Tag Archive for: Don’t

Don’t miss your chance to be at SAGE

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Don’t miss your chance to be at SAGE: SAGE will be held at Three Counties Showground, Malvern on the 19th and 20th of July 2023. Filled with live outdoor demos of the latest machinery, leading industry exhibitors, expert-led summits, live music, entertainment, food vendors, and a bar, SAGE should be top of your list of expos to visit this summer!

Not only that but the UK Loggers National Championship will be taking place over the two days of the expo – a fierce test of precision and skill determining an overall precision chainsaw champion.

Don’t miss your chance to be at SAGE

Don’t miss your chance to be at SAGE

Those wanting to attend can now pick up a ticket, which can be reserved at sportsandgrounds.events.

Here’s what you can expect:

Try before you buy

Visiting SAGE is more than just another exhibition; it’s a hands-on, interactive experience with zero limitations. Known for having the largest outdoor demonstration space, SAGE offers industry-leading brands unlimited space to demo their equipment, no matter the size! Now you can test-drive the newest ride-on lawn mower or put that woodchipper you’ve had your eye on to the test!

With brands such as Toro, EGO, Trimax, and many more, all confirming their place at SAGE 2023, the latest equipment in the sports and grounds industry will all be in one place, as well as our official sponsors Weibang UK.

Sustainability

This year, SAGE 2023 is bringing sustainability to the forefront and leading the way in making exhibitions greener. In line with green practices outlined by official green partner GRASS, SAGE is making several sustainable changes to the expo. Throughout the event, you’ll notice a huge emphasis on how the event is trying to run sustainably. All packaging used by on-site caterers will be fully compostable. At the sponsored bar, beer barrels will be replacing beer bottles, and hired glasses will be used at the networking event to reduce single-use plastic.

In partnership with its partners Bio-Circle & GRASS, SAGE has built a jam-packed agenda to challenge how sustainable solutions are accessed in the industry. GRASS members will be on hand to advise on tailor-made sustainable practices for businesses alongside leading experts for Green business across other industries as well, collaborating to help the united mission to hit net zero by 2050.

Learning hub

Join SAGE as they re-design the layout of learning at trade shows, providing visitors with immersive workshops and hands-on experiences led by experts.

New to SAGE 2023 is the education hub, where you can attend informative conferences, make new contacts at networking events, and exchange expertise on future-proofing your business.

Something for everyone

Whether you work for the council, within education institutions, in landscaping, construction, or anywhere with a passion for sports or grounds maintenance, SAGE will have something for you.

Come along to discover, demo, and network at SAGE 2023.

For more information on attending SAGE 2023, visit https://sportsandgrounds.events/

You can also stay up to date with the latest news on Instagram @exposage2023

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Lawn care in June? Don’t sweat it!

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Lawn care in June? Don’t sweat it!: …or should we be saying don’t water it?

With the cost of living at an all time high and our summers getting hotter and hotter, those who love their lawns could be in for a nail biting ride as they see their beautiful sea of green go a rusty looking brown!

Lawn care in June? Don't sweat it!

Lawn care in June? Don’t sweat it!

But is it really necessary to water our gardens? If so how much and when? The Lawn Association team aim to put your mind at rest and discuss once and for all the ins and outs of your grass and it’s watering needs.

A statement which is undoubtedly true is that grass is one of the most resilient plants on the planet, it has been designed by that toughest of mother’s, nature, to survive much more than our UK hot summers throw at us.

Watering
Prolonged periods of hot weather may not leave your lawn looking pretty, but it WILL survive in the long run. The counter the effects of watering in a really hot summer, are that it would be expensive and in actual fact it would be healthier for you and the planet if you just leave nature to do it’s work. Eventually the natural rains will come along and bring the soil levels back normal.
If you must water your lawn, apply the water, to ensure the plant gets the best use out of it, in the evening (after 8pm), then the grass has all night to use the water more efficiently.

All this being said, there are some tips to allow you to work WITH nature to get your lawn back to a healthy green fast… and your soil will need help!

Soil
The soil is the real issue here, not the grass. Soil shrinks under very hot conditions and the air is sucked out. This is why aeration is so important. Once the summer heat has passed and you are looking for autumn jobs to do, use a hollow-tine aerating fork or machine (NOT a garden fork) to give your lawn exactly what it needs. These aeration products remove cores of soil without further compressing what’s left, and this creates those essential small channels for improved root development, water percolation and nutrition longevity.

