Tag Archive for: Protect

Protect turf from the inside out

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Protect turf from the inside out: Greenkeepers across the UK are turning to strobilurin-based fungicide Insignia® to keep their turf protected this summer. With its key ingredients helping to prime the turf immune system, resist disease attacks, withstand heat and drought, and grow more efficiently, Insignia® works in a variety of ways to keep turf green, strong and healthy.

As a fungicide, Insignia® works by severely inhibiting the mitochondrial respiration inside the cells of pathogenic fungi, preventing the breakdown of carbon that is required for fungi to produce the energy they need to function. As well as stopping fungi, it also works by triggering a cascade of positive events which lead to plant health benefits. In a nutshell, it works both by stopping negative forces, and encouraging the good.

Protect turf from the inside out

Protect turf from the inside out

At this time of year, red thread is a particular threat that Insignia® helps to banish. The fungal infection causes slow growing grass and red to coral-pink strands – not ideal on prized pieces of turf! Insignia® controls diseases like this and dollar spot – which creates pale, blighted areas of turf – ensuring continued grass health throughout the summer.

While it’s suitable for application all year round, Insignia® must be applied in temperatures between 5-25°C for best results. Unlike other fungicides, it is ‘rain-fast’ after only one hour, meaning that greenkeepers can use the product without fear that it will immediately be rained off the plant.

An active ingredient within Insignia®, Pyraclastrobin, serves as a weather-resistant reservoir, meaning that the health-giving formula is released across the surface of the grass over several weeks. Not only that but translaminar movement through the leaf builds a concentration of the active substance on both sides of the leaf – meaning continued protection for the whole plant.

With unpredictable weather in the UK becoming the norm, it’s also vital to be able to rely on the weather-resistant properties of any products used. Insignia® helps turf withstand drought and heat, while also helping grass to regulate responses during stressful events. It’s no wonder that Insignia® is proving so popular with greenkeepers interested in keeping turf green and healthy this year!

To find out more about Insignia®, visit Insignia – BASF Pest Control Solutions UK or to explore BASF’s wider turf products, visit https://www.pestcontrol.basf.co.uk/en/Products/Product-innovation/Turf/

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Engineered to protect the lawn

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Engineered to protect the lawn: STIGA’s new robotic lawnmower, designed and manufactured in Italy, helps produce a healthy lawn whilst allowing time for owners to enjoy their outdoor space in peace and quiet.

Stig is the first robot that can properly care for a lawn in just two mowing sessions a day, with an 80-minute charge and five hours between cuts. It allows the grass to recover and stay healthy, and leaves plenty of time for users to enjoy their outdoor space in peace and quiet.

Engineered to protect the lawn

Engineered to protect the lawn

It is the first of a new breed of robot lawnmowers and combines 90 years of STIGA’s engineering innovation and expertise with a deep understanding of the science of grass. Stig has been designed and developed in Italy, at the STIGA Group headquarters and production facility in Castelfranco (TV). This high-tech hub of innovation is home to a talented multicultural R&D department with a range of backgrounds and skills – mechanical and electronic engineers, technicians, software experts, prototype and test engineers and an agronomist.

Maximum lawn health and more time to enjoy the garden

A healthy lawn requires a robot mower to work with fewer cutting phases, and more time between cuts. Stig covers a maximum working area of 1200sqm, is suitable for all lawn terrain – even slopes up to 45% (24°) – and with twice the run time of any other robot mower. Because Stig completes mowing in daylight hours there is no night mowing to disturb nocturnal wildlife or neighbours and this also allows the lawn to fully recover.

Long-lasting clean energy and high-performance cutting

Stig runs on STIGA-owned E-Power lithium-ion batteries. These ensure reliable, long-lasting performance from a clean energy-saving power source with no emissions. E-Power batteries are designed for long-life: even after 1500 charging cycles they continue to operate at over 80% capacity.

Customers have the option to select two different sized batteries at purchase, to suit the size of the lawn they need to cut. Compact and lightweight (less than 8kg), Stig intelligently navigates gardens of all shapes and sizes, tackling narrow spaces and manoeuvring around trees and bushes.

It’s exceptional cutting performance is delivered via four pivoting carbon steel blades, spinning at up to 2850rpm. An easily adjustable height of cut ensures a precise grass length from 20 to 60mm. The cutting performance is matched by built-in safety features, pivoting retractable blades, two stabilising front wheels and multiple obstacle detection. If Stig is lifted or tips over the blades automatically switch off in under 2 seconds. It is also very quiet thanks to a bottom cover constructed from noise-insulating materials.

