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Home from home for Terrain Aeration

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Home from home for Terrain Aeration: The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) is an independent social change organisation working to solve UK poverty. The founder, Joseph Rowntree, of the famous York sweet manufacturing family, was a visionary Quaker businessman and social reformer.

The origins of the organisation’s financial resources lie in a major donation of shares in the original Rowntree Company he gifted in 1904. In the same year, Joseph’s son, Seebohm made available fields behind his Homestead House to children attending York Elementary Schools for outdoor activities. Today, at just under 15-acres, Homestead Park is a beautiful garden owned, managed and maintained by JRF for visitors to enjoy. There are various tree-trail walks around the park and the heavy footfall over time has led to severe compaction and waterlogging, causing the trees to suffer.

Home from home for Terrain Aeration

Home from home for Terrain Aeration

“The areas had never been aerated,” says Senior Gardener Paul Sarginson, “and we were finding the semi-mature cherry trees, around a hundred of them, as well as the mature chestnut and mature oak trees were becoming distressed. Terrain Aeration were recommended to us for their deep aeration treatment and they came to us for two half-days in October to do the work.”

Terrain Aeration’s Tree Division, headed by David Churchyard, has been formed out of the company’s work over twenty-five years of treating trees in all types of situation, from back gardens to large estates right through to Royal Parks. Trees may become stressed as a result of a number of factors such as nutrient shortages in the soil, surface compaction due to foot traffic and waterlogging where water drains off hard surface pathways.

The Terrain Aeration Terralift machines comprise a probe which reaches one metre depth, deeper than the roots of trees (other than the major tap roots which grow straight down). Breaking up the soil around the roots, and beyond, means that excess water will drain away from the roots to help stop anaerobic conditions and rotting of the root system. The probe is then used to inject dried seaweed, which helps keep the fissures open and backfilling the probe holes with aggregate provides a semi permanent aeration/ventilation shaft. Terrain Aeration aerates around the roots using two-metre spacings – on most occasions one-metre inside and one-metre outside the canopy drip line, as this is where the growing roots lie.

Decompacting around the roots and injecting air into the soil increases the percentage of uptake of oxygen into the root system. Using the Terralift’s ability to inject granular material via its seaweed carrier, forcing it upwards into the root zone of the trees, it is also possible to inject a tree feed mix containing slow release general nutrients and magnesium.

“Treatment of the main lawn areas this year was part of JRF’s management plan,” says Paul, “the Terrain Aeration lads who came were great and the plan from here is to have them back every year for a rolling programme of treatment.”

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Electric BTME from Reesink

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Electric BTME from Reesink: Reesink UK will bring its electric stars to BTME. From Toro, the ground-breaking first all-electric riding greensmower, the industry-leading electric utility vehicle and the new lithium-ion battery version of a classic pedestrian mower, as well as multiple electric carrier options from STAR EV, will all be on stand 420.

There’s no question electric is the future of the industry and Toro has consistently led the way with the development required to get this technology to market. See the Toro Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370, the break-through everyone was waiting for, bringing no emissions, less noise and easier maintenance without any compromise on the quality of cut expected from a Toro riding greensmower.

Electric BTME from Reesink

Electric BTME from Reesink

The new electric Toro Greensmaster eFlex 1021 is the lithium-ion battery-powered version of the popular flex-head walk-behind Flex1021 greensmower. All the innovation of the original with patented proven Flex technology and popular telescoping handle, but powered by clean, green energy. It will be on stand alongside the Toro Workman GTXe utility vehicle, another machine with advanced lithium-ion battery technology and was hugely influential in Toro’s journey towards battery power.

Continuing the electric theme with its extensive range of battery-powered golf buggies is STAR EV. The first time the brand has been represented at the show with its latest plug-in electric utility vehicle for the UK market, the Capella Work Machine and Capella 48-2-HCX, both are purposefully designed to help move people and equipment around quietly, safely and efficiently.

Toro irrigation will be well represented by Lynx Central Control system, famed for its easy, precise remote control access, and an extensive range of Toro sprinklers. Continuing the water theme are Concept 3 and Fractional lake and pond aerators from Otterbine and a two-wire Grower irrigation controller from SRC for simple wall-mounted control.

