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EGO powers up with new professional chainsaw

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EGO powers up with new professional chainsaw: Leading battery-powered outdoor power equipment specialist, EGO Power Plus, has added a high-performance professional chainsaw to its range for forestry and garden professionals.

The CSX5000 is the first in a new generation of rear-handle chainsaws designed for demanding work. With a 30m/s chain speed, it provides comparable performance to established petrol saws; but brings all the benefits of battery power.

EGO powers up with new professional chainsaw

EGO powers up with new professional chainsaw

Chris Buck, Product Manager at EGO, said: “The most demanding ground saw applications require precision, power, and good ergonomics. The CSX5000 delivers all three in a saw that matches or exceeds the performance of petrol saws.”

Ideal for bar lengths of 40cm – 50cm, the CSX5000 has a 50cm full chisel chain for fast and efficient cutting and metal bumper spikes for extra stability when cross-cutting. Perfect for light forestry work, it copes comfortably with felling and cross-cutting tasks. An integrated felling line enhances safety by ensuring the user can see in which direction the tree or branches will fall.

Weight distribution is integral to the saw’s performance and safety, so EGO’s product development team have ensured the CSX5000 has a centralised battery position to provide optimal tool balance. The handle positions also ensure comfort when both cross-cutting and felling.

The saw also features a new display screen that enables the user to quickly check all the key parameters of the saw, such as oil level, battery capacity and set speed. The operator can use the LCD control panel to change the chain speed down to 25 or 20m per second and control the oil rate to ensure the most efficient cutting possible. In addition, there is a translucent oil tank for easy level viewing and a flat filling position to minimise the risk of spills.

“The CSX5000 is a truly powerful and robust chainsaw that is specifically designed for forestry and garden professionals as well as landscapers and grounds care specialists,” added Chris. “With zero emissions as well as far lower operating overheads and maintenance costs, it offers a great return on investment.”

The CSX5000 is part of the new PRO X series of hard-wearing and powerful tools for professionals, which also includes a lawn mower, hedge trimmers, brush cutters, and grass trimmers.

For more information on the new PRO X series from EGO, visit; www.egopowerplus.co.uk

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Etesia UK Gears Up for GroundsFest

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Etesia UK Gears Up for GroundsFest: Etesia UK is excited to return to GroundsFest for the second consecutive year. Attendees can visit stand OSA150 at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on 10 and 11 September to explore Etesia’s impressive lineup, including pedestrian and ride-on mowers, brushcutters, and the award-winning ET Lander electric utility vehicle.

Etesia UK, known for its high-quality grass cutting equipment, will unveil the ET Lander’s new differential lock feature, which enhances traction and versatility for off-road use. This innovative electric utility vehicle is fully N1 homologation compliant, making it road-legal and capable of extended off-road use. Its lithium-ion batteries offer a range of up to 100km and compatibility with standard type 2 EV car chargers.

Etesia UK Gears Up for GroundsFest

Etesia UK Gears Up for GroundsFest

The ET Lander, a 100% electric vehicle, is spacious, user-friendly, and built on a robust chassis. It boasts a three-way tipper bed with dual control from the two-seater cab or remote control. With a compact length of 3.72 meters, power steering, a short turning radius of 4.40 meters, and 360° visibility, it manoeuvres easily in tight spaces. The vehicle can transport loads up to 940kg and tow up to 750kg, with a full day’s autonomy and no noise pollution.

Etesia will also feature the Electric Bahia M2EL, the world’s first 100% electric professional ride-on mower with grass collection. Powered by a 48V, 100Ah lithium battery, the Bahia M2EL offers up to 4 hours and 30 minutes of operation on a single charge. Its compact size, tight turning circle, and excellent stability on slopes make it ideal for various mowing tasks.

The electric Bahia is also highly economical, with running costs of £0.35 compared to £3.57 for its petrol counterpart, and reduced maintenance needs.

Etesia’s knowledgeable staff will be available throughout GroundsFest to provide expert advice and assistance on all products.

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk.

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

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Toro stands up to tough terrain

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Toro stands up to tough terrain: In a theme of fives, Calcot Park Golf Club has received five new Toro machines on a five-year lease. Headlining the fleet is the Reelmaster 5410 with five cutting units for tackling the challenging terrain of the course with unrelenting ease for years.

The club, situated on the Berkshire border, is no stranger to Toro. In fact, according, to Course Manager Tom Jennings, 100 percent of its machinery fleet is red and that’s as much for its longevity as it is its performance.

Toro stands up to tough terrain

Toro stands up to tough terrain

“Toro machinery is bulletproof when it comes to longevity. We have fairway mowers here that are up to 13 years old, which is impressive for the amount of work they do,” says Tom.

It’s no surprise then that when the time came to upgrade its machines with a five-year lease deal, Toro was the only option considered. And one machine in particular that has made its mark is the Reelmaster 5410 with five cylinders.

