Tag Archive for: Helps

Attraxor helps refine greens and tame seed heads

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Attraxor helps refine greens and tame seed heads: At Crowborough Beacon Golf Club, Course Manager Luke Jenkins has been achieving exceptional results using BASF’s Attraxor®, a plant growth regulator supplied by Agrovista Amenity.

Containing the active ingredient prohexadione-calcium, Attraxor has become a key part of Luke’s turf management programme, helping him achieve smoother, more consistent greens and a better balance of grass species across the site.

Attraxor helps refine greens and tame seed heads

Attraxor helps refine greens and tame seed heads

Luke, who has been Course Manager at Crowborough Beacon for four and a half years, first came across Attraxor through conversations with Andrew Norman from Agrovista Amenity.

Intrigued by the dual promise of growth regulation and seed-head suppression – and the fact it blended well with the biologicals Luke already uses – he trialled it on the greens and was impressed almost immediately.

“Andrew kept mentioning Attraxor for both growth control and seed-head suppression, and it really ticked a lot of boxes. I started using it and instantly started seeing a difference,” Luke explains.

Seed-head suppression that improves consistency

One of the most obvious benefits for Luke has been the dramatic reduction in seed-head size and frequency – a critical improvement for green speed and consistency.

“You don’t get the big, juicy seed heads you used to get – they’re much smaller,” he says. “We don’t get the white, bobbly greens in the spring that affect roll and speed. Even in a tough seed-head year we had minimal issues compared with other courses nearby.”

Attraxor inhibits a key growth hormone, gibberellic acid, leading to consistent reductions in both shoot growth and flowering. This helps deliver a more consistent surface for golfers and reduces the variability that can make putting unpredictable.

Fast, flexible growth regulation

Attraxor activates on contact with water in the spray tank and begins to regulate growth in as little as four hours – a speed of action Luke values.

“It’s a two-in-one for me: growth regulation including seed-head suppression. I apply it every 21 days and try to get the first treatment on early – because the earlier you start, the better the results,” he says.

Luke typically applies Attraxor around 500 g/ha now and has found it provides consistent regulation across species and cutting heights. That flexibility makes it suitable for the fine turf demands at Crowborough Beacon’s greens, and he notes it keeps growth manageable even when granular feeds are applied.

Attraxor helps refine greens and tame seed heads

Attraxor helps refine greens and tame seed heads

Health, density and integrated use

Beyond seed-head suppression and reduced mowing, Attraxor contributes to improved sward density and healthier roots – outcomes that help turf resist both abiotic stresses and disease pressures.

Crucially for Luke’s programme, Attraxor mixes well with many of the biological products and foliar inputs he uses, allowing it to slot into an integrated strategy that emphasises plant health as well as growth management.

Practical, value-driven performance

For a club with limited resources and no fairway irrigation, reliable, low-rate chemistry that delivers predictable results is essential. Luke highlights Attraxor’s cost effectiveness at such small application rates.

“For the price and the quantity you use, it’s excellent value. I wouldn’t be without it now – 100%. Even if you only want seed-head suppression, it’s worth a trial.”

Luke encourages other course managers to test Attraxor on their sites, particularly where Poa seed heads and variable green speed are issues. For Crowborough Beacon, the product has become a key part of keeping greens consistent and playable while supporting the wider restoration and improvement programme Luke is leading.

“If it works on your site like it does on ours, it’ll earn a permanent place in your shed,” he concludes.

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit https://amenity.agrovista.co.uk/

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Verti-Drain® Helps Sidcup Sports Club Stay Match-Ready

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Verti-Drain® Helps Sidcup Sports Club Stay Match-Ready: With over two decades of experience in groundsmanship, Jay Berkhauer, Head Groundsperson at Sidcup Sports Club, has seen his fair share of challenging pitches. But since introducing the Redexim Verti-Drain® 7212, Jay says things are looking brighter than ever for the busy multi-sport site.

Sidcup Sports Club is home to thriving rugby, cricket, and tennis sections, with a packed calendar that leaves little downtime for renovations. “It’s constant,” explains Jay. “Rugby runs from September through to the end of April, and then cricket starts the following week. I’ve got a week between the last rugby game and the first cricket match to turn things around.”

Verti-Drain® Helps Sidcup Sports Club Stay Match-Ready

Verti-Drain® Helps Sidcup Sports Club Stay Match-Ready

That intense schedule, combined with high footfall and limited budgets, makes every decision crucial. “Every penny counts,” says Jay. “It’s members’ money, so I’ve got to make sure I’m spending it on the right things – the right kit, the right products, the right tools for the job.”

