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COMPO is top of the range for bowls greens

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COMPO is top of the range for bowls greens: Ian Dickson, a bowling green contractor, believes that COMPO EXPERT products have proved to be top of range without the premium price tag.

Ian originally started his career in greenkeeping but switched to bowling green maintenance ten years ago. While admitting it is a completely ‘different animal’, Ian says he quickly got an appetite for maintaining bowls greens and has done so ever since.

COMPO is top of the range for bowls greens

COMPO is top of the range for bowls greens

He explained how he first started using COMPO EXPERT products on bowls greens.

“In my greenkeeping days I used to order a lot of products from Agrovista Amenity (the exclusive national distributor of COMPO EXPERT’S turf products in the UK) and my representative was Ramsay MacGregor. I stayed in touch with Ramsay when I switched to bowls because he is very knowledgeable, and he gives valid reasons behind using products.

Ramsay is genuinely interested in a plant’s health and his advice is key to my operations.

“Ramsay came in and looked at the bowls greens I was working on. He suggested using some COMPO EXPERT products and explained how they had been getting great results on some golf courses, so I decided to give them a try.”

COMPO EXPERT believes in sustainable, integrated turf management by focusing on modern fertilisation concepts, consistent regeneration of growth and optimal support of the plant’s own physiological processes. All of which promote vitalisation, stress tolerance and root development while providing optimum turf quality.

The innovative product range includes specialty mineral and stabilized fertilisers, slow and controlled release fertilisers, water soluble and liquid fertilisers as well as biostimulants, trace elements and soil conditioners.

The first product Ian tried from the COMPO EXPERT range was Fertilis® Speed, an NPK complex fertiliser with emphasis on nitrogen for spring and summer application to promote growth and a quick green-up.

“The green where we applied the Fertilis® had a lot of bare areas and the growth has been tremendous,” said Ian. “We applied it in May and had a full 12 weeks out of it. There has been less disease, the sward is a lot thicker, and even during a big drought period the greens performed superbly.”

Ian also maintains a sand-based green which is prone to leaching. For this green he applied Floranid® Twin Eagle K – an extra fine granulated slow-release complex fertiliser of excellent solubility.

“The nutrient levels on this green are very hard to maintain. With the Twin Eagle K, you don’t get the flush of growth in the way you would from the Fertilis®. Instead, you get an even, consistent growth. I judge the consistency of it by looking at the amount of grass cuttings I take from the mower each week. We get three boxes of cuttings three times a week and that underlines how consistent the Twin Eagle K is. Again, we get excellent results.”

Ian claims that he has been very impressed with the longevity of the products and believes that there isn’t much on the market that can beat COMPO EXPERT products in terms of performance and price.

“A lot of other fertilisers just don’t have the longevity that these do,” he said. “We were using a cheaper fertiliser in the past and I was applying twice as much product, so it ended up costing me more.

“The COMPO EXPERT products are top the range, but you don’t pay top of the range prices for them. They are very fairly priced compared to their competitors.”

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

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Green-tech provide the products for children to play and learn

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Green-tech provide the products for children to play and learn: Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn (YFD) is a primary school in Llandudno, Wales that is working hard to offer its young pupils a green space in which to play and learn.

In partnership with Conwy Borough County Council and Wild Elements, a not-for-profit social enterprise, the school wanted to create green spaces for the children of YFD to immerse themselves in natural materials and greenery. The site was selected due to its severely grey infrastructure and lack of green space.

Green-tech provide the products for children to play and learn

Green-tech provide the products for children to play and learn

Wild Elements is dedicated to getting people in North Wales outdoors and connecting them to nature, improving their lives, opportunities, and aspirations.

The school received a recommendation from another Local Nature Partnership Coordinator in Cardiff and after seeing the successes of their project they felt it was the best way forward to source the green infrastructure for the school site. Gareth Lloyd – head teacher of YFD comments “we felt the products offered by Green-tech were one of the few that we were satisfied to have green infrastructure installed on a Centre Based Child Care education estate.”

Green-tech supplied everything but the trees for this project which included 45 Hedera Helix Woerner Living Ivy Green Screens and 45 bespoke Planters in 3 different colours.