“The topography at our course is very up and down, and being a heavy clay site, we need a machine that can handle that, especially in the winter,” says Tom. “As a parkland course, we’ve got thicker grasses and lots of them and the sheer quantity and the coarser texture can be tough to get through, but it presents no problem for Toro and in particular the five-cylinder mower.”

In a fleet deal that also includes two new Greensmaster 3400 mowers, a Reelmaster 3100 sidewinder, and Groundsmaster 4000 – all provided by Reesink Turfcare, Tom says all the mowers work hand in hand to navigate the Harry Colt designed course and also singles out the Reelmaster 3100 for commendation.

“We’ve got the 3100 coming in on the lease as well. It’s a smaller machine which is why we chose it. Our course was built in 1930 and a lot of the complexes are quite small and tight; this sidewinder is flexible enough to get around them, whereas others on the market tend to be too bulky for the job.”

The club benefits from Reesink’s lease deal which allows it to renew its range of machines every five years. “Opting into a lease deal works well for the club,” says Tom. “I know that if we get a five-year lease, in five years from now I’m not only going to get the machines and the brand that performs best on the course; but benefit from the latest technology and the latest machines that could also benefit the course.”

And Tom and his team have their sights set on electric power next. “We’ll be considering some of the electric machines next time. We’re in an urban area and I think this will be helpful with our mowing routines,” he concludes.

Learn more about Toro’s technology and how it could benefit your course, by calling distributor Reesink at 01480 226800, emailing info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visiting reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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No Mow May? Or mix up the monocrop lawn?

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No Mow May? Or mix up the monocrop lawn?: The popularity of the environmental movement ‘No Mow May’ is growing like a damp lawn in the summer sun.

According to organisers Plantlife, the annual movement is aimed at providing a feast for pollinators, tackling pollution, reducing urban heat extremes, and sequestering atmospheric carbon in the soil.

No Mow May? Or mix up the monocrop lawn?

No Mow May? Or mix up the monocrop lawn?

As well as those vital pollinators, the campaign attracts its fair share of supporters, celebrity and otherwise.

Chris Packham recently took to social media to encourage his followers to buy his No Mow May t-shirts, and councils the length and breadth of Britain are clamouring to highlight their involvement with the initiative to bolster their environmental credentials with an easy win.

But does the annual campaign actually do any good for the environment and encourage an increase in pollinator numbers? Or is it just another example of greenwashing, something that makes people think they are doing good but in reality, has little real impact?

What’s in a lawn?

As someone who has specialised in growing turf for almost 40 years, grass is something of an obsession for me.

What I have learned in that time is that just letting a lawn grow out for a few weeks in spring rarely, if ever, leads to the ‘wildflower’ effect Plantlife seems to suggest in the images on its website.

So, what actually happens if you don’t cut your grass during May? The answer to this depends largely on what’s in your lawn to begin with.

If it’s been there a very long time and has not been treated to remove ‘weeds’, there is a chance that other species will emerge as a result of reduced mowing, leading to an increase in biodiversity in your lawn.

This, in turn, may well increase the number of insects that visit your garden during May, including those all-important pollinators.

However, even if this is the case, do not expect the emergence of a bright, multi-coloured, wildflower meadow effect, as so much of the marketing material appears to imply.

A few dandelions and daisies might come through, adding a welcome splash of colour, as well as some clovers, but anything beyond this is unlikely to materialise simply by leaving your grass alone.

This scenario also doesn’t represent the majority of lawns in the UK. Most are established by laying a modern cultivated turf that contains a dense mixture of dwarf perennial ryegrasses and fescues. Left to grow out, they simply get longer and stragglier while trying to put up seed heads.

Not a pretty sight and no biodiversity increase at all. After all, these turf mixtures are designed to be mown regularly and look neat and pristine with perfect stripes, not to increase insect numbers.

Raising awareness?

Of course, many might argue that despite creating few tangible benefits for wildlife, No Mow May drives awareness of biodiversity loss and that has to be a good thing.

Well, perhaps, but by positioning it as the solution, it may well do the opposite of what it is trying to achieve.

After all, those taking part will get to the end of May thinking they have done their bit for wildlife when in fact nothing significant has been achieved. Worse still, they then cut the lawn, immediately undoing any benefits that were achieved.

Improve biodiversity by improving biodiversity

So, if it’s time to say no to No Mow May, what can people do to improve biodiversity in their gardens and provide a home for wildlife?

The answer is in the question. If you want to increase the variety of creatures attracted to your garden, start by increasing the variety of plants in your garden.

Use the margins of your lawn to produce a full wildflower effect, which can be achieved via a wildflower turf or by sowing wildflower seeds. Or, for those who want to go a step further, replacing your lawn with a species-rich turf that includes a blend of hardy grasses and wildflowers to create a truly biodiverse area.

Not only will this be great for pollinators, but it will still stand up to the daily rigours of being walked on and having children ride bikes and play on it.