Compaction had become a major issue at Sidcup Sports Club, particularly on the rugby pitches, where play takes place almost every day of the week. “The first team pitch has drainage, but the compaction was so bad that water just sat on the surface,” Jay explains. “The second team pitch also gets a lot of usage as it’s used Monday to Sunday for training and matches – so the compaction rates were through the roof.”

With the old setup, Jay relied on monthly slitting and twice-yearly contractor visits for aeration, but it simply wasn’t enough. “Slitting once a month and bringing in contractors twice a year just wasn’t touching the sides,” he says. “So, when my boss asked what we needed next, I said straight away – I need a Verti-Drain.”

Jay opted for the Redexim Verti-Drain 7212, a compact yet powerful model ideal for lower horsepower tractors and sensitive turf areas. With a working width of 1.6 metres and a maximum depth of 10 inches (25cm), it was the perfect fit for Sidcup’s needs.

“I’ve used Redexim Verti-Drains everywhere I’ve worked,” says Jay. “They’re the best on the market, and they do what they say on the tin. The 7212 fits my tractor perfectly – it’s a quality bit of kit and works really well with what we’ve got here.”

One of the standout features for Jay is the heave action, which sets the Verti-Drain apart from other machines available. “With the Verti-Drain, the tines don’t just go straight in and out – they kick and lift slightly as they move through the soil,” he explains. “That heave action breaks up the compaction beneath the surface. It’s not just punching holes – it’s cracking the ground and waking the subsoil up.”

Owning the Verti-Drain has also given Sidcup Sports Club greater control and cost-efficiency. “Before, we were paying a lot of money twice a year just to aerate the two rugby pitches,” says Jay. “Now, we can do it whenever we want. If I’ve got time in a  morning or the conditions are right, I can get out and do it. We’re saving money, getting more flexibility, and improving the pitches at the same time.”

Even after just a few months of use, Jay says the difference is clear. “Before the Verti-Drain, every time it rained, the pitches flooded. It was a constant cycle – it just got worse and worse. Now, the water’s getting down into the drains instead of sitting on the surface, and that’s also helping us keep grass coverage through the entire season.”

And the players have noticed, too. “Some of them have come up to me saying how much better the pitches are – there’s grass on the surface rather than just mud,” says Jay. “The better the pitches are, the more people want to play here. It all feeds back into the club – if the pitches are good, games stay on, the bar stays busy, and the club keeps making money.”

For a one-person grounds team maintaining over 2.5 hectares, time is everything. “The Verti-Drain is so quick over the ground,” says Jay. “I can do the first team pitch in two and a half hours, the whole site comfortably in two days. My old kit would’ve taken all week. It’s optimising my time – I’ve got a lot to do beyond the pitches, so it’s been a game-changer.”

Looking ahead, Jay says the investment in the Redexim Verti-Drain 7212 is already paying off. “It’s helping us become more self-sufficient, save money, and keep the pitches in the best condition possible,” he concludes.

For more information, visit https://www.redexim.com/uk/

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DLF helps Bristol Golf Club create the right first impression

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DLF helps Bristol Golf Club create the right first impression: Despite a year of challenging weather, Bristol Golf Club has seen a remarkable improvement in its playing surfaces and overall visitor experience thanks to innovative seed solutions from DLF.

The team, led by Course Manager Dave Taylor, introduced Johnsons J 4Turf 50 across all 27 tees in early 2025 which has gone on to demonstrate outstanding resilience and strong performance, coping with the pressures of a busy championship course.

DLF helps Bristol Golf Club create the right first impression

DLF helps Bristol Golf Club create the right first impression

With far reaching views across the Severn Estuary into Wales, Bristol Golf Club boasts an 18-hole Championship Course, a 9-hole Par 3 and 18-bay driving range alongside a whole host of other practice facilities and corporate grounds. Seeking to deliver lasting improvements on and off the course for the last eight years is Dave Taylor who turned to DLF Regional Technical Manager Ian Barnett to tackle some particularly problematic areas prone to wear, disease and drought.

“We’re an incredibly busy site, with high levels of foot traffic on the tees which also don’t all have the benefit of full irrigation” Dave explains. “Because of this I spoke with Ian about a harder-wearing mix, that would germinate quickly and tolerate the challenges of footfall and less than ideal weather conditions.” The solution came in the form of J 4Turf 50 from the Johnsons Sports Seed range. The 50/50 blend of diploid perennial and tetraploid perennial ryegrass ensures rapid establishment even under low soil temperatures and creates a deep-rooting, disease-resistant sward.

