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DLF host the UKLCA

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DLF host the UKLCA: DLF Seeds recently opened the doors of their research & development centre in Didbrook, Gloucestershire, to host more than 20 members from the UK Lawn Care Association (UKLCA).

Following presentations from the DLF team on current and future challenges in seed selection and turf management, attendees were treated to an informative tour around the trial plots to see and compare the cultivars of both today and tomorrow…

DLF host the UKLCA

DLF host the UKLCA

The event in early July opened with a presentation from Regional Technical Manager Ian Barnett who delivered an introduction to DLF, their brands and methodology in producing pure quality seeds for every bag. Dog patch resistant mixtures were also discussed which was a popular topic with those in attendance – primarily working with customers from the domestic market. Technical Manager David Rhodes then followed with a useful session on species identification, followed by a presentation on the development and benefits of the BSPB seed guide.

Visitors were then treated to a tour of the trials area, where attendees could put the mornings theory into practice. The DLF team remained on hand to discuss the various pros and cons of the many different seed varieties in different environments and situations, whilst keeping an eye on new potential developments with a glimpse at some of the cultivars currently being trialled.

Jim Hewlett, UKLCA Vice Chairman said “It was a fascinating day, and there was much to learn from the presentations and test site – which clearly demonstrated the differences between varieties and informed attendees on what goes into research and production of the popular Johnsons, MM and Masterline ranges. Seed selection is extremely important to professional lawn care companies, and seeing this first-hand means we can be sure to choose the right and best cultivars to meet our customers’ requirements.”

Derek Smith, DLF Amenity Sales & Marketing Manager added, “It was a real pleasure to host members from the Lawn Care Association. It’s fantastic to be sharing our knowledge of turf grasses and wildflower meadows and is testament to the membership of the UKLCA that they are investing their time to ensure their knowledge is completely up to date with the latest technical data.”

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Titans of the tine world

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Titans of the tine world: The word Titan is synonymous with great strength, and that’s precisely what Toro delivers with its Titan tines. Built to last four times longer than a standard tine, the Titans of the tine world are only available through Reesink Turfcare, its branches and its approved dealer and service centre network.

Toro has created a tine to be reckoned with by combining a strong alloy with a unique heat treatment process and a long-lasting tungsten carbide blend tip. Their design means they have an in-built resistance to separation and breakage, which guarantees a longevity that’s unparalleled in the industry.

Titans of the tine world

Titans of the tine world

Michael Hampton, purchasing and sales process manager at Reesink Turfcare, says: “The extra strength results in far fewer change-outs, less downtime and more play – the perfect combination for operators and club budgets.

“Timing can make all the difference in the short and long run when it comes to aeration, so having a machine and parts that won’t let you down mid-programme is vital. Using high quality, durable parts made to fit your equipment exactly is key to keeping machinery working longer, more smoothly and delivering the best possible results every time.”

But it’s not just their longevity that make Titan tines so reliable. Sharp edges and smooth sides deliver clean cut holes, and on top of consistent aeration depth, operators can count on having better soil, drainage and nutrient performance as a result of using Toro Titan tines in their aeration programme.

Engineered to fit the entire Toro ProCore range, choosing Toro Titan tines ensures a perfect fit every time. Michael says: “Using spurious or inferior tines in an effort to cut costs isn’t worth the headache. Between replacing broken and bent parts and unclogging cores while on the job, a lot of man-hours and money goes down the drain. That’s not including the extended recovery time needed from post-aeration damage that comes with using will-fit parts.”

The good news is that there’s over 150 tines to choose from within the Titan Tine range. With so many on offer, it’s important to know how to pick the right one, and the first step is to calculate your number of holes per square foot. Using that number alongside the core diameter and the depth of aeration you can then determine the total surface area and volume of soil removed and can consult our tine selection chart to find the perfect tines for your specific application.

