Tag Archive for: DLF

Catch up with DLF at SALTEX

/in , /by

Catch up with DLF at SALTEX: Turf professionals from across the sports and landscaping sectors can look forward to a refresher on ‘all things seed’ with a stop by the DLF stand at SALTEX 2021.

Returning this November to stand J052, the DLF Technical Team will be on hand to discuss their vast portfolio of specialist mixtures from both the Johnsons Sports Seed and Masterline ranges, along with the latest developments in their research and breeding programmes.

Catch up with DLF at SALTEX

Catch up with DLF at SALTEX

For sports turf, 2021 saw the introduction of a number of new formulations and cultivars into the Johnson’s range, most notably Tetragame – from the DLF 4Turf® Tetraploid Perennial Ryegrass stable. With sustainability an increasingly key consideration for turf managers, Tetragame delivers significantly improved disease resistance and sward recovery along with strong germination and establishment at temperatures as low as 4oc. Tetragame features in Johnsons J Outfield, together with J 4Turf and J 4Turf 100 – delivering the strength and durability demanded for winter sport and equestrian use.

With mixtures created for both professional sports and landscaping, the Masterline range continues to offer unrivalled choice to managers of amenity surfaces. The Masterline range incorporates high performance cultivars for reliable results and exceptional value. With a focus on sustainability, PM82 Microclover Sport incorporates unique Microclover to provide enhanced growth and wear tolerance with significantly reduced herbicide, fungicide and fertiliser requirements making PM82 an ideal choice for local authorities and school pitches.

The DLF team will be available across the two days to discuss both the seeds and the science as, behind the scenes, work is ongoing across their worldwide breeding network – particularly in the area of disease resistance. Changing management models of maintenance and plant nutrition combined with shifts in weather patterns are largely believed to be the triggers for an increase in the occurrence of some less commonly seen turf diseases affecting winter sports venues – namely Brown Patch and Grey Leaf Spot. With screening programmes complete and in-field testing not too far away, developments are on the way to ensure that what goes into the bag continues to be at the high standards that the industry demands.

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.

DLF Seeds announces facilities investment

/in , /by

DLF Seeds announces facilities investment: DLF Seeds, the worlds-leading grass seed breeder is to invest £3.5M in new state-of-the-art mixing and distribution facilities at its main seed processing site at Inkberrow in Worcestershire.

This comes on the back of a £3M investment at its Scottish site at Broxburn, near Edinburgh in 2015, which automated and revolutionised the handling of forage grass and clover mixtures into the agricultural market.

DLF Seeds announces facilities investment

DLF Seeds announces facilities investment

“This investment will transform our current production facilities and bring much needed additional capacity and efficiency to cope with the future market demands in the amenity, consumer, environmental stewardship, cover crop and wildflower markets,” says Tim Kerridge, Managing Director for DLF Seeds.

“We have already seen increased demand for our products, especially for environmental stewardship, cover crops and wildflowers, in response to the UK government’s focus on habitat creation and carbon capture. In the amenity and consumer sector we have also experienced sustained growth and continue to see opportunities in these markets, as the economy recovers from Covid and embraces the sustainability agenda.”

The investment encompasses a new fully automated mixing plant for amenity and consumer products, whilst freeing up existing mixing capacity to triple the throughput of environmental stewardship, cover crops and wildflowers.

“This is a very exciting time for our industry where we must invest to ensure our customers can continue to receive the highest levels of service and the quickest delivery times for their orders,” Mr Kerridge continues. “Covid and Brexit have presented many challenges over the past two years, but this investment will ensure we are well placed to serve our customers in the decades to come.”

Work, which has already started, is expected to be completed by spring 2023.

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.

Extended collections from DLF

/in , /by

Extended collections from DLF: To meet the increasing demand for conservation mixtures and environmental areas within both sports venues and amenity land, DLF have expanded their range of wildflower mixtures.

The Pro Flora collection, each designed to recreate a particular habitat or suit specific site and soil conditions, now contains 14 UK native mixtures thanks to the addition of Pro Flora 13 and Pro Flora 14 for 2020. The non-native Colour Boost wildflower range has also been extended, from three mixtures to six.

