Turf Matters November December 2023

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Independent school grounds’ practices – a lesson for us all

Brilliant Bromsgrove PLUS

WET, WET, WETTER

Making the most of artificial surfaces

It’ s

THE BEST FROM SYNTHETICS

he gu re – id s e ee t in o S ou si A r b de LT u EX m pe r

The boost wetting agents bring

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WELCOME

TURF

iWelcome

Goodforget news all round Don’t Sport…

Distributed every two months to sports turf professionals, independent schools, universities, local authorities and buyers of turfcare machinery and products.

Distributed every two months to sports turf professionals, local authorities Editor: Scott MacCallum and buyers of turfcare machinery and scott@turfmatters.co.uk products.

It’s astonishing to think that we are well into the back nine of 2023 and The last two months have been a nightmare for many people in certain that 2024 is beckoning. parts of the country and my heart goes out to everyone dealing with

aftermath unprecedented flooding and devastating erosion.

It’sthe been another of tumultuous year on all fronts and we can only pray beston case scenario for closer many to is months of temporary living.and For that The the war Ukraine is also the end than the beginning, others, lives will never return to what they were. that the recent conflict involving Israel and Hamas doesn’t gain more While the fate of sports grounds and golf clubs might seem momentum and loss life. inconsequential inof the face of such hardship, we at Turf Matters have

Design/Production Editor: Tim Moat Editor: Scott MacCallum tim@turfmatters.co.uk scott@turfmatters.co.uk Design and Production Editor: Tim Moat Sales Executive: tim@turfmatters.co.uk Marie Anderson

a particular empathy everyone has seen of the agronomic Back here we have Saltexwith on the horizonwho while the newyears kid on block – husbandry literally washed away in the space of a few weeks.

GroundsFest – got off to an excellent start in Stoneleigh in September.

It must be hoped that banks – the financial institutions, not the

marie@turfmatters.co.uk Sales Manager: Pauline Thompson

To advertise in Turf Matters, Contributor: call Pauline on 07720 055676 or Summer Rogers email pauline@turfmatters.co.uk

which – take anItunderstanding approach I’vethings always beenedge a big overflown advocate ofrivers competition. makes everyone raise to sporting facilities which have been unable to service loans as a their game and while GroundFest is different, with its indoor/outdoor result of them being unplayable and so unable to bring in revenue. offering and Landscaping Zone, to the other two main Association-run As we have seen with the recent Winter Olympics, sport has such a Shows, there ampleon opportunity allbe three look tofor maximise galvanisingiseffect society andfor can the to catalyst so muchtheir good, strengths and work on their supposed weaknesses going forward. that it is imperative sporting facilities are not forgotten when the

To advertise in Turf Matters, To subscribe, go to email marie@turfmatters.co.uk

www.turfmatters.co.uk Turf Matters is published by Straight Down the Middle Ltd. Down Turf MattersCommunications is published by Straight the Middle Communications Ltd. All material © Turf Matters magazine 2023.

promised assistance is being allocated.

That can only ultimately improve the visitor experience, which turnbeen is On the issue of improving sporting facilities, weinhave more rewardinginvited for exhibitors.

by Briggs & Stratton to become involved in its Pitch

All material ©Writing Turf Matters magazine Awarded Best and Best Design 2014. in the Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association No part of this publication may be (TOCA) Awards 2019-2022 inclusive reproduced in any form whatsoever, either or not, without written No partfor of sale this publication may the be reproduced permission of the publisher. in any form whatsoever, eitherInformation for sale or contained in Turf Matters is published not, without the written permission of the in good faith and every effort has publisher.

Information contained in been Turf Matters made to ensure its accuracy. is published in good faith and Turf everyMatters effort can accept no responsibility for any error has been made to ensure its accuracy.

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All liability forforloss, error or misrepresentation.

Allor liability disappointment, negligence other for loss, disappointment, negligence or other damage damage caused by reliance on information caused by reliance on information contained in Turf Matters or in thecontained event of in Turf bankruptcy Matters or inor the event of any any liquidation or bankruptcy cessation or liquidation cessation of trade of anyorcompany, of trade of or any company, individual firm individual orisfirm mentioned is hereby excluded. mentioned hereby excluded.

to Win competition, which provides a £3,000 makeover for Can I also take this opportunity to congratulate Ignacio Sota and Lara what is judged to be the Under 18s football pitch in most Arias for the wonderful condition which theyI am presented Finca need – find out more on in pages 16-17. on the judging Cortesin and Marco golf clubs the Solheim Cup panel and visitsSimone will be made to a for shortlist of deserving and Ryder soon.