Alternatively, for more information on how Titan tines can help you to maintain a high standard of aeration, contact distributor Reesink Turfcare’s Toro parts department on 01480 226800, email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

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Only Johnsons can manage the microclimate at Maesteg

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Only Johnsons can manage the microclimate at Maesteg: The unique hilltop location of Maesteg Golf Club in Wales provides a challenge to golfers and greenkeepers alike, the picturesque playing surfaces nestled in a valley with its very own microclimate!

These conditions demand flexibility and durability from the grass seed, to cope with extremes of both moisture and temperature, and its mixtures from Johnsons Sports Seed that deliver just that. Deputy Head Greenkeeper James Matthewman explains how the combination of J Fescue, J All Bent and J 4Turf from DLF are retaining better coverage and plant health than ever, keeping them fungicide free for over four years.

Only Johnsons can manage the microclimate at Maesteg

Only Johnsons can manage the microclimate at Maesteg

“We first trialled Johnsons mixtures a good few years ago and right from the off, were impressed with the speed in which is germinated and established” explains James, who works alongside a team of three on the 18-hole James Braid designed course. “We wanted to go down the route of fescue, to fit with our sustainable maintenance approach and put us in a better position to cope with drought as our irrigation here isn’t the best.”

James and the team sought advice from their DLF Regional Technical Manager Ian Barnett, along with Zak Thackeray at Indigrow, who suggested they trial J Fescue from the Johnsons Sports Seed range. J Fescue is a 100% fine fescue mix, providing a blend of cultivars with high drought and salt tolerance and resistance to disease, resulting in a sward that requires lower inputs of water and fertiliser. “We overseed with J Fescue in the spring, and have used this for a couple of years now with excellent results. We were especially impressed with how the fescue coped with the drought last summer, and how we emerged with good grass!”

To provide additional sward strength, the team switch to the equally sustainable Johnsons J All Bent for renovations. “Because this likes the wetter conditions, we find we get great take and then retain this coverage through the winter months. These two mixtures combined have definitely helped to keep disease and weed ingress at bay which means we haven’t applied a fungicide for over four and a half years and any scarring is easy to treat with a spot of overseeding.”

On the back of advice from Ian, the team are also employing DLF’s 4Turf tetraploid ryegrass technology within the J 4Turf 50 mix to provide additional wear tolerance on tees and approaches. “We’ll aim to do a single or double pass at the start of the season, when the weather is right, and divot the tees with J 4Turf 50 throughout the year as and when needed. The germination we get with this is incredible!”

He concludes, “We are very unique, the course is unique and our climate is awkward to say the least. With our grass it’s very much survival of the fittest and so far, with Johnsons, it’s so good.”

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ES-34R is the one for Bromsgrove School

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ES-34R is the one for Bromsgrove School: The grounds team at Bromsgrove School has chosen the Dennis ES-34R as its first ever battery-powered mower. 

Richard Hare has been the Head Groundsperson at the prestigious Bromsgrove School in Worcestershire for nearly a decade. In his time at the school Richard has overseen many changes and has produced some truly wonderful sports pitches.

ES-34R is the one for Bromsgrove School

ES-34R is the one for Bromsgrove School

Richard is embarking on another exciting chapter at Bromsgrove School as he starts to explore the world of battery-powered equipment.

“The school is committed to change and is pushing for sustainability in a massive way. As the grounds team, we are on a mission to do exactly the same,” he said. “Approximately, 99% of the gardening team’s equipment is already battery-powered and our aim as the grounds department is the same. It is slightly more difficult because the equipment is bigger, but the technology is advancing all the time.”

Richard has already taken the first steps towards replacing all his petrol mowers with electric ones, and it all started with a Dennis ES-34R rotary mower.

“I looked at a few other battery-powered mowers, but I think it was always going to be Dennis,” he said. “I’ve always been a big fan of the equipment from Dennis and SISIS. Personally, I think the two brands have the best machines on the market.

“We started by replacing our Dennis PRO 34R rotary mower for its electric equivalent – the ES-34R. I will say that I love the petrol PRO 34R’s – they are brilliant, but the ES-34R is on another level. It is by far the best mower I have ever used.”

