6 minute read
In Action
The right mix groundsman Ed Mowe, the question was Using the right combination of Headland how to maximise products, at the right time, has paid the efficacy dividends for Leicester Tigers Rugby Club of a fungicide application given the approaching conditions. The answer was a tank mix of Dedicate and Tangent SDR from Headland Amenity – applied in a window of just 60 minutes with impressive results. Assisting Ed with the maintenance at the Welford Road Stadium and Oval Park training ground is a team of two grounds staff and an apprentice; with Headland’s sports turf specialist Alex Hawkes on hand to provide The pitch at Leicester Tigers Rugby Club is now looking fantastic advice on all things nutritional. “While we wouldn’t ordinarily A weather forecast of significant gamble on spraying in a weather rainfall combined with warm, window as tight as one hour, we humid temperatures means only trusted Alex’s recommendation and one thing for grounds managers it was a decision that paid off,” – high disease pressure. For says Ed. “We sprayed the Dedicate Leicester Tigers Rugby Club head and Tangent SDR mix, it ‘stuck’ to the plant and we emerged from the extremely high-pressure period with a stadium pitch clear of disease.”
Applied in June, Tangent SDR is a natural spray additive that utilises the sticking effect of Terpineol to enhance spray retention on the grass and improve uptake of the spray. “It has fantastic low dilution rates making it a cost-effective way of making applications rainfast to maximise results,” says Ed. “On this occasion, it was tank-mixed with Dedicate turf fungicide as a protectant against Fusarium Patch and Leaf Spot. We have also been using Tangent SDR with a plant growth regulator at our training ground which is frequently subject to strong winds. The ‘sticking’ effect has undoubtedly helped us to save on chemical, and therefore money, there as well.”
Find out more at www.headlandamenity.com
Limagrain seeds help Oxford University’s sports sites stay in prime condition
Oxford University has a long history of sporting success as well as academic achievements. The man tasked with maintaining the university’s sports facilities is Jon Buddington, who has been grounds manager there for two years.
As a frequent user of Limagrain seed throughout his 30-year career, Jon was not surprised to see Limagrain’s MM50 seed performing well on a newly constructed cricket square upon the start of his tenure at the university.
“The new cricket square was overseeded with MM50 and because of the great results we continued to use it,” he said. “Now we overseed with MM50 at the end of the cricket season and put a bit on pre-season just before we start rolling. It has very good wear tolerance and we hardly ever get any debris.”
MM50, a blend of fine-leaved ryegrasses, is ideal for cricket squares and outfields. This hard-wearing mix has rapid germination, very fine leaved appearance, high shoot density and is tolerant to very close mowing, along with high disease resistance. These attributes produce a fantastic sward that has great colour all year round. It is also widely praised for its rapid recovery.
In the early stages of his role, Jon’s attentions turned towards the winter pitches. His supplier, MW Turfcare, advised trying Limagrain’s MM60 seed on the rugby and football pitches. This 100% ryegrass formula is perfect for renovation and divot repair, has a high disease resistance, strong aesthetic
MM seed is first-class at Oxford University
qualities and offers fast germination – which is boosted by the inclusion of Headstart Gold.
“We renovate and overseed with MM60 at the end of the rugby and football seasons. Generally, we tend to apply MM60 to these pitches at the end of May and we get very good germination. We have a strong colour all year round.”
For more information visit www.lgseeds.co.uk/mm
Major renovation
Bespoke PRG mix from DLF significantly improves the form for Billingbear Polo Club
Having been laid for over 25 years and showing the signs of significant thatch build-up, the fields at Billingbear Polo Club were fully renovated for the first time in the autumn of 2019. Part of the King Power Polo group, the renovation was conducted by Shorts Agricultural Services, with a bespoke mixture by DLF delivering the deeprooting, hard wearing coverage demanded for equestrian use.
“A renovation of this scale had never been conducted before but with the field becoming slippy and areas breaking up easily, the time was right,” explains Billingbear head groundsman Damian Chec. LongA Lancashire junior football club has taken delivery of a Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8 HD deep aerator after some sage advice from two top industry professionals.
Volunteer groundsman, Mark Bolton at Brinscall Village Juniors FC, had a behind the scenes tour of Wembley in October 2019, meeting head groundsman, Karl Standley. Five months later, Karl and Scott Brooks, who was then still the head groundsman at The FA’s St George’s Park, visited Mark at one of the five pitches used by the Lancashire club.
“They recognised ours is heavy standing contractor partner Shorts was called in to fraise mow, aerate, seed and topdress the surface.
“When it came to the seed, we had a specification to work to which we gave to Craig Spooner at DLF Seeds,” says James Winfield, manager at Shorts. “I’ve worked alongside Craig in the past and know that DLF will deliver a mixture that meets the spec provided but that also takes into consideration any complexities of each individual site. The support and advice we received was excellent.”
To deliver rapid establishment, quick germination and a hardwearing sward, Craig blended a bespoke 100% perennial ryegrass mix featuring top-rated Johnsons Sports Seed cultivar Monroe – adding exceptional recovery and disease resistance to the list of mixture properties. James and the team applied the seed in September and, despite very challenging weather conditions over the winter, only minor overseeding was required clay soil,” said Mark, “and advised that the pitches should be aerated every five weeks to put fractures into the clay to get it open. They suggested, as Wiedenmann aerators are incredibly fast, I should try one. So, that’s what we did. Ben Cook, from dealer Balmers GM at Burnley, and Wiedenmann UK’s Mike James and Andy Kerr came to demonstrate when restrictions allowed.”
In September 2020, Brinscall Juniors was awarded £45,000 thanks to Lancashire FA and a Football Foundation grant. With the funds, the team bought a Wiedenmann Terra Spike, as well as an Iseki tractor, a Wessex RMX mower and a Charterhouse multi-sport.
The Terra Spike went straight into use removing compaction, improving drainage and promoting root growth with all pitches initially spiked to a depth of 175mm using 12mm tines.
The fields at Billingbear Polo Club in Berkshire have now been completely renovated
in the spring in one particularly compacted area of the pitch. “We achieved good, strong and even growth,” comments James.
The deep rooting nature of perennial rye has also helped to improve the surface’s playability when fixtures re-commenced in early September 2020.
“The issues we were having with divots and areas breaking up have now been completely eliminated,” adds Damian.
For more information visit
Good advice
Wiedenmann GXi8 HD proves central to maintenance plans for Brinscall Village Juniors FC
www.dlf.co.uk
The Wiedenmann Terra Spike has made work much easier at Brinscall Village Juniors FC
“Already, I’ve used the GXi8 on our Abbey site to get standing water away from a corner. One particular area where thatch is a major issue will be hollow-cored in spring to get sand deep into the soil profile, then the plan is to continue light tining across the summer with 8mm tines. We’ve also promised to assist local schools with free aeration of their pitches.”