Cups respectively.

They were both outstanding pitches We will be looking not so much at the DESSO but the desperate! and lay the foundations for positive European results in Oncases. a final note, I am thrilled by the reception that the both first issue of Turf Matters received. Many people have taken time tolike sayto how much the look of the I would also wish Larathey and liked Alejandro all the very magazine and how enjoyed the articles. We’re all best for their new they arrival in December. pleased you found it to your liking and we will work hard Scott MacCallum, Editor to maintain the high standards.

Thank you all very much.

Printed by Warners Midlands PLC. Printed by Warners Midlands PLC.

Scott MacCallum, Editor You can follow me on Twitter @TurfMatters

Inside issue Insidethis this issue News..........................................................4-14 News .........................................................4-15 Synthetic surfaces...........................16-18 Pitch to Win........................................16-17 Golf..........................................................20-22 Mowing .................................19-22, 24-27 Wetting agents..................................25-28 Tea Break Teaser ......................................29 Groundsfest review........................30-31 Gleneagles..........................................30-35 Bromsgrove School.........................34-42 BTME review ......................................36-41 SALTEX introduction.......................44-46 Diary of a Golfing Nobody.................42 SALTEX floor plan.............................48-49 As seen on Twitter..................................43 SALTEX exhibitor profiles............50-77 Buyers’out Guide. ...................................80-82 Check our .website: The majesty of Gleneagles, pages 30-35 Focus on latest developments in golf: pages 20-22 Subscribe FREE to our e-zine: Details at www.turfmatters.co.uk

Check out our website: www.turfmatters.co.uk www.turfmatters.co.uk Next magazine distributed 2 May

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NEWS

GREENHEAVEN TALL FESCUE FOR BLACK BEARS Miles Properjohn, Head Groundsman at Black Bears Polo Club, has been relying on ICL’s Greenheaven cultivar in an attempt to increase the percentage of tall fescue in the one of the world’s most renowned polo pitches.Lower Bolney Farm in Oxfordshire has deservedly gained a reputation for having some of the best facilities. The Grounds team is led by Miles who has honed his skills at Black Bears.

“The pitch was originally sown with tall fescue, and we have since used other cultivars for a few seasons,” he said. “We are now keen to build back the percentage of tall fescue as we see its benefit in providing a hard wearing, playing surface ICL’s Martyn Parrish, said: “It’s been very much a collaborative effort.” n www.icl-growing solutions.uk

MAKING TURF MATTER

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No sleepless nights with MM50 Jamie Foyster, owner of Sportsturf Management, has revealed that he has been sleeping that little bit easier since using MM50 grass seed.

When Jamie is not providing first class management, installation, and repair of cricket pitches, he somehow finds time to be the Chairman of the Essex County Groundsman Association.

He first turned to MM50 ten years ago after trialling various brands of seed. It was the seed which impressed him the most and he has used it ever since.

MM50 possesses exceptional shoot density

along with tolerance to close mowing making it particularly suitable for cricket squares. This superior mix contains the perennial ryegrass cultivars, Singapore, Venice, Alison and Malibu, which are renowned for providing a great sward for cricket use.

Singapore is a fantastic cultivar for cricket partly due to its ability to recover from play and wear very quickly meaning that wickets can be back in play quicker after use.

“We use MM50 across all of the grounds we look after,” said Jamie. “For the end of season work we will generally overseed every square - and then during the season, there might be a few ends which need topping up a little bit just to thicken them out. We might also use it later in the season to get the grass back in the foot holes to repair them and level them off.

“In terms of the grass plant the MM50 produces,

you get very good root depth and density, which gives it its brilliant wear tolerance. I have one pitch where they had six days of cricket and between the five-foot markers, the important bit in the middle of the pitch, it was still good grass coverage. This shows you how strong the plant is and that’s what you want, because sometimes the weather dictates that you must use a pitch more than you want to.”

MM50 is also treated with Headstart Gold, a seaweedbased seed treatment which helps to ensure rapid and even germination. This tried and tested grass seed treatment helps the seed get off to the best possible start – making it ideal to use in the less than favourable conditions that can sometimes be found on cricket pitches during renovations.

“When there is rain, I can get MM seed up to about an inch within a week.”

CAMPEY BRINGS BEST TO EUROPE WITH EIGHT COUNTRY TOUR Campey Turf Care Systems has completed an eight-country demonstration tour visiting 14 venues as the company continues to provide industry-leading customer support and training.

The dates comprised sports turf and golf-specific events at Royal Krakow GC, Poland, Golf de Giez, France, the training ground of Hungarian football champions Ferencvárosi, and the Slovakia Football Association’s groundsmen training day.

