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Etesia is the way for Hard Graft

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Etesia is the way for Hard Graft: Hard Graft Garden Services, based in East Lothian, Scotland, believe that two Etesia machines are leading the way when it comes to green space management.

Hard Graft Garden Services is very much a family affair. In 1986 the company was by launched by Neil Stuart who initially started working with his brother Ian and then later with his three sons – Sam, Fraser, and Lewis.

Etesia is the way for Hard Graft

Etesia is the way for Hard Graft

While Neil still does the ‘hard graft’ behind the scenes with garden visits and admin, the day-to-day operations are overseen by the three brothers.

“We all bring different skills to the company;” said Lewis. “My role is to concentrate on the machinery side of things because I have come from a mechanical background and therefore, I source all of the machinery we use.”

In living up to the company name, Hard Graft Garden Services have built a reputation for supporting the local community and providing an unrivalled customer service. Working on a wide range of domestic gardens, the family is renowned for taking great pride in their work, no matter what the size of the project.

“We are very selective when it comes to machinery – it has to be the best,” continued Lewis. “I like to keep abreast of all relevant industry media and I read lots of customer reviews and watch numerous product videos. I came across Etesia UK’s social media channels and the more I saw, and the more I read, I just got the impression that the machines were something special.”

After enquiring, Lewis was put in touch with Scottish based Etesia dealer – Border Chainsaw and Lawnmower Services. A demonstration was arranged, and the brothers were instantly impressed.

“Off the back of the demonstration, we ordered an Etesia Pro 53 LKX2 straight away,” Lewis said. “The dealer also told us he was getting a lot more machinery in stock which included an Etesia scarifier. I said I was interested in that and so I initially hired it for a week to see what it was like.

“Within the first couple of hours of using it, all three of us looked at one another and agreed that this was the machine for us.”

The Etesia MSC45 is a powered pedestrian scarifier for domestic and professional use on lawns and amenity areas. The machine has a working width of 45cm and comes complete with a Honda GX160 5.5hp engine ensuring that it will be suitable for applications ranging from treating the average lawn to rejuvenating estates and formal grounds – perfectly fitting the bill for Hard Graft Garden Services.

The Etesia MSC45 can be used for regular use or as part of a maintenance programme at different depth settings with the use of interchangeable reels that can be swapped without the use of any tools allowing the spring mounted tine reel to remove thatch and the scarifier unit to take out more of the bulk.

“Our customers have been blown away by what this machine can do, and you can’t get much better feedback than a customer saying how outstanding a machine is.

“We get a lot of rain and snow up here in Scotland – so when we do get a good spell you need a good quality machine to help you do the job. We have had plenty of machines in the past that have struggled and have had various mechanical issues but the MSC45 just takes everything in its stride.

“It is also one of the easiest and by far the most comfortable pedestrian scarifier I have ever used,” he continued. “The long handlebars enable you to position your body in a better position and it is a lot easier on your back. It is great for storage too because the handlebars fold over. You can just tell that every aspect of this machine has been well thought out – and the same goes for the Etesia Pro 53 LKX2.”

Robust, durable, and highly efficient, the Etesia Pro 53 LKX2 is a professional, heavy duty 3 in 1 mower offering exceptional performance on slopes. The mower is powered by a powerful Kawasaki 6.0hp commercial grade engine for strong reliable power. Other features include 5 pre-set cutting heights ranging from 25mm to 85mm, semi-agrarian rear wheels are fitted to improve traction on slopes, and specially shaped handlebars which are fitted to provide the user with maximum comfort.

“We have had several other lawnmowers over the years and the biggest problem we have around these areas, is wet grass,” said Lewis. “The majority of the mowers fail to cut or collect in these conditions but when you see the LKX2 in action it is breath-taking. It gives us the confidence knowing that we will not ever have to arrive on site and worry about not being able to cut grass. No matter the thickness, no matter the height, no matter the weather – this tackles everything you throw at it.”

