter sports – with rugby and football it is all about traction so it is important that you have the right products in place.”

It’s not just the products that Adam and his team get great results from: “Emma Kilby (ICLTechnical Area Sales Manager), who I’ve known for many years, is an invaluable person to talk to ensuring that we have the best possible nutritional programme in place,” says Adam.

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

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