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Banish the dread of Red Thread

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Banish the dread of Red Thread: Summer is on its way, and with it can appear the scourge of groundskeepers everywhere – the fungal infection Red Thread.

This common disease causes reddish-brown patches of turf, especially during warm wet weather and heavy dews, spelling disaster for those attempting to maintain pristine grass. Fortunately though, there is a way to protect managed amenity turf and improve immunity and growth – by using BASF’S Insignia®.

Banish the dread of Red Thread

Banish the dread of Red Thread

Insignia® is a long-lasting fungicide with a broad disease-control spectrum and high performance, treating turf diseases such as the afore-mentioned Red Thread, as well as unsightly infections such as Dollar Spot and Microdochium Patch. But Insignia® is so much more than just a fungicide. As part of the Intrinsic™ fungicide family, it also increases growth efficiency and enhances stress tolerance – both essential for those looking to maintain and improve turf conditions for years to come.

When used on the desired area, Insignia® forms deposits on the leaf surface which act as as a reservoir, releasing the active ingredient to protect the leaf’s surface and deeper tissues over a number of weeks.

Insignia® has numerous benefits alongside its fungicide performance and is the first fungicide with plant health effects. Greenkeepers will find that through the use of Insignia, turf will have an ehanced response to heat and drought as well as mechanical and biotic stresses, resulting in a healthy root system and improved plant health.

To find out more about Insignia® go to

https://www.agricentre.basf.co.uk/en/Products/Product-Search/Fungicides/Insignia.html

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DLF delivers carnival of colour

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DLF delivers carnival of colour: The green, green grass of Chipping Sodbury Golf Club in Bristol is now complimented with a carnival of colours including reds, pinks and purples thanks to the introduction of wildflower seed from DLF.

The project is now into its third year and was the brainchild of Deputy Head Greenkeeper Craig Swindells who, together with support from the membership, has successfully introduced 800sq.M of outstanding visual impact together with all-important food and habitat for pollinators and wildlife.

DLF delivers carnival of colour

DLF delivers carnival of colour

Craig has been at the 18-hole parkland course, situated on the outskirts of the Cotswolds, for the last 12 years and works as part of a greens team of seven including one trainee and two member volunteers. He explains, “While the trees add great definition to the course, it means we’re very ‘green’ so I presented the idea of planting two new wildflower areas to the committee and they gave us their full support. One member in particular, Geoff McFarland, who shares my passion for ecology was generous enough to fund the project.”

The first seed went into the ground in May 2021 – a combination of Pro Flora 8, comprising of 80% grasses and 20% robust wild flowering species, and Colour Boost 1 (Carnival) for hight-impact annuals. “The weather hadn’t been kind up to that point, but we went from seed to full bloom in under two months and what a bloom we had! Bold bright colours and an abundance of bees and butterflies enjoying the rich food source it provided. We had a wealth of lovely messages and members of the public coming in to have a look.”

“At the end of the first season, we cut back and hand-picked unwanted growth as and when we saw it. Year two we left the areas alone and found we achieved great uptake with the perennials and, as you’d expect, fewer annuals though some did self-seed. It still looked good but like most plants, struggled with the ground being so dry through the summer of 2022. Now, we’re going into year three and we’re overseeding again, this time with Colour Boost’s Biodiversity mix to introduce a wide range of flowering varieties.”

Biodiversity from DLF’s Colour Boost collection blends seasonal annuals, biennials and perennials to appeal to a host of varied fauna, including pollinating insects. The composition of species is wide and ensures suitability to different growing conditions and strong colour, which changes depending on bloom, throughout the season.

“This project has brought so many benefits to the players, the wildlife and even the general public and we really couldn’t have wished for more. The support and guidance from DLF along the way has also been brilliant.” Craig adds, “Having tried other brands of wildflower, we can certainly say that Pro Flora and Colour Boost have given us the very best results, and there’s now great anticipation and excitement to see the outcome of this year’s work.”

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Trilo transforms the task of cut and collect

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Trilo transforms the task of cut and collect: Following BCP Council’s declaration of a climate and ecology emergency in 2019, the decision was made to review the management of some green spaces across the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole areas.

With a subsequent reduction in the cutting of some verges and open land, a Trilo S20 with its large 20m3 hopper capacity was brought in to increase productivity as the cut and collect operation expanded – taking not just large quantities of meadow grass in its stride but also assisting with leaf clearance during the winter months.

Trilo transforms the task of cut and collect

Trilo transforms the task of cut and collect

The versatile Trilo S20 was purchased in May 2022 by Simon Woodall, Team Operations Manager for BCP Council and spearhead of a 30-strong team responsible for looking after all aspects of parks and housing grounds maintenance and landscape construction. “Our ecology programme included creating more grass meadows by leaving areas uncut to improve carbon sequestration and increase our biodiversity to support pollinators. We also reduced cutting on other green spaces such as verges to give plants a chance to flower, providing a valuable source of nectar and adding interest and colour to amenity areas” he explains.

“With this change to our cutting operation, we needed a machine that could handle large-scale cut and collect and found the Trilo was a perfect addition to our existing fleet of mountable cut and collect machines.” The S20 is the largest capacity model in Trilo’s multi-purpose S-Line range which, when fitted with a flail shaft, offers a cutting width of 2.1m and powerful vacuum collection of the clippings to leave a clean finish after every pass.