The living Green Screens provide instant and effective screening and are perfect for projects where an instant privacy green fence is required. They provide rigid, secure, and evergreen barriers which are low maintenance and easy to install. As well as being much more attractive than traditional fencing, they are an environmentally conscious choice that support an array of wildlife and help absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to provide cleaner air.

To ensure the green screens stay hydrated a Mona irrigation watering system was supplied for each screen. The Mona System is a 100% water efficient, subterranean plant irrigation system and provides cost effective tree and planter irrigation.  The system acts as a reservoir to hold water and distribute to the plant’s roots as and when required to ensure they remain healthy and grow.

Gareth continues, “Following the success of the Cardiff project under the same Welsh Government grant, we hoped to replicate the work as it was a big hit with the Cardiff primary school children. One of the main concerns raised in the project’s infancy was the lack of shade in the school. During the warmer months, it can become overwhelmingly hot for the children. We intended for the Ivy Screens to provide an adequate source of natural material shading for the children. We also wanted the Ivy Screens to be a space for the children to play, hide and immerse themselves in their games. It has made a huge impact to the children’s well-being and is greatly appreciated.”

Green-tech supplied 12 bespoke planters for trees in 3 different colours and 12 containerised anchor systems to secure each tree discreetly without impacting on the overall design. In addition, 16 bulk bags of Green-tree topsoil which is manufactured using organic compost and overburdened sand from quarries and perfect for projects focused on environmental sustainability and green credentials, was supplied.

There was a lot of products to be delivered and it was important that the delivery schedule met the needs of the school, without interrupting them, as well as Wild Elements installation plan. “It was logistically impressive!” comments head teacher Gareth Lloyd.” “Thanks for sorting the delivery to run so smoothly, one wagon in, the next one to follow”, Tom from Wild Elements adds.

Julieanne Quinlan, Local Nature Partnership Coordinator for Conwy adds, “the experience with Green-tech has been a wonderful one. James, their Sales Advisor, has been incredibly helpful and patient throughout the entirety of the project. We cannot thank Green-tech enough for making this project come to fruition. It has been a big hit with the school and the children, and we have great hopes for the future pupils of Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn. Diolch yn fawr (thank you very much).

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Cain Markings claim Aspen Fuel to be the perfect choice

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Cain Markings claim Aspen Fuel to be the perfect choice: After choosing Aspen Fuel to power their business just six months after opening in 2017, Cain Markings now claim to be firm believers of the product and the benefits it brings to the operator, their machinery and the surrounding environment.

Fuelling a range of 2 and 4-stroke equipment for sports maintenance and line marking, Owner Sam Cain explains how efficiency and reliability have improved saving the team time and reducing costly repair bills!

Cain Markings claim Aspen Fuel to be the perfect choice

Cain Markings claim Aspen Fuel to be the perfect choice

Young GMA Board Member Sam Cain founded Cain Markings alongside his parents six years ago, the three-strong team providing a range of contract services to commercial customers in Hertfordshire and across the South East. “We were undergoing training on some new equipment with High Five Training who asked us whether we’d considered using Aspen Fuel” explains Sam. “The first thing I thought was the advantage of Aspen 2 being pre-mixed which eliminates the risk of getting the ratios wrong but the more I read, the more benefits I discovered, and it quickly became a no-brainer. We’ve never looked back.”

Being virtually free from sulphur, benzene and other solvents means Aspen Alkylate Fuel burns cleaner, reducing harmful emissions – important for many businesses, but a necessity for Sam who delivers a large number of contracts in schools and other enclosed environments. “The reduction in pollution and smell is a major plus and makes for a much more pleasant environment for the operator and those in and around the worksite.”

“We’re using Aspen in all of our petrol equipment including blowers, strimmers, hedge cutters and some of our ride-on artificial turf equipment.” He continues, “The majority of our work is conducted between the spring and autumn which sometimes means our kit will spend periods of the year in storage. Because Aspen is ethanol-free, we find that we can get equipment out after being dormant for months and it will still start first-time.”

“That extends more generally to the overall health of our machines. We definitely see fewer engine-related issues and, when we do, as soon as we tell the mechanic we use Aspen they all-but eliminate it being a fuel problem.”