“Ultimately, these Etesia machines make us more efficient,” concluded Lewis. “The equipment is the highest in class and they make our lives easier. It’s peace of mind too, you get support from the dealer, support from the manufacturer and you have the warranty too – Etesia just goes that extra mile for the customer.”

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk.

You can also follow Etesia on Twitter @EtesiaUK for much more news, reviews and insightful views.

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Toro the right decision for Olton

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Toro the right decision for Olton: Investing in your first fleet deal is a big decision, but after seeing both Toro irrigation and machinery in action, Olton Golf Club in Solihull was confident Toro was the way to go.

For the past ten years Olton Golf Club in Solihull has been slowly turning its fleet Toro red in order to improve the course and stand out against its competition. And now, with the support of the club’s committee, it was decided the time had come to make the biggest leap yet to progress the club and invest in a Toro fleet deal.

Toro the right decision for Olton

Toro the right decision for Olton

As the club’s first ever package deal it was far from a snap decision, explains course manager Mark Smith: “Moving the club from purchasing one or two new machines per year, to investing in a full five-year package deal with a mix of lease and purchase machines took a lot of time. The Toro machines we’ve been adding to the fleet throughout the years were proving themselves but the benefit that level of commitment to one brand would bring is something I’ve been bringing to the table for ten years. With the help of a forward-thinking committee, it’s finally become a reality.”

With an abundance of clubs in the local area, the committee and greenkeeping team have been working hard to improve the course in order to stand out and Toro has played a large part in that.

“Securing the package deal is our next big step in improving the course, but before that we already knew Toro was the way to go,” says Mark. “Over the years we’ve been steadily replacing machines in the fleet so we could have majority Toro equipment. Toro machines are reliable and high quality and give us the confidence that we are in safe hands. It made sense with our drive to continuously improve the course that we would continue to invest in Toro.”

And before agreeing the Toro package deal, the quality of the Toro brand had been proving itself on the irrigation side too.

Mark says: “The year before we agreed the Toro machinery deal, we decided to improve and expand on our irrigation system and added Infinity and Flex800 sprinklers across the greens, surrounds, aprons and around 50 percent of the tees. After that it was time to turn our attention to our control system.”

And with confidence in the quality of the Toro brand at a high, Mark says: “It was logical to look at the options from Toro and after a demonstration of the Lynx Central Control system by Reesink Turfcare, we were sold immediately. And so far, it’s been great. It’s incredibly easy to use, particularly the mobile app.”

Further proof of Mark and the club’s commitment to improving the course is that they are now increasing their use of Toro sprinklers further, Mark confirms: “We’re currently trying to phase them in across the rest of the tees so we have a complete Toro irrigation solution.”

With both Toro irrigation and machinery now on board to help improve the course, Mark sees bright things for the future of the club: “We really pride ourselves on presentation, and with these new Toro machines alongside Toro irrigation I foresee big improvements to the course. We’ve trialled many brands over the years, but Toro has always outperformed them all. The course here stretches 90 acres and is largely made up of undulating land which Toro deals with brilliantly. One of our new machines is the Groundsmaster 3500-D triplex rotary mower and is a perfect example of a Toro machine built to perform excellently on undulating terrain. The contour following is superb!”

Mark concludes: “We really needed a fresh start with our machinery in order to make the improvements we wanted. With this new five-year agreement, not only can we achieve this in the near future, but we can continue to upgrade our front line cutting equipment every five years, ensuring we get the latest and greatest technology to keep on improving.”

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Get ready for summer with Otterbine

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Get ready for summer with Otterbine: With the sun can come dangers for your lakes and ponds and as we know the warm weather arrived early last year with April the sunniest on record. As a result, water management specialist Otterbine is advising greenkeepers to be prepared and take action now to avoid problems and costly fixes later.