Time to mix up the monocrop lawn?

So, while no more No Mow May might be a good first step, perhaps a better one would be to mix up the monocrop lawn and replace parts of it with a richer variety of species. You can still have your strips, but giving over part of your garden to an area rich in plants will attract pollinators throughout the whole of the summer.

If everyone with a garden were to do this, perhaps we might truly start to reverse the worsening biodiversity crisis and turn our outdoor spaces into the wildlife havens they have every potential to be.

But that will never be achieved within the tight confines of a single month.

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Garden spend ending up in the ditch due to flooding

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Garden spend ending up in the ditch due to flooding: British people are wasting £2.9 million on their gardens, thanks to a low understanding of their flood risk, according to new data published today by Flood Re, the joint initiative between the UK government and the insurance industry.   

Despite the cost-of-living crisis, Brits spent £17.6 billion on their gardens last year – an average of £402 per UK adult – but a low awareness of their flood risk means they’re currently wasting £2.9M on their gardens, which are being battered by heavy rain and surface water flooding.

Garden spend ending up in the ditch due to flooding

Garden spend ending up in the ditch due to flooding

In total, 5.4 million (1 in 8) UK adults with gardens have experienced the devastating impact of flooding on their green spaces.

With February 2024 being the wettest on record for over 250 years and 1 in 4 homes in the UK at risk of floodingi, this National Gardening Week Flood Re wants people to start getting smart about their garden spending.

High Risk, Low Awareness 

The data also reveals only 5% of people living in high-risk areas could correctly identify their flood risk. Worryingly, 68% of people in high-risk flood areas think their flood risk is low. This low awareness of flood risk means green fingered Brits are at risk of investing time and money in their gardens that could be washed way.

The research shows Brits are not taking the crucial steps they need to protect their homes and gardens. Indeed, 90% of homeowners, rising to 93% in high and mid flood risk areas, haven’t taken any steps to make their homes and gardens more flood resilient. Despite the extreme weather conditions, this doesn’t look to be changing, with only 9% of homeowners planning to add flood resilience measures to their homes and gardens in the next year.

Furthermore, almost half (46%) of people in high and mid flood risk areas said flood risk had “no impact at all” on where they have chosen to live.

Flood Devastation 

The picture couldn’t be more different for those who have experienced flooding in their home and garden, with 62% claiming risk of flooding has since impacted where they choose to live.  With 41% of those who have experienced flooding considering implementing flood resilience modifications (compared to only 4% of Brits who haven’t experienced flooding), Flood Re is on hand to offer easy, cost-effective ways to smartly invest in your garden as a flood prevention tool.

Gardens are an important and cost-effective first line of defence to flooding. Properly managed, domestic gardens can channel, absorb and store large quantities of water, which means the risk to buildings and property is mitigated. The risk of localised and downstream flooding is reduced too.

From Roots to Resilience 

Choosing a variety of plants such as willow, water mint and astilbe can help ensure your garden can thrive in varying water conditions and withstand the challenges posed by climate change, from drought to inundation.

Similarly, slowing the flow of water into your garden will significantly reduce local flooding risks by diverting rainwater away from infrastructure, easing the burden on drainage systems and avoiding costly upgrades down the line.

To demonstrate how to harness your garden’s natural flood resilience, Flood Re are teaming up with leading garden designer Dr Ed Barsley and Naomi Slade and, to unveil the Flood Resilient Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May. The garden has been carefully designed to show how people can protect their gardens and homes against extreme weather and learn how to increase their flood resilience from the ground up.

Build Back Better

In the event of a flood, Flood Re’s Build Back Better scheme allows eligible customers with specific home insurers to receive up to £10,000 as part of a claim.

The amount is meant for home and garden improvements that go beyond basic repairs, focusing on enhancing the property’s resilience against future floods.

Andy Bord, Chief Executive Officer, Flood Re said: “The research clearly shows there is a job to be done to educate people about their flood risk. Gardens are cherished spaces that bring joy to so many of us, so why wouldn’t we want to not only protect them from harm but actively harness their power to prevent them from future damage? Your garden can be both beautiful and resilient to extreme wet weather. We’re hopeful this research and the Flood Resilient Garden will help people think about their flood risk and consider the plants and garden features that will both endure a flood and help reduce destruction and distress to their home when a flood hits.”

Dr. Ed Barsley, Environmental Design Expert said: “The research clearly shows that the majority of people aren’t aware that their garden or home is at flood risk of flooding until it’s too late. However, what’s positive to note is that there are a variety of practical and cost-effective measures that gardener owners can take to save themselves emotional and financial stress further down the line.”

Nikki Stocks, 63 from Lancashire said: “In the chaos of the flooding, I felt overwhelmed, unsure of how to safeguard my home and happiness due to financial restrictions. It’s affected my mental health because now I’m always anxious when it rains and how bad it could get for my home”.

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