And there’ll also be the first chance to see one of the newly redesigned and reimagined tractors from TYM. Part of TYM’s major brand overhaul, the 37hp T395 has a new look, a Stage V compliant diesel engine and a raft of improvements for a more productive performance. It will be joined by the AgriMetal Blower attachment, which is the perfect attachment for winter debris maintenance work.

Stand 420 will be home to Toro electric machinery, Toro irrigation, Otterbine, SRC, STAR EV, TYM tractors and AgriMetal attachments – making it a must-have visit on your trip to Harrogate.

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Sustainable launch from SGL

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Sustainable launch from SGL: In the midst of the worldwide transition to a sustainable society, SGL sets a new standard for efficient pitch management. The past years their agronomy and R&D team worked closely together, to bring together over a decade of agronomical research and technological innovation, and transformed that into the biggest and most efficient mobile grow lighting system for sports grass: the LED440.

The combination of improved growth algorithms and new in-house developed LED and Infrared technology, enables SGL to guarantee grass quality and energy savings.

Sustainable launch from SGL

Sustainable launch from SGL

SGL has been working with growth algorithms since day one and with the development of this new technology, it is again the foundation. Founder Nico van Vuuren believes data and technology are inseparable when it comes to sustainability: “In order to be able to have the desired grass growth while using resources most efficiently, you need to know what the conditions are and then calculate what input, such as light, temperature and water, is required. Our agronomy team has optimized our growth algorithm and is able to exactly determine the light and temperature requirements for every individual pitch. Our new LED and Infrared technology on the LED440 enables individual control of light and temperature accordingly. This combination enables us to guarantee energy savings and grass quality.”

Developing a 440 square meter lighting system with LED and Infrared, that is both effective and sustainable, came with a lot of challenges. SGL director of R&D, Scott Bogner, explains: “For a system of this size, we had to address issues like weight and power levels, and also the challenge of how to mix infrared and LED in our signature six-arm platform, so we started from scratch.” To meet both the quality and efficiency demands, the LED fixtures and Infrared fixtures have been designed by developers in-house, based on a decade of agronomical research. Bogner: “Usually in LED fixtures, roughly 35% of the energy is converted in convection heat. Convection heat warms the air around the fixture and is not directed to the surface, which means this energy is wasted. With our new LED fixture, this heat is collected and directed to the surface if additional heat is needed. In addition, we came up with an innovative asymmetrical reflector for our new Infrared technology, to get a consistent temperature across the entire footprint. By designing new LED and Infrared fixtures specifically for our 440 square meter platform, we were able to significantly decrease the number of fixtures. This resulted in a 70% weight reduction per square meter. However, one of the biggest accomplishments, is the overall system efficiency. Being able to deliver as much light as a previous system with a 40% energy saving, is a monumental improvement.”

For the most efficient operation, the LED440 has temperature sensors built in, which constantly measure grass temperature. SGL developed a new Smart control system to make sure only the amount of Infrared is added to reach the desired temperature set by the groundsman. This enables a perfect growing environment in all climates, also in winter, and significant savings in summers and hot climates. SGL agronomist Dr. Irene Vroegop explains the importance of a good light and temperature balance: “Two of the main plant processes, photosynthesis and respiration, are driven by light and temperature. When there is a disbalance, you will get either very thick leaves that are difficult to mow and hard to play on, or weak plants that get damaged easily and are susceptible for diseases. By creating the right balance, you can grow a strong plant that is able to endure a match, which is good to play on and can recover afterwards.”

Van Vuuren and the SGL team have been working towards this moment for years: “Twenty years ago, we set the standard with the first grow lighting systems in sports stadiums. But that doesn’t mean a thing if you stop innovating. There’s always a demand for higher quality; we always have to improve. The LED440 will be the next step for top quality sports grass in a sustainable way, and I’m very proud of that.”

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New products from Makita

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New products from Makita: Leading power tool manufacturer, Makita UK has announced its new October collection, adding further cordless machines to its expanding LXT battery platform. A new 18V garden sprayer, impact wrench and inflator join the line-up of over 275 solutions within the LXT range.