Left unattended for long periods of time water can quickly deteriorate, leaving lakes and ponds with problems such as algae, aquatic weeds and odours meaning the importance of water management can’t be underestimated.

Get ready for summer with Otterbine

Get ready for summer with Otterbine

Peter Newton, commercial and golf irrigation sales representative at Reesink explains: “It’s vital to take care of your water now so you’re not faced with a sudden onslaught of problems once the weather gets warmer. Higher levels of sunlight and heat, generated by summer sun, can lead to excess nutrients in water bodies. When combined with low oxygen levels and limited circulation, the natural ecosystem tips out of balance, which is what can cause algae, weeds, odours and sludge build up, which can even kill off aquatic life.

“Once a water body reaches this point the costs of trying to restore it increase dramatically. As well as often being more expensive to implement, reactive solutions tend to be less friendly to the environment too.”

With Otterbine aerating fountains, industrial aerators and diffused air systems and their proven high oxygen transfer rates, there’s a simple and natural solution to prevent water quality deteriorating.

“The most natural water quality management solution is to introduce aeration to eliminate stagnant water,” says Peter. “This will increase oxygen levels, and circulate oxygen rich water throughout the lake, pond or water reservoir to keep the water clean, clear and healthy.”

And with Otterbine’s comprehensive warranties ranging from three to five years on its range of products including the Giant Fountain, Fractional Series, Air Flo 3 and Fountain Glo Lights, you can rest assured that not only will your water body stay in good shape, but your fountain or aerator will be looked after too.

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Rockhampton hoping for pitch perfect summer

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Rockhampton hoping for pitch perfect summer: Groundsmen across the country are busy preparing pitches for the start of the cricket season, but Jeremy White has more work to do than most.

Read the full article from Gazette Series here

Rockhampton hoping for pitch perfect summer

Rockhampton hoping for pitch perfect summer

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Redexim range delivers versatility for overseeding

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Redexim range delivers versatility for overseeding: The provision of favourable germination and establishment conditions are essential to the success of any overseeding operation.

Seeds will differ in terms of the amount of light, moisture and temperature required which will therefore determine the time and the method in which it should be delivered. The Redexim range of overseeders encapsulate a variety of working widths, hopper capacities and delivery methods – all of which are fully adjustable to suit a variety of different seeds.

Redexim range delivers versatility for overseeding

Redexim range delivers versatility for overseeding

The Redexim Speed-Seed range delivers seed into pockets generated by a spiked sarel roller. This  creates 990 holes per m2, with the seeds swept in via a rear-mounted brush. The recently re-modelled range features a new variable seed rate calibration system – which makes ratio adjustments simple and accurate, while a new mixing bar and individual seeding elements ensure good, even distribution and less wastage. Available in four width options – ranging from 1.1m up to 2.3m – the Speed-Seed is ideal for fine turf and quick delivery across larger areas where drill lines need to be avoided.

For improved seed to soil contact, or in situations where high germination rates are the priority, disc seeders could be considered. The Overseeder 3D collection features discs spaced at 75mm which create a groove in which to accurately deposit the seed at depths of up to 30mm, before the roller seals the ground to protect the seed from the elements and/or the beaks of hungry birds. Thanks to its individually mounted coulters, the Overseeder 3D takes undulating ground easily in its stride, making it a great choice for golf – with a dedicated 3D 1575 lightweight version further suiting fine turf applications. In addition to the 1.5m working width of the 1575 model, a 1.2m and larger 2.0m width are also available.

Also in the disc seeder category, the Redexim Double Disc series contains three machines, the 1430A, 1830A and 2230A, offering working widths of 1.4m, 1.8m and 2.2m respectively. The concept of the Double Disc range is to deliver seed into the soil via two rows of discs, in slits 3cm apart and to a maximum depth of up to 20mm, to ensure maximum germination. A massive 230 litre hopper capacity completes the specification. The whole Double Disc range comes complete with 3-point linkage as standard, but a trailed wheel kit is available as an option.

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