The principles of good, sustainable modern lawn care, are those working with, not against nature. By doing this you will achieve the lawn that is perfect for you

Our core mission at the Lawn Association is to make accurate lawn care information readily available via our website and through our Free Membership Scheme for gardening enthusiasts. Go to the @LawnAssociation Facebook page to join the Lawn Enthusiasts Group, and get free association membership via the website, www.lawnassociation.org.uk

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Don’t slow your mower down

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Don’t slow your mower down: If there’s one season above all that your Toro mower can’t afford to be anything other than performing at its optimum, it’s summer. But with different Toro rotary blade designs for different times of year, which one ensures the ultimate productivity for the busiest season?

Just like your Toro mower is no ordinary machine, Toro blades are not ordinary blades. Toro not only makes precisely engineered blades to fit the cutting deck perfectly, but carefully crafts a blade type to better serve seasonal turf needs.

Don't slow your mower down

Don’t slow your mower down

All Toro blades have sharpened cutting edges at both ends and a sail area that’s curved up to create airflow. Depending on the purpose of your mower and the design of the cutting deck, the blade sail will adjust to create more powerful airflows. These varying airflows will whip the grass blades upright to expose them to the cutting edge of the blade for a clean cut, then send the cut grass neatly out the discharge.

And moving into summer, the ‘low Sail’ (flat) blade is a good choice, working well in drier and dusty conditions and leaving a good quality of cut when used regularly.

Michael Hampton, purchasing and sales process manager at Reesink Turfcare, explains: “There are different blades available for different tasks beyond the ‘standard’ blades that the machine comes equipped with and each type of rotary blade is different for the specific cut required based on the time of year.

“The hard graft from the spring season means now’s the time to replace the blades before heading into the busiest time of the year. The no/low sail blades are a good choice because they have reduced discharge velocity of clippings and lower power consumption too.”

When it comes to rotary blades, if there’s a moral to its story then it’s is to never underestimate their importance. So, when swapping out blades, don’t use non-genuine parts in your Toro mower, they can cause delays with unexpected wear and breakages. Toro’s superior designed blades are designed to fit perfectly, making for a better cut, which produces healthier grass for an improved after-cut appearance.

Michael concludes: “A blade is not just a blade; they do different things for different applications. Whether the grass is long, short, coarse or fine, Toro blades work better, harder and longer. And Toro blades are engineered to perfection and fit perfectly.”

As always, parts are delivered within 24 hours of ordering, where stock is available. Contact Reesink at info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or call their Turfcare Parts team on 01480 226854.

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BIGGA postpones BTME to March 2022

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BIGGA postpones BTME to March 2022: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has made the decision to postpone its major exhibition and trade show, the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME), which was due to take place in January 2022.

Taking into consideration the uncertainty regarding the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the National Board of Management of the association convened on the evening of Thursday 16 December and made the unanimous decision to delay the exhibition and associated education programme, Continue to Learn, which are held at the Harrogate Convention Centre in North Yorkshire.

The new dates for BTME 2022 will be Tuesday 22 to Thursday 24 March 2022, with Continue to Learn taking place from Sunday 20 to Wednesday 23 March 2022.

BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton will take to Facebook Live at 2pm on Friday 17 December to provide further clarification regarding the decision and to answer any questions relating to the postponement. Head to the BIGGA Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/golfgreenkeepers to get involved.

Jim said: “The uncertainty regarding the Omicron wave of coronavirus has led us to engage in consultation with key stakeholders and consider contingency courses of action for our flagship event, BTME. We know all sides of the industry are keen for the show to take place and after due consideration of all options the BIGGA National Board of Management, working closely with BIGGA’s team of staff, has taken the decision to postpone BTME until March 2022.

“It is heartening to see the success of the booster vaccination programme, but we are committed to running a safe show for all attendees and with all the information available to us, we do not believe this would be possible in January 2022.

“This decision has not been taken lightly and has involved an incredible amount of logistical organisation to make a postponement possible. I am grateful to all of the key stakeholders that make BTME possible for their rapid responses to our decision, which has enabled us to confirm the postponement as early as today.

“Our thanks go to those who have supported BIGGA in this decision and we are excited to be hosting the full BTME and Continue to Learn experience in March 2022.”

Attendees who have signed up for the show will automatically be registered for the new dates. Continue to Learn bookings will also be carried over and BIGGA will be in contact with everyone who has booked a place on the education programme in the coming days to discuss arrangements further.

BIGGA acknowledges that this postponement will present challenges to many exhibitors and visitors to BTME and the team is committed to assisting all those who need support to transfer their commitments.

