Tag Archive for: MM

Imperative MM impresses the Imps

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Imperative MM impresses the Imps: Lincoln City FC, also known as the Imps, boasts a pitch consisting of MM60 grass seed and Head Groundsman Craig Housley could not be more impressed.

MM60 is the UK’s leading winter sports renovation mixture and can be attributed with playing a key role in many of the finest sporting venues you see today. The 100% Ryegrass formula, which is perfect for divot repair, is renowned for its extremely fast germination and its high wear tolerance. It produces fantastic aesthetic qualities, and its high disease resistance provides ultimate protection.

Imperative MM impresses the Imps

Imperative MM impresses the Imps

Craig, currently in his second season as the Head Groundsman at Lincoln City FC, is no stranger to the market leading grass seed. “I knew just how good the seed was because I had used it in my previous role at Scunthorpe Untied FC. I would highly recommend it and will carry on using it in the future,” he said.

The decision to apply MM60 at Lincoln City FC’s LNER Stadium coincided with the construction of a brand new Fibresand pitch which took place at the end of the 2020/21 season. In fact, the process began the very next day after the Imps’ last game of the season.

A month later and MM60 was ready to be used. Craig applied the seed in four passes at a rate of 35g per square metre. This, in theory, would have provided enough time for the pitch to be completely ready in time for the first game of the season, but based on Craig’s experience of using MM60, he knew that this would never be in doubt.

“I’ve never known grass to come through so quickly which I believe is due to the HEADSTART® GOLD treatment,” he said.

As Craig says, MM60 is treated with HEADSTART® GOLD, which has been developed using the latest scientific findings and field experience. It is a natural revolutionary grass seed treatment that ensures rapid germination and is perfect for enhancing performance on sports fields, golf courses, lawns and amenity turf.

Imperative MM impresses the Imps

Imperative MM impresses the Imps

“There are so many benefits from using MM60,” continued Craig. “The colour you get from it is really good, as is the recovery, and the speed of germination is fantastic. I’ve never had any issues and it keeps the pitch free from disease.

“It’s a hard-wearing seed and we have managed to maintain really good grass coverage. Football is a difficult sport to maintain grass, especially now with the rigorous warm-ups before a game; even the cool-downs are like full training sessions. We don’t struggle for grass coverage anywhere on the pitch, even in the tight areas, and I believe that is down to the MM60.”

For further information, please contact MM Sports Seed on 01386 791102 or visit the company’s new website www.mm-seeds.co.uk. You can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed

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MM seed making waves

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MM seed making waves: Newquay Golf Club is reaping the rewards from using three mixtures belonging to the market-leading MM grass seed portfolio.

Newquay may well be known more for its surfing and sandy beaches, but it also boasts a truly superb golf course. Located in the heart of the town, the picturesque 18-hole Newquay Golf Club is a challenging yet rewarding links course.

MM seed making waves

MM seed making waves

Dan Kendle, who has been a greenkeeper for the entirety of his career, moved to the Southwest seven years ago to take on the head greenkeeper role at Newquay Golf Club. It was his first managerial position in golf, and with a thriving membership and renowned for having some of the best greens in the county, it’s safe to say that Dan has made his mark.

His attention to detail and his insistence on using only the best products certainly has helped Dan to maximise results.

“I’ve never insisted on using one particular brand or manufacturer,” he said. “The most important thing is to use the products that work best on the course.”

Dan understands the importance of having a grass seed he can rely on and for the past two years he has been impressed with a range of MM grass seed mixtures.

“David Bevan from Agrovista Amenity recommended the MM brand to me, and I’m glad he did,” said Dan. “I started by using MM13 on fairways and tees, and a little bit of MM50 on some high-wear areas, such as walkways. They have performed really well. It is a small compact course, so the tees and walkways tend to get a lot of wear, and these mixtures have given us a lot more wear tolerance.”

As Dan says, MM13 is a high-quality traditional mixture for overseeding or renovating fine dense tees, fairways and roughs, particularly where maintenance and input levels are low. It has good winter colour and high disease resistance. MM50, one of the UK’s biggest selling grass mixtures, is also ideal for use on extreme wear areas and is fast establishing and resilient.

Dan and the team overseed the fairways and tees with these two mixtures twice a year in the spring and autumn but will also target specific areas as and when needed.