Extended collections from DLF

Extended collections from DLF

As demand for improved biodiversity on all major landscape projects grows, Pro Flora 13 species-rich lawn and landscape mixture has been developed to contain 20% native origin wildflowers with 80% fine-leaved, low-growing grasses. This mixture massively increases the species count and diversity per m2 compared to a standard lawn mix. In addition, the flexibility of maintenance makes it suitable for more intensively managed areas, as well as conventionally managed grasslands that receive just one or two cuts a year. The greater amount of time between cuts sees a greater number of species flower, providing additional benefits to pollenating insects.

Also new for 2020, Pro Flora 14 – tall herb and tussock mix – uses species with varying heights and structures to create habitat for a wider range of insects, small mammals, amphibians and reptiles. Tall herb grassland provides a vital pollen and nectar source late into the year to sustain invertebrates, in turn providing a food source for birds and predators higher up the food chain. These taller growing species can help to visually blend more traditional parkland/meadow mixtures with woodland and natural scrub and should be maintained in sections, to retain the essential habitat that has been created.

DLF have also added three new mixtures to the popular Colour Boost range. Originally introduced in 2018, the collection is specifically designed for maximum floral impact, incorporating cultivated flowering species to deliver a colourful long-lasting display. The collection provides an essential food source and habitat for many species of animals and invertebrates, especially pollenating insects.

With a focus on a specific colour palette, Colour Boost 4 provides a warm mix of flowers from pale pinks through to deep reds, flowering from late spring through to late autumn. Over the same flowering period, Colour Boost 5 delivers yellows in every shade, including California Poppy and Tickseed. Finally, Colour Boost 6 is a true ‘chameleon’ – a diverse mixture of over 40 species and sub-species that changes in colour throughout the growing season.

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.

DLF announce SALTEX winner

/in , , /by

DLF announce SALTEX winner: Paul Humphreys at Concord College, Shrewsbury and Taunton Schools’ Mark Jolliffe have been announced as the winners of the DLF/Johnsons Sports Seed ForthRoots Competition at SALTEX 2019.

Having successfully answered three questions on DLF’s 4Turf Tetraploid ryegrasses, they were rewarded with new innovative tools for effective on-the spot overseeding worth over £600.

DLF announce SALTEX winner

Pictured receiving their prizes from their respective DLF Regional Technical Managers, John Hughes and Ian Barnett, Paul takes home the ForthRoots MultiTool and Mark the ForthRoots Ryeseeder. Designed to fit perfectly into the scars and space left following matches or training, the interchangeable tine options on the RyeSeeder and MultiTool help to create the perfect seed bed for quick recovery.

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.

DLF Seeds for Exeter Chiefs

/in , , /by

DLF Seeds for Exeter Chiefs: A change in career is a daunting prospect, but it can often be made easier with training and support from new industry peers.

For Max Sandford, a joiner by trade, he is swiftly learning ‘all things turf’ after taking over as Head Groundsman at Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club 18 months ago. One of those trusted contacts is Ian Barnett of DLF Seeds who has supported Max with the Johnsons J Premier Pitch, in use across the club’s stadium and training facilities.

DLF Seeds for Exeter Chiefs

“The world of grass seed was very new to me” Max explains, when he accepted the top job in early 2018. “Ian, our regional DLF Technical Manager, together with my local distributor have spent a lot of time going back to basics, looking at cultivars and mixture qualities which has given me a much better understanding. The support has been invaluable and has certainly given me enough of an insight to see that the Johnsons mixtures are doing a fantastic job!”

A combination of J Premier Pitch and the ProNitro coated version, J Nitro Premier Pitch, have been used across the site for the last seven years. “We carry out a full renovation on both pitches each year after the final game and overseed roughly every six to eight weeks, depending on the time of year and pitch usage.”

“I am very impressed with the germination, the density of coverage and the strong colour we achieve year on year. The wear tolerance is a major factor for rugby, especially in the scrummaging areas, but the J Premier Pitch holds firm which is testament to the strength of the rooting.” On the back of Ian’s advice, Max is looking forward to trying Johnsons J 4Turf mixture for the first time this winter, to deliver deeper rooting and rapid establishment even under low soil temperatures.

Max concludes, “I enjoy reading about what other groundsmen are using and when I see Johnson’s mixtures used at leading facilities around the country, I feel confident that I’m sourcing the best products I can for the club. Ultimately, I’ve found if you ask the right people the right questions, you will get the right answers!”

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.