DUS054Z GARDEN SPRAYER

Removing the effort required to pump, this lightweight 18V 5-litre sprayer delivers up to 0.45L/min, allowing for efficient spraying with comfortable paddle control. The telescopic spray wand with a rotatable H-shaped dual head design allows the user to quickly switch between mist and jet spraying modes depending on the task.

New products from Makita

New products from Makita

Delivering up to 8hrs runtime on a 6.0Ah battery, the clever Auto-Stop feature helps to minimise any unnecessary drain on the battery by shutting down the power when the handle isn’t engaged.

The machine has been designed with user comfort in mind and includes a shoulder harness and an ergonomically optimised tank body that sits comfortably at the user’s hip. Furthermore, the handle features a lock-on function to hold the trigger in place – ideal for larger jobs where continuous spraying is required.

DTW302Z IMPACT WRENCH

The new 18V LXT DTW302 Brushless Impact Wrench features a fresh design on its previous counterparts. Compact, with an overall length of 138mm and 3/8-inch square driving shank, the DTW302 brushless motor provides high power with a fastening torque of up to 300Nm and maximum nut busting torque of 500Nm.

Featuring a variable speed trigger, the DTW302Z provides the user with more control, with 4-stage impact selection, enabling the user to set the appropriate torque for the application at hand. For greater control and convenience, the tool also features Forward / Reverse function, with 6 modes for customised applications.

DMP181Z INFLATOR

For quick and easy inflation of automotive and machinery tyres, sporting equipment and more, the new 18V DMP181Z Inflator is powered by Makita’s LXT battery technology to deliver up to 161psi and a rapid air discharge volume of 22L/min.

The tool features a digital pressure gauge, a LED light for convenient use at night and an Auto-Stop function which automatically shuts down the tool when the desired pressure is reached. The DMP181Z also offers manual decompression functionality, allowing air to be released in case of over inflation.

Speaking on the new products, Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita UK said: “With over 275 cordless solutions within our LXT platform, we are delighted to further expand the possibilities for professionals with these new additions. Designed with purpose-built motors, innovative battery technology and enhanced communications, all our cordless tools work together to deliver reliable power, speed and run times that provide the trade with a cordless solution for every type of application.”

To see the new DUS054Z Garden Sprayer in action, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaNmRbsCCv8

To find out more about Makita and its wide range of products visit: www.makitauk.com.

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Powerful performance from GreenMech

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Powerful performance from GreenMech: A stop by the GreenMech stand at SALTEX will provide the first opportunity to see the many developments within their revolutionary EVO Series, since the woodchipper range was first showcased at the 2019 event.

Two of the most recent introductions, the EVO 165P Sub-750 and brand new 8” EVO 205D will take pride of place on stand H055 this November.

Powerful performance from GreenMech

Powerful performance from GreenMech

Introduced in direct response to industry demand for a machine with more powerful bite, torque and throughput, the proven performance delivered by the EVO 165 has seen it cement its position in the 6” chipper market. Now, the key features of the series including wide infeed chute, twin horizontal rollers, all steel bonnet and heavy-duty flywheel have been combined with the powerful, yet economic 37hp Briggs & Stratton Vanguard petrol engine with the launch of the EVO 165P Sub-750.

To meet the requirements of even more of today’s arborists and landscapers, the 165P Sub-750 has also been developed to fit within the 750kg weight bracket with a redesigned chassis providing strength and durability, and alterations to its construction and specification without detriment to overall performance.

Extending the EVO concept into the 8” market, the ‘big brother’ in the shape of the EVO 205D will also be making its show debut at this year’s SALTEX. At the heart of the 205D is a Stage V compliant 50hp Kubota diesel engine, powering a heavy-duty flywheel which promises to tackle the biggest tasks fast, with both reliability and ease.

As standard, machines across the EVO collection come with GreenMech’s Disc-Blade chipping technology, a three year, no-quibble parts and labour warranty and the unrivalled support of their nationwide dealer network. GreenMech staff will also be on hand to discuss the flexible finance options available across the entire road-tow, tracked, tractor-powered and pedestrian ranges.

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