Intelligent navigation, user-friendly connectivity

With just five buttons for selecting primary functions, Stig’s on-board control panel allows users to get started quickly and easily. An intuitive interface and Bluetooth connection allows control directly from a smartphone, using very simple functions. A battery light indicates charge level, and a warning light signals the presence of hazards. Stig is supplied with the dedicated STIGA.GO App, available for iOS and Android. This provides advanced control including a full scheduling function allowing users to plan cutting sessions to suit their needs, the weather forecast and seasonal changes. Complete coverage of the lawns is guaranteed with two front coil sensors and a static algorithm. Using “Go-To-Cut” via the App, the user can instruct Stig where to begin mowing. Bump sensors detect objects, and the soft-shell body absorbs any impacts without damaging the mower. A rain sensor automatically sends Stig back to its charging dock.

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Wildflower havens to protect hedgehogs

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Wildflower havens to protect hedgehogs: Non-profit wildflower specialist, Seedball, has teamed up with People’s Trust for Endangered Species to create a specially developed wildflower seed mix with the aim of growing hedgehog friendly habitats to support the struggling population.

There were an estimated 36.5 million hedgehogs in Britain in the 1950s, which plummeted to around 1.5 million in 1995, and numbers have continued to decline severely. Hedgehogs are classed as an indicator species which means a decline in their species indicates a decline in the quality of the environment and the health of the natural world.

Wildflower havens to protect hedgehogs

Wildflower havens to protect hedgehogs

Anyone with a garden can help make a difference to the plight of hedgehogs by being aware of the obstacles they face such as impermeable garden borders like walls and fencing, busy roads, and minimalistic garden designs with little space to forage. Gardeners can help hedgehogs by leaving small holes in fences and borders so they can move around, 3cm is the perfect hedgehog-sized hole. Also, providing water for them to drink will help keep them hydrated, and leaving an area for them to hide in such as a log pile will help to attract beetles, which hedgehogs love to eat.

A wildflower patch can make a beautiful hedgehog friendly addition to a garden as it provides essential shelter and attracts insects such as beetles and worms for them to feed on.

The experts at Seedball have made it easy to create a wildflower patch at home by creating a range of unique, peat-free balls containing wildflower seeds that transform outdoor spaces – from meadows to plant pots – into seas of beautiful flowers that not only look good but do good too. There is a selection of mixes to choose from that all benefit native species including bees, beetles, birds, bats, butterflies and hedgehogs.

The hedgehog mix has been specially developed to create hedgehog havens by attracting them, and the insects they feed on. Each tin of Hedgehog Mix contains 20 seed balls, enough to cover 1 metre square in a garden bed or 3-5 medium-sized pots. Each of the seed balls contain approximately 30 seeds each with a mix of yellow rattle, wild carrot, birdsfoot trefoil, tufted vetch, self heal and poppy. This combination of colourful wildflowers will create an area irresistible to hedgehogs and their prey, and proceeds from the hedgehog mix go to People’s Trust for Endangered Species to support their ongoing conservation work.

Dr. Emily Lambert, co-founder of Seedball commented: “Hedgehogs are such well-loved and wonderful creatures, we simply cannot let their numbers dwindle any further. Working closely with People’s Trust for Endangered Species means we can help people to grow beautiful wildflower habitats for hedgehogs and other wildlife to roam but also support their essential conservation work.”

Seedball is passionate about curating vibrant flourishes of flowers easier for everyone, whilst giving a home to depleting wildlife and pollinators.

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Hicure biostimulant to build energy and protect turf

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Hicure biostimulant to build energy and protect turf: The first turf biostimulant from Syngenta heralds the potential for a step change in stress management, along with performance enhancement for existing and future turf management programmes.

New Hicure has been developed to deliver the key protein-building amino acids crucial to build and protect plants from stress effects, along with recovery of playing surface quality faster and more effectively.

Hicure biostimulant to build energy and protect turf

Hicure biostimulant to build energy and protect turf

More than six years of science research and investigative trials has developed the unique formulation of 18 amino acids in Hicure, along with an instantly available energy source for turf to make most effective use.

Syngenta Technical Manager, Glenn Kirby, highlighted amino acids are the building blocks for proteins that make up all plant structures – each with a different construction. “New research into the molecular activity of plant cells has sought to identify which amino acids are required for key functions.

“That’s given a valuable insight into which amino acids can be effectively supplemented to better prepare plants for stressful periods.

“Whilst turf plants can produce their own amino acids during good growing conditions, where they need to adapt to stressful periods it can lead to an imbalance in the availability of the necessary amino acids.

“Hicure can provide a readily accessible source of the important amino acids to give greater tolerance to stress and see turf through,” he added.

Furthermore, Glenn pointed out that the repurposing of amino acids within the plant during stress periods requires large amounts of energy – which can be particularly challenging where turf is under stress and with reduced photosynthetic capability. “Hicure has been formulated with an instantly available energy source, in the form of specific amiono acids. Supplementing energy enables the plant to make better use of resources for faster recovery.