DLF helps Bristol Golf Club create the right first impression

DLF helps Bristol Golf Club create the right first impression

“Even in the extreme weather, the results we’ve seen have been outstanding” Dave says. “It germinated quickly and, what small amount of dormant seed we had, kicked straight into action as soon as the rain returned in early September. The recovery, density and wear tolerance on all of our tees has been exceptional.” He adds, “Not only have we not had to do any additional autumn overseeding on the tees, we’ve also not seen any Dollar Spot this year which means we’ve saved time and money by not having to apply any fungicides.”

Beyond course playability, Dave has also worked with DLF to create a strong first impression for members and visitors with the introduction of a new wildflower area at the club entrance. Created with Carnival from DLF’s Colour Boost collection, the vibrant display of bright and bold annuals in the spring became quite the talking point. “Because we host weddings and corporate events alongside the golf, these visual touches make a big difference.”

The return of the rain has meant new waves of colour are now emerging, with plans in place to expand the trial to new planting areas across the course in 2026. “The flowers don’t just deliver visual impact, they help us to enhance biodiversity – creating environments to encourage and support all types of insects and wildlife.”

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Jacobsen AR 522 helps Taynuilt keep grounds match-ready

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Jacobsen AR 522 helps Taynuilt keep grounds match-ready: Taynuilt Sports Council in Argyll has bought a Jacobsen AR 522 rotary mower from Fairways GM to maintain the village’s large grass sports pitch.

As a charitable organisation, the Sports Council is committed to providing recreational facilities for the local community and the wider public through Taynuilt Sports Hub. The pitch is in use year-round for shinty, football, cricket, juvenile rugby, and hockey.

Jacobsen AR 522 helps Taynuilt keep grounds match-ready

Jacobsen AR 522 helps Taynuilt keep grounds match-ready

Ross Dunsmore, current Chair of Taynuilt Sports Council, said:

“Our previous machinery had reached the end of its life. We sought advice on the best replacement, then made successful funding applications to three sources: The Carraig Ghael Community Wind Farm Benefit Fund; The National Lottery Community Fund and Taynuilt Community Council. We’re incredibly grateful to all three for making this possible.

“We had heard good reports about Jacobsen equipment and Fairways GM.  At first, Stuart Cameron, Area Manager,  at Fairways didn’t have an AR 522 in stock. But two weeks later, he contacted us to say a unit was coming in from one of Scotland’s best known clubs, which could be refurbished and delivered with a three-month warranty.

“We took delivery in April, and it has definitely helped us produce a better pitch—we are delighted with the quality. In addition, the AR522 is better suited to the sometimes-wetter conditions we get here for cutting the pitch. The machine also deals with the excess grass on top well, leaving a good playing surface.

“On the service side, Fairways lead service engineer, Stuart Mulholland helped us resolve a small issue early on, and between the two Stuarts we’ve had exemplary support.”

The Jacobsen AR 522 is a five-gang wide-area rotary mower equipped with SureTrac™ four-wheel drive traction, weight transfer control, and TrimTek™ cutting decks, enabling it to manage uneven ground and slopes with ease as well as the flat.”

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Training Helps Professionals Deliver on National Action Plan

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Training Helps Professionals Deliver on National Action Plan: The UK National Action Plan (NAP) for the sustainable use of plant protection products calls on everyone involved in weed, pest, and disease control to adopt integrated management strategies and develop plans often referred to as IPM plans. Whilst still not a requirement, it is at the core of the NAP and the sector needs to fully understand what IPM is and how to develop and implement IPM plans.

To support this, BASIS offers a dedicated course providing practical, easy-to-access online training tailored specifically for the amenity sector. The course entitled ‘Planning Integrated Approaches in Amenity Situations’ guides users step-by-step through developing and implementing effective, environmentally responsible management plans.

Training Helps Professionals Deliver on National Action Plan

Training Helps Professionals Deliver on National Action Plan

This course is part of a set of five within the Principles of Sustainable Amenity Management series, created with input from industry experts including former Amenity Forum Chair John Moverley. The full series covers key topics such as navigating policy, enhancing biodiversity, and managing water and air quality in amenity environments.

Designed for busy professionals, the courses are interactive and self-paced, allowing learners to fit training around their work. Real-life case studies and expert insights ensure the knowledge gained can be applied immediately on site. Whether you work for a local authority, manage grounds, consult on environmental issues, or contract on site, this training is relevant and accessible, with no prior qualifications required.

Each course costs £50, or the full five-part series is available for £200 + VAT, providing great value for anyone committed to sustainable amenity management. More information and enrolment is through the link  basis-classroom.co.uk/courses/amenity.

There’s never been a better time to develop or refresh your approach to integrated weed control

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