Based on the success of those mixtures, David decided to investigate which MM mixture would be beneficial to his greens. After consultation with Matt Gresty from MM Seeds and David Bevan from Agrovista Amenity, he decided that the all-new MM Coastal mixture would be the way forward.

“We actually did some trial plots with the MM Coastal mixture and based on the results we decided to overseed the greens with it,” he said. “It is a 100% slender creeping red fescue mixture which has a high salt tolerance. This is perfect for us because we are very exposed here. It is a dry site too so the fact that MM Coastal is drought tolerant, works very well for us.

“My plan is to start overseeding the greens and surrounds with MM Coastal on a more regular basis now,” continued Dan. “I’ll probably apply it at a lower rate every 5-6 weeks just to keep pumping the fescues into them to try and out-compete the areas of less desirable species such as Poa.”

“Germination is excellent and that is across all three seed varieties. You also get great colour from the mixtures all year round. On top of that, I get good support and backup from both Matt and David. I can always bounce ideas around with them and we enjoy discussing different overseeding techniques.

“With MM – it’s the whole package.”

For further information, please contact MM Sports Seed on 01386 791102 or visit the company’s new website www.mm-seeds.co.uk. You can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed

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MM seed – just what the doctor ordered

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MM seed – just what the doctor ordered: Graham Wickes, owner of Lawn Doctor (Essex) LTD, has praised the quality of Limagrain UK’s grass seed after seeing phenomenal results across a variety of lawn and sports turf projects. 

Graham started his career in greenkeeping and while working at some prominent golf courses, including The London Club, he also found time to work towards his NVQ Level 2 and 3 in Sports Turf Management. Upon leaving the golf industry, to gain knowledge in building golf courses and football pitches, Graham began expanding his experience and expertise working for a sports turf contractor.

MM seed - just what the doctor ordered

MM seed – just what the doctor ordered

In 2008, he founded the Lawn Doctor and took all the principles of top quality greenkeeping and turf care in the sporting world to start creating healthy, lush lawns all over Essex. It initially started with residential projects and with clients impressed with his knowledge, attention to detail and the fabulous results they saw, that grew quickly before Graham then landed maintenance contracts at some bowls clubs and soon came to the attention of Bowls England who, recognising his skills, appointed him as their Greens Advisor for Essex. Bowling greens quickly led to football pitches and it was not long before he was building up an impressive portfolio as clubs, local authorities and private clients reaped the rewards of the hard work Graham puts in and the ongoing support he gives throughout the process.

The business has gone from strength to strength over recent years and this is, partly, due to his insistence on using only the highest quality products.

“It is my business and I strive to be the very best,” he said. “To be the best I have to use the very best products. Whenever I am pitching for a project or providing a quote, I always explain that I use the most premium grass seed and first-class products on the market.”

Graham first became familiar with Limagrain UK after a specific seed mixture was recommended to him.

“I was previously using another brand for my seed mixtures which I thought was great to be honest, but I always like to look for improvements, even when things are going well and I’m glad I did. I started speaking to another contractor and he was raving about Limagrain’s seed mixtures, so I decided to try it for myself. I was amazed at how quickly it came through and the colour it had was brilliant even without a feed.

“From then on, I decided to start using the Elite Green mixture from Limagrain for the bowls greens and I had fantastic results straight away. The first season I used this seed I had far superior germination to the previous brand I was using. The greens were in the best condition they had ever been.”

Limagrain’s Elite Green mixture, from the company’s Designer seed range, produces a fine, dense, hard-wearing surface with high disease resistance. It was Graham’s first experience of Limagrain’s seed in a sports turf environment, and he did not stop there.

In 2019 he decided to overseed with Limagrain’s MM60 mixture when renovating the pitch at Braintree Town FC. MM60 is the UK’s leading winter sports renovation mixture and can be attributed with playing a key role in many of the finest sporting venues you see today. The 100% Ryegrass formula, which is perfect for divot repair, is renowned for its extremely fast germination and its high wear tolerance. It produces fantastic aesthetic qualities, and its high disease resistance provides ultimate protection.

MM60 is also treated with HEADSTART® GOLD, which is a further development of the well-recognised Headstart treatment and has been developed using the latest scientific findings and field experience. It is a natural revolutionary grass seed treatment that ensures rapid germination. It is perfect for enhancing performance on sports fields, golf courses, lawns and amenity turf and Graham quickly found it was indeed a seed he could rely on.