The BIGGA National Board of Management is the elected body of BIGGA members from across the country whose voluntary role is to provide strategic direction and ratify key decisions on behalf of the association. They are supported by a network of volunteers at all levels of BIGGA and the core BIGGA staff team.

Anyone who requires further information or assistance as to the postponement of BTME is encouraged to contact BIGGA via the following channels:

Website: www.btme.org.uk

 

Don’t risk your investment this winter

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Don’t risk your investment this winter: One of the best things you can do for your mower this winter is to gift it the best possible replacement parts. And when it comes to a Toro mower, Toro Genuine Parts are the best there is.

It’s more than likely that two deciding factors for choosing Toro machinery are the superior quality of cut and good return on investment and to risk that by choosing cheaper, spurious parts is a false economy, according to Reesink Turfcare.

Don't risk your investment this winter

Don’t risk your investment this winter

Michael Hampton, parts manager at the company, explains: “The considerations that go into deciding which brand to get your machinery from should also influence the decision you make when it comes to which parts you choose. Things like performance, quality of cut, longevity, return on investment, all stand up for parts too.

“Choosing parts that aren’t Toro Genuine Parts, especially when it’s for a Toro mower, can wreak havoc with the machine’s performance and can even risk damaging the cutting units, costing more in the long-term.

“Taking a cylinder mower as an example, the scissor-like shearing action that gives the fine finish it is famed for requires the bedknife and cylinder blades to be sharp, matched and in close relationship with each other. The fit you get with a brand that isn’t specifically designed for the intricacies of the mower will never be exact and that’s where the problems can start. The fact is well-maintained kit with the right parts tends to be trouble-free with far less down-time.”

With cutting in the winter months going down to three times a week, now is a good time to strip back the machines and take an in-depth look at the cutting unit. Keeping on top of general maintenance of tines, filters and belts, ensures machines are in the best possible condition for the hard ground conditions of winter and going into the demands of spring. It can be tempting to cut corners when it comes to servicing and that can be expensive.

For those clubs without a workshop manager or team with the know-how or time to take this sort of job on, Reesink’s dealers and service centres, which are located across the country, can step in. The benefits of a genuine service include second-to-none local support, comprehensive stock reserve, 24-hour delivery service and trans-Atlantic freight service. This represents the kind of reassurance Reesink wants to give turfcare professionals: minimum downtime, maximum productivity and more customer service.

Winter machinery maintenance is a key part of the greenkeeping calendar and the quality of the replacement parts are vital to the machine’s performance in the toughest season of the year. Toro Genuine Parts guarantee the highest possible standards and the best possible backup so, when it comes to which parts to pick, choose the best: choose Toro Genuine Parts.

To stock up on Toro parts or for winter machinery maintenance advice, customers can get in touch with their local Toro Genuine Parts dealer or service centre or contact Reesink via reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Don’t lockdown your turf management

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Don’t lockdown your turf management: While golf courses are facing unprecedented times, greenkeepers are being urged to keep on top of maintenance to ensure courses are in good condition for when golfers return.

Colin Mumford, technical manager at Bayer, says that seasonal conditions, such as plummeting temperatures and excess rainfall, combined with the challenges posed by Covid19, have affected many courses.

Don’t lockdown your turf management

Don’t lockdown your turf management

“Previous lockdowns prevented planned work from going ahead, and once the courses were open, golfers returned in their masses making the management and maintenance of courses very challenging,” says Colin.

He adds that the cold and wet conditions we’ve experienced this winter could also contribute to long-term turf damage. “Despite being in another lockdown, it’s vital that greenkeepers do all they can to start the year with ‘stress free’ turf, as a healthy course will be less susceptible to weeds, pests and diseases,” says Colin.

Unlike previous lockdowns, at the moment, greenkeepers can undertake maintenance work, which should allow them to catch up from last year, weather permitting.

“Preventative disease methods should be undertaken now to reduce the risk of disease appearing later in the year,” says Colin.

“Keeping surfaces dry by switching or brushing dew off the playing surface should be done daily to help reduce disease outbreaks and ensure a cleaner cut when mowing. And if plant health is a concern, the height of cut (HOC) can be raised slightly, but be mindful that courses may open at short notice, and may require a rapid return to the original HOC which isn’t ideal,” says Colin.

“If it isn’t too wet, aeration or verti-draining can help remove below ground compaction allowing water to move more effectively through the rootzone, preventing waterlogging and surface damage to the course.

“Another job that can be done, is cutting back overgrown trees on the course to minimise shaded, damp environments in these areas,” he adds.