“Together, Hicure is a perfect balance of amino acids and energy to help plants strengthen cell walls and protect against stress.”

Trials results in the UK and across Europe have shown improved tolerance to a wide range of stresses. Under summer heat conditions, for example, fortnightly applications of Hicure had halved the incidence of leaf damage, compared to untreated.

Improvements in turf quality, coverage and consistency had also been seen in Hicure trials against a wider range of stresses and even herbicide treatments.

“With the incidence of environmental stresses becoming more frequent and more severe in nature with climate change the role of Hicure is expected to become even greater in future turf management programmes,” Glenn advised.

Optimum results have been seen with fortnightly applications of Hicure at a rate of 10 l/ha, or monthly 20l/ha during spring and summer periods. That can typically be incorporated into foliar nutrition and Primo Maxx PGR timings for ease of application, he advocated.

In late summer and autumn rates can be reduced to 5l/ha every two weeks or 10l/ha per month.  This helps deliver stronger and stress free turf going into the winter period.  Stronger more healthy turf is better able to tolerant disease attack and also recovers more quickly.

Daniel Lightfoot, Syngenta Turf Business Manager, emphasised that R&D had clearly shown that not all biostimulants work as effectively as others, or offer the significant benefits that could be achieved. “We continue to exhaustively test a large number of biostimulant products, and have only selected a small number that have shown the potential to offer effective results.

“Understanding the science of how the product works is essential to advise where it can fit into an agronomic programme,” he advocated. “Turf managers can be confident that any biostimulant from Syngenta has been thoroughly researched and will deliver the benefits they are looking for.”

The focus of Syngenta research is increasingly on enhancing overall plant health, together with the integration of agronomic practices and digital support tools, alongside the intervention of plant protection products where required.

The company’s recent acquisition of Valagro, one of the world’s leading biostimulant and biopesticide businesses, signals a commitment to creating a whole programme approach to plant health.

“As we develop and bring to market innovative fungicides over the coming years, we have the research to understand and recommend how they can be best used in conjunction with Hicure and other inputs to get the best results.”

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Angels crowdfund to protect pitch

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Angels crowdfund to protect pitch: Tonbridge Angels Football Club has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £35,000 so that it can purchase covers and carry out urgent work on the pitch and drainage system at Longmead.

The plea comes with the club’s finances suffering severely after a succession of home games at the stadium have been postponed due to waterlogging.

Incessant rain has meant the ground has been too wet to satisfy the National League’s requirement for player safety, and the club has only played at home once since January 4.

On Monday (March 16) the league announced that all fixtures would be postponed until April 3 in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Three days later the Football Association said football would not resume until at least April 30 – though the governing body intends to try and complete the season during the summer.

When the season resumes, they may have to complete the campaign by playing at other club’s grounds, which means they will have to pay a fee to the hosts and also miss out on crucial bar and catering revenue. The National League has given them permission to do so.

The club was promoted after winning two play-offs last year to reach its highest ever league position but now faces a battle to avoid relegation with a congested fixture list until the end of the current campaign.

They had to call off the much-awaited local derby against Maidstone on March 10 – which was originally supposed to be played on Boxing Day.

The club is expecting its biggest crowd of the season for the visit of their rivals – the last league fixture in 2014 attracted 1,168 fans, double the usual gate – but the fixture has now been cancelled three times.

The Angels chairman Dave Nethercott wrote an open letter to fans admitted that it was ‘running out of money’ and asking for financial help.

The club is owned by its supporters, who pay an annual fee in return for having a say in the way it is run. But Mr Nethercott said they needed to raise a minimum of £7,600 per week for the last eight weeks of the season, or more than £60,000.

An emergency meeting was called on March 5 to discuss the options for ground renovation in order to avoid a repeat of this winter’s flooding.

Peter Elves, the head groundsman, said the drainage has ‘now outlived its working life’ and that three games have been allowed to be played that have compromised the playing surface.

One suggestion was to install an artificial surface which, with new floodlighting, would cost between £500,000 and £600,000.

However, such a move would take two to three years to complete, and a more immediate solution needs to be found.

So the club has decided to buy covers to protect the playing surface while also carrying out renovations of the existing underground drainage.

A spokesperson said: “Our pitch at the Halcyon Wealth Longmead Stadium has served Tonbridge Angels FC well over the past 40 years and has been witness to scores of exciting matches.

“It’s fair to say that it’s starting to feel its age somewhat – in particular the underground drainage system – and this has not been helped by the record rainfall of this winter.

“Urgent major renovations are required which include the procurement of state-of-the-art covers if we are to maintain a high standard of semi-professional football in the town.”

He added: “Please donate whatever you can spare to this community based club largely run by volunteers to ensure we are able to provide football in Tonbridge for spectators to enjoy and for future generations of young people to compete in the UK’s national game.”

To make a donation visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tonbridge-angels

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