The ES-34R is a 34″ (860mm) battery powered twin blade rotary mower using the latest lithium-ion battery technology. It is ideal for fine turf mowing and cleaning up operations in stadia and training facilities. Utilising the contra rotating hardened steel blades and low chute ensures maximum collection performance.

While allowing ground staff to achieve an aesthetically pleasing appearance and desired playing surface, the E-Series range will also help meet sustainability and environmental initiatives, minimise carbon footprint, emissions, running costs, HAV’s and noise without any range anxiety.

“For a 34-inch mower it is just incredible how easy you can manoeuvre it,” continued Richard. “With it being electric there are less things that can go wrong. We’ve never once had a maintenance issue with it, and we have used it virtually every day since we bought it. It has saved us money on maintenance costs as well.”

ES-34R is the one for Bromsgrove School

ES-34R is the one for Bromsgrove School

Richard also revealed that the ES-34R is just the start of the Dennis electric evolution as he intends on switching his other PRO 34R, and his two G860 and two FT510 cylinder mowers to their electric equivalents.

Oliver Baldi-Turner, a member of the grounds team at Bromsgrove School, provided further insight into how the Dennis ES-34R fits into the maintenance schedule.

“Predominantly, we use it on the cricket square during the summer and on the rugby pitches during the winter months. It is such a quick machine – we can cut a cricket square in both directions in 42 minutes and a rugby pitch in less than 4 hours.

“We can use the ES-34R for about 7 hours before it needs charging. It is such a quick charge too – we put it on charge while we are having lunch and by the time we are finished, it is pretty much fully charged.

“The ES-34R always provides an equally as good cut, if not a better cut, than most cylinder mowers. Also, it works like a vacuum, so it is picking all the debris up as well. It is a highly efficient mower, leaves a brilliant finish.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

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

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STAR EV arrives at the Star of the North

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STAR EV arrives at the Star of the North: Royal Dornoch Golf Club in Scotland, known to many as the ‘star of the north’, has taken delivery of seven lithium-ion STAR EV Capella 2 Pro golf buggies from the UK distributor Reesink Scotland.

Most utility vehicles and golf buggies in the UK’s golf clubs are powered by lead acid batteries. Now with the option of lithium-ion, which is far superior, making the switch to the latest technology offering in this area is the logical next step. And STAR EV is fast proving itself to be the preferred option.

STAR EV arrives at the Star of the North

STAR EV arrives at the Star of the North

Take Royal Dornoch for example, when it replaced its fleet of buggies, it made the switch from lead acid to lithium-ion with STAR EV as Royal Dornoch general manager, Neil Hampton, explains: “It was time to replace our fleet of buggies which were eight years old, and it was a logical decision to choose lithium-ion.

“The technology in this area has come on exponentially since we invested in it eight years ago and STAR EV came top for price and value in our research. Plus, we knew the support would be good as the buggies were coming from Reesink Scotland whom we’ve worked with for years.”

Lithium-ion batteries are not only superior in terms of reliability and efficiency (95 percent compared to 75 percent of lead-acid) but are also safer to use. They charge faster, are more durable and able to withstand harsher environments, allow quick and partial charging without getting damaged, lose power much more slowly during discharge, waste less energy and require no maintenance, which saves on additional costs and time.

Not to mention the environmental advantages such as releasing no emissions or leaks while being charged, no expense of topping up with de-ionised water, or toxic chemicals being released in their manufacturing and recycling process. This is why, when Reesink started its e-Vehicles division, it made a very conscious decision to use only lithium and sealed, maintenance-free AGM battery options.

Plus, they are smaller and lighter, which is something Neil can attest to: “Royal Dornoch is essentially a walking course and the buggies used at the venue are for medical reasons. We can tell the STAR EV buggies are light on their feet, which was a top consideration in the purchasing decision, as we’ve been watching wear patterns on the grassed pathways.”

And when it comes to all the other aspects of lithium-ion vs lead acid, that’s something Neil involved his mechanic in: “We got our mechanic to check over all the vehicles we demoed, and STAR EV was collectively chosen as the best all-round.”

To find out more about STAR EV call 01480 226800 or go online at reesink-evehicles.co.uk

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