Colin warns that golf courses have been one of the first venues to open following a lockdown and therefore temporary courses may need preparing if the weather is still poor. “Letting players onto frozen courses that are beginning to thaw can result in roots breaking due to surface movement, leading to long-term course damage.

“It’s also worth considering re-routing player traffic flow around the key areas of the course and roping off any high traffic areas to avoid turf getting churned up,” adds Colin.

“Turf stress at this time of year can put the plants under pressure, leaving them more susceptible to problems later in the year, and therefore it’s important to try and keep courses as healthy as possible from the outset,” he says.

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Don’t score an own goal with your borehole

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Don’t score an own goal with your borehole: Last November Norwich City Football Club was named joint fifth in a sustainability league table of all 20 Premier League clubs. 

The table was compiled by BBC Sport, working with the United Nations-backed Sport Positive Summit, and one of the reasons for the club’s success was the fact its Carrow Road pitch is watered via a borehole and the training ground recycles the water from the pitches.

Don’t score an own goal with your borehole

The reality is that many football clubs and other sports facilities, such as golf courses and racecourses, rely on boreholes for the critical irrigation of their sports turf.

Having your own private water supply delivers guaranteed water delivery and keeps costs down, but it also comes with the need to meet certain goals, says Mike Deed, Managing Director of Geoquip Water Solutions, experts in borehole management.

“A lot of the big football clubs have several wells which provide water to their network of training pitches and main ground,” he said.

“It is absolutely essential that playing surfaces are irrigated to the best possible standard and remain in tip top condition throughout the season. If water quality or quantity is affected by borehole problems, then the impact can be wide-ranging.

“Investing in a borehole is a significant capital investment, but given the cost of mains water and the fact that a typical borehole will be expected to deliver a return on investment in less than four years, it can also be very worthwhile – providing you take good care of it.”

The trick, he says, is to make sure that an ongoing monitoring and maintenance programme is built in from day one.

“All too often, borehole owners take a ‘fit and forget’ approach in that they fit the borehole and expect it to continue delivering maximum yield without any proactive maintenance.

“In football terms, it would be like fielding your best team for every single match without addressing their physical or mental needs or considering how they might be able to keep delivering their best without any care or attention.”

Typical borehole problems are likely to include reduced yield, a change in the quality of water and/ or a drop in water pressure.

All three can be caused by contamination, such as iron-related bacteria, iron oxide, manganese oxide and calcium carbonate deposits affecting the pumps, pipes and motors.

Don’t score an own goal with your borehole

If too much iron in the water is allowed to build up, it can cause brown staining on hard and soft landscaping and infrastructure (such as buildings), another reason why boreholes need to be regularly treated.

Other problems will include the encrustation of casings and pipes, clogging of filters – preventing the free entry of groundwater, and potential damage to the borehole wall or pumping equipment.

A monitoring and telemetry programme, with the installation of bespoke panels and dashboards, enables remote data collection from each borehole, allowing the user to see issues such as draw down, water pressure, general temperature and also the temperature of the motor.

Triggers and alarm points can be added to raise alerts when faults or particular combinations of problems arise, enabling early preventive action to take place.

Downhole cameras also provide a bird’s eye view into the heart of the borehole, allowing images to be taken and, from there, essential decisions regarding maintenance can be taken before the condition of the turf is potentially impacted by poor water quality.

Geoquip works with a number of partners, including Nicholls Boreholes, which recently helped one Premiership club struggling with dwindling yields from its two existing wells.

After site visits and a consultation process, the Nicholls team recommended a BoreSaver Ultra C Pro treatment solution, which now includes a biodegradable marker to guarantee that no chemical residue is left in the water.

A special system was put in place to capture the iron for licensed disposal and the clean water was discharged through the club’s drainage system without fear of causing any blockage or contamination.

As a result, both the club and the Nicholls’ team saw an immediate increase in yield and are now considering a regular treatment plan.

Don’t Be Fooled By Voltage Claims

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Don’t Be Fooled By Voltage Claims: It is a common misconception that the higher the voltage – the better the machine; but it couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to performance. Les Malin, Managing Director of Etesia UK, who distribute Pellenc battery-powered equipment explains why this is the case.

Groundscare professionals could be forgiven for opting to choose a new battery powered machine based on the high voltage it offers – after all, most marketing strategies tend to shout the loudest when it comes to voltage. However, what often goes under the radar is that the voltage of a battery purely indicates how much potential is in a battery, but that potential is not a measure of energy.