Sam purchases the Alkylate Fuel from Hertfordshire Garden Machinery, adding convenience and control to their supply. “We easily keep track of how much we’re using which helps us with budgeting etc.” He concludes, “We tell other contractors about the benefits and as soon as people try it, then see exactly what we mean… Even down to the can and automatic stopping nozzle which reduces spillages – it’s great!”

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The complete SISIS range on show at GroundsFest

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The complete SISIS range on show at GroundsFest: SISIS has announced that, for the first time ever at a trade event, it will be showcasing its entire range of products at GroundsFest, held at Stoneleigh Park on 20 and 21 September.

Since 1932 SISIS has designed and manufactured a wide range of professional groundcare equipment, ideal for the maintenance of sports turf, amenity turf and artificial playing surfaces. Renowned for helping to create the perfect surface, it is used around the world at high profile stadia, top football, cricket, golf, and bowling clubs as well as local authorities, schools, colleges, and universities.

The complete SISIS range on show at GroundsFest

The complete SISIS range on show at GroundsFest

The famous product range includes specialist tractor-mounted and pedestrian turf maintenance equipment that is suitable for natural and synthetic playing surfaces; a wide range of pedestrian scarifiers, rakes and slitters which are praised for their effectiveness and durability; tractor-mounted scarifiers, brushes, fertiliser spreaders and seeders, and a selection of innovative hand tools.

There is also the SISIS Quadraplay multiple-purpose, single-pass maintenance system which incorporates a mounted frame for up to four implements such as grooming rakes, spikers, slitters, rollers and brushes. The implements can be fitted to the mainframe in any order and can be independently adjusted to achieve the desired effect. They can also be raised out of use when not required.

SISIS boasts one of the strongest and widest portfolios on the market and visitors can see them all in the outdoor areas at GroundsFest on stand OSA170.

The expert SISIS team will also be out in force throughout the two days to offer assistance.

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.sisis.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow SISIS on Twitter or Instagram @SISISMachinery and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery. You can also view the latest SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery

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The best bits from SAGE

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The best bits from SAGE: With blue skies (mostly!) beaming down over the Three Counties Showground, SAGE 2023 was an event to remember for exhibitors and visitors alike. Held on 19th and 20th July, the event featured interesting talks on a variety of subjects, a Learning Hub designed for those entering the industry, and of course, the UK Loggers National Championships – demonstrating feats of precision and skill.

As part of the packed agenda, market leaders shared their thoughts on the future of chemicals in grounds maintenance, exploring the pros and cons of a zero-chemical future.

The best bits from SAGE

The best bits from SAGE

Mark Tomlinson, Head of Environmental & Sustainability Stadia Projects at Bio-Circle Surface Technology Ltd also shared his wisdom on the importance of washdown systems. Visitors also enjoyed meeting with experts who came together to provide support, assistance and expertise on how businesses can best get started and progress on a sustainable journey.

Market leaders also shared their thoughts on electric machinery, while over at the Green Business Expo, Alex Pearson from Midlands Net Zero Hub and Dominic Lavelle, Managing Director at Go Green Experts discussed whether going green is viable for a business, delving into the details of equipping a business with strategy and practical knowhow on moving forwards.

An expert-led panel talked about creating a successful tender bid, after which Fusion for Business discussed managing rising energy costs. Also at the Green Business Expo, visitors had the opportunity to meet a panel of innovators who talked about how pioneering methods can challenge the norm by tackling market leaders and traditional methods.

In the Learning Hub, visitors were able to join experts for live workshops, talks and interactive knowledge sharing and competitions, as they delved into the challenges land-based colleges face.
Guests enjoyed a live panel talk on Wednesday and an open workshop on Thursday.

Vicky Panniers, organiser of SAGE, said: “We want to say a massive thank you to everyone who attended the event – both exhibitors and visitors. We know that many of our exhibitors made some big-ticket sales and that lots of hot leads were also taken, which is fantastic to hear. Watch this space to hear more about details for next year!”

Please visit https://sportsandgrounds.events/ for more information.

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