MM seed - just what the doctor ordered

MM seed – just what the doctor ordered

“When I first arrived at Braintree, the goal mouth areas were totally bare – there was no grass at all. I overseeded the whole pitch with MM60, and I told the chairman that I was determined to keep grass in the goal mouth areas all season. He laughed and wished me luck because it had apparently never been done before.

“A year later and the goal mouth areas still had grass coverage and the condition of the pitch has attracted the attention of larger League Two clubs, looking for suitable match locations for academy games and also The FA who have offered it to international associations as a training location for youth international fixtures.”

In addition, Lawn Doctor (Essex) Ltd are on the list of Essex CFA contractors to help and assist clubs with the Grass Pitch Improvement Strategy (formerly Pitch Improvement Programme).Graham thinks the use of MM60 can be seen as a significant contributor to his success in these areas.

“The beauty of Limagrain seed is knowing that it works. To my clients I proudly inform them that I use the most premium products and the Limagrain seed backs this up. As a contractor, seeing the grass coming up within seven days after putting it down is great – it is also what your customer wants to see. I’ve not used another brand of seed since.

“It’s not just the quality of the seed but it’s the service and quick delivery which is also part of the package. Getting a product within 3 or 4 days is particularly important to me because it enables me to keep to schedules.

“Everything just works incredibly well with Limagrain UK.”

For further information, please contact Limagrain UK on 01472 371471 or visit the company’s website www.lgseeds.co.uk/amenity – you can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed

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MM the key to course improvements

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MM the key to course improvements: Visitors to the Limagrain UK stand (162), located in the Blue Zone at BTME 2020, can expect a range of market leading products that can significantly improve both the quality and aesthetics of a golf course.

For 2020 there will be two new exciting MM mixtures which will offer turf managers new grass seed solutions for golf and general sports turf.

MM the key to course improvements

As the demand and pressure placed on the modern-day greenkeeper to produce a consistent playing surface continually grows, seed quality, purity and vigour are the essential ingredients for a first-class golf course and Limagrain’s MM range of seed mixture provides exactly these.

For over 30 years, greenkeepers and course managers have been enjoying the benefits by choosing the MM brand and the high-quality varieties used in MM mixtures. All varieties are thoroughly tested at the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) – ensuring that the finished product will meet your requirements for play, appearance and maintenance.

For golf greens MM9 – a three-way Browntop bent mixture continues to be a leading mixture for renovations and species exchange. For links style courses and sustainable golf, MM8 offers a great option – a three-way fescue mix with excellent disease resistance, drought tolerance and minimal fertiliser requirements gives course managers a fine, dense sward. MM8 contains varieties such as Nikky and Aporina which have proved to be successful in coastal conditions.

If you are looking for a mixture ideal for tees and fairways, then the 100% ryegrass MM50 should be considered. It is capable of rapid establishment and fast recovery from divot scarring plus high wear tolerance and has extremely fine appearance

For links style golf where damage and wear are lower, MM12 or MM13, are both well suited to this challenging environment as they are drought tolerant and have low maintenance requirements.

Visitors to the stand can also find out how Limagrain’s Wildflower and Colour Splash mixtures have been benefiting countless golf courses throughout the UK and beyond. The mixtures are ideal for those wanting to bring a splash of colour to their golf course as well as attracting some fantastic wildlife.

With a wide range of mixtures available, both the Wildflower and Colour Splash mixtures are extremely easy to sow and the resulting flowers are vigorous plants which are more than capable of competing with weeds. Their vigour is equally matched by robustness; resisting long periods of drought. They are also fast flowering and cost effective.

Limagrain’s amenity seed specialists will all be on hand at BTME to discuss the products in more detail and will also be available to offer their expertise on any queries you may have.

For further information, please contact Limagrain UK on 01472 371471 or visit the company’s website www.lgseeds.co.uk/amenity – you can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed

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MM The Best For Shrewsbury School

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MM The Best For Shrewsbury School: Shrewsbury School Grounds manager Andy Richards claims that Limagrain UK’s MM brand of grass seed has proved time and time again, to be the best mixtures for the school’s sports pitches.