Don’t Be Fooled By Voltage Claims

Voltage will only tell you how fast that power tool will want to operate, it doesn’t tell you how strongly it will operate and it will not tell you how long it will operate for. You can think of volts as horsepower for cordless tools. The higher the volt, the more power it can use for higher drain applications.

However, you can have all the voltage you want in a machine but with low amperage the machine would not be much use at all. Think of a small hose pipe struggling to squeeze a large amount of water through it. You would have low volume and high pressure.

Alternatively, the same could be said for a machine that has high amperage and low voltage. It would be the same as having an extremely large water pipe which only manages to trickle a few drops of water through it.

The bottom line is that it takes two to tango. For a cordless tool, you really need volts and amps to work together for higher demand applications. You will need them to both flow at a similar rate and that is exactly what you get with Pellenc technology.

Pellenc significantly leads the way when it comes to the volts/amps balancing act and boasts 43,6 volts and 35,2 amps. This combination of more power and more runtime makes Pellenc equipment the market leader.

As a result, operators using Pellenc equipment have leverage over their competitors. They will have the latest generation and top performing technology meaning that their tools will run with more power for a longer period of time.

Furthermore, they can start earlier, work later, and work closer to schools and hospitals due to the reduced noise. Contractors using Pellenc battery-powered equipment can also promote the fact that they are using market leading technology and are cutting down on noise pollution and emissions, and, as a result, position their businesses as environmentally friendly, and, in turn, charge more for their services.

Pellenc products are exclusively distributed in the UK by Etesia UK.

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.pellencuk.com

You can also follow Pellenc on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @PellencUK for much more news, reviews and insightful views.

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HAIX & GORE: Don’t Catch A Cold

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HAIX & GORE: Don’t Catch A Cold: After a glorious summer, winter is rapidly approaching. When it comes to pitch care and landscaping maintenance, footwear must keep up with the high pressures of the job, whatever the weather. Groundsmen and landscaping professionals need top-quality gear and foot protection that will help them to get the job done and get it done right. HAIX, specialists in functional and safety footwear, offers the Black Eagle Safety 50 Mid boot, which contains GORE-TEX Extended Comfort Technology to provide feet with the comfort and protection needed.

Tried, tested and trusted to perform, the Black Eagle Safety 50 range, with low and high versions also available, is flexible and lightweight. The boots are equipped with an extra-light toe cap complying with safety S3 requirements (EN ISO 20345:2011). Efficient against slippery surfaces, the Black Eagle Safety 50 range offers maximum protection against liquids used by turf care professionals such as pesticides, fertilizers, wetting agents and biostimulants, and is puncture resistance against shards of glass, nails, screws or similar objects that can be found on the ground.

HAIX & GORE: Don’t Catch A Cold

Engineered with GORE-TEX Extended Comfort Technology consisting of a 3-layer laminate, made up of a special inner lining, the boots offer incredible waterproof durability and breathability on and off the pitch. Using high-quality, water-repellent, bull leather, the Black Eagle Safety range is the ideal footwear for colder weathers as the sole provides outstanding insulation. Special pigments contained in the leather also prevent excessive sweating in warm weather by reflecting the rays of sun to avoid any overheating.

HAIX has a worldwide reputation of being a “safe brand”. Technical experts scientifically test shoes and safety features in a laboratory ensuring standards are exceeded and top quality functional footwear produced.

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Don’t Get Held Hosta(ge) By Slugs

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Don’t Get Held Hosta(ge) By Slugs: Hostas are loved by many gardeners, as they have the most amazing foliage that can offer both dense ground cover and interesting structure to pots. They are resilient and easy to grow, thriving especially well in light to medium shade. They also often have beautiful fragrant flowers, making them a real asset to any garden.  

Growing hostas is easy, as they do not require much fussing, and will grow on any fertile, moisture-retentive garden soil. A bit of organic matter can be added to soil where there is not much shade and the earth is dry, but once they have fully established, after around five years, they will need little to no interference from the gardener.

Don’t Get Held Hosta(ge) By Slugs

The main problem, as any gardener will agree, when it comes to hostas, is the fact that slugs adore them. They can be entirely decimated early on in the season if preventative measures are not taken.

A great, and easy, way to make sure that your hostas are protected, is by watering on nematodes. As nematodes are able to travel through the soil, to where the newly hatched and young slugs dwell, they are able to attack them before they are even in sight, unlike slug pellets. A regular regime of using Nemaslug every six weeks is the most effective way to keep slugs at bay throughout the growing season, and will help to ensure that your hostas survive another year!

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