Following the delivery by Hunt Forest Group, the S20 was put straight into operation between August and October. “The size of this unit has transformed the task of maintaining our meadow areas” Simon explains. “Not only does it cut and collect in its own right, but we can use it to support the smaller tractor mounted and ride on machines which can cut in tighter areas then tip their arisings on the ground to be sucked up by the hose on the S20 – all done using the intuitive control box from the comfort of the cab. This in itself has increased productivity and reduced vehicle journeys to dispose of waste.”

“Through December and January we then used the S20 to assist with leaf collection within the larger parks in our area, and will certainly be using it more for this function in future.” He concludes, “With Trilo you’re also assured of excellent build quality and excellent service from specification right through to installation. It’s the full package and has already proven itself to be a fantastic investment.”

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John Deere to open doors to the talent of tomorrow

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John Deere to open doors to the talent of tomorrow: John Deere will hold an open day at its Apprentice Training Centre this May in a bid to recruit the next generation of technicians to work across its agriculture, turf and parts business.

The company’s revered and respected apprenticeship programme has been running for more than 30 years, helping more than 1,200 apprentices qualify through on-the-job practical learning alongside classroom studies.

John Deere to open doors to the talent of tomorrow

John Deere to open doors to the talent of tomorrow

The John Deere Training Centre at Upper Saxondale, near Nottingham, opened last year, providing state-of-the-art facilities where apprentices complete their two or three-year course while simultaneously working within the John Deere dealership network.

“It’s a really exciting time to be part of the agricultural and turfcare industries,” says Allan Cochran, John Deere Branch Training Manager.

“It’s a highly technical and innovative sector, which means our apprentices get to work with some of the most advanced pieces of kit in the world.

“It’s not just servicing and fixing tractors. If you want to earn while you learn and be part of a huge, global brand with a reputation for ground-breaking innovations, then a John Deere apprenticeship could be the perfect start to your career.”

John Deere to open doors to the talent of tomorrow

John Deere to open doors to the talent of tomorrow

John Deere and the scheme’s training provider, ProVQ, will provide a tour of the training centre on Wednesday 3 May and Thursday 4 May, offering those interested in becoming apprentices the chance to meet the instructors, see the facilities, learn about the John Deere brand, and hear how their careers can grow with the world’s largest manufacturer of agricultural and groundscare equipment.

Sessions will last up to two hours and will outline what John Deere can offer a prospective apprentice, the journey through the Ag Tech, Turf Tech or Parts Tech programmes, plus the John Deere career path once certified.

“This is a unique opportunity to view the learning facilities on offer and talk to those who know all about the programmes,” says Mr Cochran.

The three John Deere apprenticeship programmes include Ag Tech – focusing on agricultural machinery, Turf Tech – focusing on professional turf equipment, and Parts Tech – focusing on parts service and support.

The events are free to attend but you must pre-book a session as places are limited.

To book visit: jdapprenticeships.eventbrite.co.uk

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Attraxor® is King of the Castle

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Attraxor® is King of the Castle: After Poa annua was disrupting play on the greens at Bothwell Castle Golf Club, the Head Greenkeeper found a solution in BASF’s Attraxor®, which was recommended and supplied by Agrovista Amenity.

Alan Boyd is the Head Greenkeeper at Bothwell Castle Golf Club in Lanarkshire – a flat 18-hole parkland course located in the woodland area surrounding the 13th century Bothwell Castle.

Attraxor® is King of the Castle

Attraxor® is King of the Castle

Alan explained how he first started using Attraxor®.

“Our greens are predominantly a Poa – bent mix. When the Poa is coming into bloom it starts causing issues with the ball swaying and the greens don’t run true. Ramsay MacGregor (Amenity Specialist for Agrovista Amenity) told me that Attraxor® reduces seedhead production in Poa and I was keen to give it a try.”

Attraxor® is a plant growth regulator containing the active substance, prohexadione calcium and can be used to regulate growth of all managed amenity turf. This active substance inhibits the gibberellic acid pathway, which results in a reduction of turf height and turf biomass. Root growth is promoted whilst turf colour and quality are maintained.

Furthermore, using an innovative formulation for fast leaf absorption, the product provides almost instant results, as it is activated once diluted in water. Contrary to other plant growth regulators that need to be activated by the plant enzymes, Attraxor® can be used earlier or later in the season during cooler weather.

Alan initially applied Attraxor® at a rate of 375 g/ha before increasing it to 800 g/ha and hasn’t looked back.

“You can build it up to that application rate or bring it back down – whatever you think is needed,” he said. “The results speak for themselves. Finer grasses have started coming through because the Poa is not overtaking. It is easy to use, easy to measure out and the granules easily disperse in the water. As a greenkeeper, our priority is to keep golfers happy and since using Attraxor®, the feedback on the surfaces over the past three seasons has been exceptional. They now have a consistent ball speed, and the ball isn’t swerving all over the Poa.”

Attraxor® is King of the Castle

Attraxor® is King of the Castle

In addition to supressing the Poa annua seed heads, Alan has reported some other positive findings.

“We spoke to some people from BASF and they shared with us the results from a golf club in another part of Europe with similar weather to us. They sprayed Attraxor® consistently throughout the year and noticed a reduction of disease. I was really interested in this because we do get hit with disease, but it has been getting better since we have been applying Attraxor®. BASF explained that as the regular use of Attraxor causes the thickening of plant cell walls and epidermis, it can lead to a reduced susceptibility to diseases such as Microdochium patch by mechanical means rather than by directly affecting the pathogen itself.

“If I carry on seeing a reduction in disease it will be a game changer because we are then not having to put down fungicides,” continued Alan. “We know the bad press fungicides are getting and you are saving money by not using them, so the money you are saving on the fungicide can be put into something else.

“In my opinion the future is bright.”

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

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