Set on the banks of the River Severn, Shrewsbury School is one of the country’s leading co-educational independent schools for 13-18-year-olds and attracts boys and girls from all over the country.

MM The Best For Shrewsbury School

Academic excellence aside, the school prides itself on a strong sporting ethos and boasts some of the finest teams in UK education. The main sport in the Michaelmas (autumn) term is football, in the Lent term fives and rugby, and in summer cricket. During term times, pitch usage is seven days a week and with over 800 pupils, many of whom participate in sports, it is safe to say that the pitches encounter a lot of wear.

It is for this reason that Andy is very particular in choosing a grass seed that stands up to such high usage.

“Three years ago we made the decision to change to Limagrain’s MM60 on our football pitches,” he said. “We were experiencing a lot of disease, especially on our first team pitch, and I think we sprayed four times to tackle fusarium. With this in mind I thought it was worth trying something different to see if we could find a seed that was better for our site.

“We trialled MM60 on one pitch against the seed that we were previously using over the course of a season – to see which one was the best. Results showed that there was a lot less disease from using MM60 and it stood up a lot better to the really high usage that we have. The pitch that we trialled it on had 112 uses during a twelve week period and it felt like the MM60 provided a much more upright leaf which seemed to protect the pitch more than our previous seed.

“It was an easy decision to change to the MM60 and we implemented it across all of the football pitches – we didn’t even need to spray it for any disease in that first year.”

Limagrain’s MM60 grass seed is renowned for producing an excellent playing surface. It is a 100% Ryegrass formula which is perfect for renovation and divot repair, has a high disease resistance, fantastic aesthetic qualities and offers extremely fast germination – which is boosted by the inclusion of Headstart GOLD®.

Developed using the latest scientific findings and field experience, Headstart GOLD® is a natural revolutionary grass seed treatment that ensures rapid germination and is perfect for enhancing performance on grass seed coatings for sports fields, golf courses, lawns and amenity turf.

For 2019, MM60 now includes Limagrain’s new Ryegrass cultivar Annecy which has outstanding disease resistance particularly against Leaf Spot. This along with excellent wear tolerance, density and recovery makes it a very valuable addition to the mixture at a time when plant health and disease management has never been so important.

MM The Best For Shrewsbury School

After ‘Koro-ing off’ the pitches during the annual August renovations, Andy has just 28 days to ensure the pitches are playable for the opening fixtures. Therefore, when Andy sows the seed he needs absolute confidence that it will perform.

“We know that by the fourth or the fifth day MM60 is going to be showing; within seven days it is going to be green, and then between ten and fourteen days we will even look at putting a growth regulator down and encourage it to start tillering and get as deep rooted as possible. MM60 responds excellently – it’s hungry, it’s vigorous, it comes through well and it colours well. The Headstart can also take out the need for pre-seed fertiliser.”

In a similar move, Andy also decided to change to Limagrain’s MM50 for the school’s cricket pitches after his previous seed was not meeting his expectations.

“We were using a different seed on the squares but our recovery was so poor and the pitches were almost dead at the end of two or three games of cricket. We didn’t even trial the MM50 – we just went straight in on a whole square and the difference was incredible. The speed that it came through and the quality of the sward was really impressive. We had no disease through the winter and when we prepared our first wickets with MM50 the following spring – the denseness, the texture of the leaf and the way it cut down to the 6mm we aim for was amazing. The wickets looked good and they coloured up well but the most important thing was that we could water them after four or five days of play and within a couple of days they were almost green again.”

As Andy says, MM50 is ideal for cricket squares and outfields. This hard-wearing mix has rapid germination, very fine leaved appearance, high shoot density and is tolerant to very close mowing, along with high disease resistance. All these attributes together produce a fantastic sward that has great colour all year round. It is also widely praised for its rapid recovery – something which is incredibly important to Andy.

“With the amount of games we have here, recovery is a massive thing and we have to get them back quickly. MM50 has just proved time and time again to be the best cricket mix in the country.

“Limagrain is a great company to work with. They will come in a few times a year, have a look around and we will discuss things like overseeding pitches or seed mixtures. The service has been very good and I don’t think they could actually do anymore if they tried.”

For further information, please contact Limagrain UK on 01472 371471 or visit the company’s website www.lgseeds.co.uk/mm You can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed

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