Tag Archive for: tip-top

Acuspray keeps large lawns in tip-top condition

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Acuspray keeps large lawns in tip-top condition: For professional arable farmer Michael Godfrey, investing in accurate, reliable and efficient spraying equipment that delivers excellent results is always important – regardless of whether he’s running his agricultural business, Godfrey Farms, or simply spraying the extensive lawns which surround the family home.

Michael, based near Bluntisham in Cambridgeshire, is very much “hands-on” in running the family farming business, so time – or lack of it – is his biggest challenge when it comes to maintaining the significant area of manicured lawn that makes up the bulk of his garden.

Acuspray keeps large lawns in tip-top condition

Acuspray keeps large lawns in tip-top condition

Michael says” Although I’d never describe myself as a professional groundsman, I am a keen gardener and with several hundred square meters of fine lawn to maintain, a traditional knapsack sprayer simply doesn’t offer the capacity or accuracy level I require.

“In the 1990’s I worked closely with Techneat Engineering to help them manufacture the Autocast V2, a broadcasting system for oilseed rape and cover crops that I originally designed, so I’m well aware of their reputation for manufacturing high quality machinery. When Techneat Technical Manager James English approached me to trial the companies’ Acuspray pedestrian sprayer, I was more than happy to work with them again.

“The machine is lightweight, quick to set up and easy to use featuring a unique wheel driven pump that produces an accurate, repeatable application rate for applying a wide range of liquid fertilisers, moss treatments and other turfcare products. Key design features include a 1m spray width boom and a 25L tank capacity, enough to cover 625m2 of lawn.

“Overall build quality on the Acuspray is excellent with non-drip nozzle valves and nozzle filters fitted as standard. Additional options include bout markers, a boom cover and a spray control lever. The machine is virtually noise-free, meaning I can use it early in the morning or in the evening without disturbing anyone in the house and the productivity, ease of use and accuracy of the Acuspray is far superior to a knapsack sprayer.

“There’ve been no maintenance issues since I acquired the Acuspray, it has a high level of build quality, it’s quiet, simple to operate and for a large garden like mine where frequent lawn treatments are required, it’s the perfect pedestrian sprayer” concludes Michael.

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Kubota keeps Mount Kelly in tip-top condition

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Kubota keeps Mount Kelly in tip-top condition: A fleet of machinery from Kubota has been described as ‘critical’ to the maintenance programme at Mount Kelly College and Prep School, replacing an array of equipment lost in a major blaze in November 2021.

Grounds Manager Mat Stevens has praised a pair of cabbed compact tractors and the two GR2120 ride on mowers for their roles in keeping the 140-acre site presentable, while their new RTV X1110 has vastly improved both accessibility and productivity.

Kubota keeps Mount Kelly in tip-top condition

Kubota keeps Mount Kelly in tip-top condition

The grounds and gardens that make up the Mount Kelly complex are a hive of activity, not just providing sports and recreational facilities for students, but open to community and club use – including Chelsea FC who have used the winter sports pitches for Girls and Junior fixtures. A team of ten assist Mat in the maintenance who, for the last year, has been tasked with replacing their equipment bank following a shed fire at the site.

“We have had Kubota equipment here for 15 years or so, and while we have used other tractors in that time, we came back to Kubota as it has always been the best suited to our requirements and is a brand we all know and trust” explains Mat. “We opted for a L2452 and ST40 tractor, both cabbed, which means we can keep the team safe and healthy in all weathers. They are equipped with everything you’d want for a comfortable operator experience and the illuminated dash display is great for easily keeping an eye on fuel usage, PTO revs and hours etc.” He adds, “Both of these compact tractors have plenty of pulling power and their 4×4 drive makes light work of the heavier tasks where trailers are required.”

Alongside the L2452 and ST40, local dealer Vincent Tractors also delivered a pair of GR2120 ride-on mowers which Mat says are perfect for cutting around the lawns, particularly in areas where tractor access is limited. “It couldn’t be easier to adjust the height of cut and raise and lower the cutting deck on these which makes changing the set-up between different areas super simple. The 450-litre grass collector holds plenty of clippings, reducing the amount of time spent emptying and, again, an easy lever system makes the task quick and simple.”

“These machines, along with our new RTV X1110, have had a massive impact on how we get tasks done – in better time and with improved accessibility all round.” The X1110 from Kubota’s RTV Series brings a smoother ride, more comfort and even better drivability, ergonomically designed for optimum driver comfort and control. “This is an amazing bit of kit! We’ve not had one for the site before so previously would have to walk or share the tractor to get equipment around. The open back has plenty of space for tools and the hydraulic tip function means we can easily remove any soil or debris. Its ability to seat two people comfortably and its great off-road capability gives the team access to any part of the estate in any weather or ground conditions for improved productivity.”

“Another bonus is the fantastic support we get on Kubota products from the team at Vincent Tractors. Getting parts is super easy and communication and servicing is never a problem.” Mat concludes, “We couldn’t be happier with these additions to our equipment bank and each of them are making a real difference to our maintenance programme and keeping the site presentable throughout the year.”

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Taunton’s tip-top pitch

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Taunton’s tip-top pitch: Everybody knows Taunton Town has an impressive pitch that always looks in tip top condition.

Read the full article from the Somerset County Gazette here

Taunton's tip-top pitch

Taunton’s tip-top pitch

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Top-Brush leaves tip-top finish

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Top-Brush leaves tip-top finish: At Windlesham Golf Club in Surrey, brushing is becoming a regular, year-round operation following the purchase of a Redexim Top-Brush in December 2020.

Bought initially to aid the dispersal of worm casts, Assistant Course Manager Graeme Roberts has also discovered the benefits the Top-Brush can bring to course presentation and moisture removal – playing a core role in maintaining plant health.

Top-Brush leaves tip-top finish

Top-Brush leaves tip-top finish

Nestled in the Surrey countryside, Windlesham offers a championship parkland golf course shaped and maintained by Course Manager Leigh Powell, Graeme and the team of 9, that provides a test to golfers of all abilities. “Because of the heavy soil profile of the course, and the ongoing reduction in chemicals, it became apparent that we needed to find a solution to the issues we were experiencing with worm casts over the autumn and winter months” explains Graeme. “We had the Top-Brush in on demonstration for a week and were so impressed that we bought the demo unit from our dealer, Lister Wilder.”

“The Top-Brush gives us a sustainable way to stay on top of casts, and at 6m wide it is quick and effective at covering the fairways, leaving a high-quality finish while staying ahead of the golf.” When worm cast season died down, the Top-Brush was then utilised twice weekly for brushing ahead of the mowers – to remove dew and dry the plant out, improving the quality of cut and reducing the clumping of clippings. “The fact that the brushes can change rotational direction is really handy. We tend to run them in the opposite direction of travel to stand the plant up more effectively but if we’re working on smaller areas, we can simply change the brush direction as we move backwards and forwards.”

As well as changing brush direction, working depth can also be adjusted, making the Top-Brush a versatile tool for a light surface brush – suitable for clearing dew, incorporating topdressing material or removing clippings – or a deeper, more aggressive surface agitation to effectively rid large areas of organic matter. “We’ve been really pleased with how it has been removing dead material and debris from the sward, thereby helping to improve the plants growing environment without having to use more invasive and time-consuming techniques.”

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