Working with turf professionals to solve issues specific to their sport and conditions was key at all events. For Campey Director Lee Morgado, this is the primary purpose of the in-person demos and is invaluable to what Campey offers.

“Giving people detailed advice on issues specific to them is priceless, and the impact of it really can’t be overestimated,” Lee said. “The challenges groundsmen and greenkeepers face around Europe can vary considerably, so to have the opportunity to talk through those issues can make a difference for them and us because we can learn and adapt from it.

“The other key component of the tour is to give people hands-on experience with the machinery.

We often talk about the easy set-up and operation but watching and doing the process yourself is unbeatable. And then there’s seeing the results of using a machine with your own eyes, and that again is hard to match, especially when

4 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

you’re in surroundings familiar to your own work environment.”

Experiencing machinery firsthand is what the demo tour is all about, and with a selection of industry favourites in their portfolio, Campey has plenty to offer.

The Campey Uni-Scratch is the ideal solution for those looking for professional and effective maintenance of natural and synthetic grass surfaces. The machine has been developed to infill or refill when installing or looking after synthetic grass carpets.

It can also be used for the final organic matter removal on natural grass hybrid carpet pitches when carrying out annual renovations.

Pioneered in greenkeeping, the Foley Air2G2 336 has become one

of the most recognised names in aeration in all of turf, and for a good reason. Consistent use of the Air2G2 is proven to create healthy, firm, and free-draining surfaces.

All of this is done with virtually no disruption to play, combating one of the most challenging demands in modern-day turf maintenance.

Also addressing that issue is the Imants ShockWave. For wide area non-disruptive aeration, there is nothing better for revitalising heavily used areas. In 2022 the machine was redesigned to increase its effectiveness on undulating ground as a direct response from greenkeepers at events like the Campey Demo Tour.

More demonstration events through 2023 will follow.

NEWS

Lantra supporting career development in landscaping and turf management “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world” (Nelson Mandella)

A

s a not-for-profit organisation, with a long history of helping the land-based and environment sector meet its skills needs, Lantra is uniquely placed to provide dependable and objective information to support learning be it on apprenticeships, career opportunities, or accredited training and qualifications.

Nationally recognised for our unrivalled suite of Lantra Awards courses, we’re passionate about educating the sector and are particularly focused on ensuring the next generation of industry professionals are waiting in the wings ready to take on the challenges in the amenity and turf management industry.

If our experience has taught us anything, it’s that every individual has a preferred learning style. Some like to be shown through practical demonstrations, some prefer to read about the topic, and some

ONE OF THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTIONS IS THE OUTDATED VIEW THAT JOBS ARE LOW-SKILLED, LOW PAID AND OFFER LITTLE OPPORTUNITY TO PROGRESS. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH 6 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

prefer to do the job themselves and learn the skills along the way, with the help of mentors.

We use this knowledge and experience to not only support ongoing skills training in the sector, but also to help people get started in pursuing a rewarding career - providing them with an understanding of the entry-points and pathways for progression whatever their preferred learning style.

One of the many benefits of the land-based and environment sector is that there can literally be a career for anyone regardless of gender, ethnicity, or whether you’re from an urban or rural background, for example. The rationale behind the content on Lantra’s website is simple – by showcasing extensive careers content, across a range of industries, we can help individuals, whatever their background or stage they’re at in their career, to discover where their future career path could lead to.

When the website was conceived, feedback from many sector stakeholders was that careers information was thought too hard to find and difficult to understand.

The Lantra website addressed this by keeping it simple and helping visitors with an easy-tonavigate layout, answering three key questions along the way…

1 What jobs could I do, and what do they involve?

2 What training, qualifications and experience will I need?

3 Where can I get the training and qualifications I need?

These questions are just as relevant to people already in the workforce and wanting to progress their careers,

as they are for new entrants. The website gives details of more than 250 job roles across 12 industries and includes a selection of videos and case studies of real people, explaining what each job involves, how they got their current role and why they love it.

One of the biggest misconceptions the sector faces is the outdated view that most jobs available are low-skilled, low paid and offer little opportunity to progress.

Nothing could be further from the truth; we highlight the amazing new technologies and innovative working practices that are springing up in many industries, whether it be GPS and drones, or robotics and novel irrigation methods. All require higher levels of technical skills as well as the ability to understand data, solve complex problems and lead increasingly diverse teams, but of course, if it’s a more traditional role that suits, then these are also featured.

To ensure the pathways to progression feel attainable, all job roles on the website are linked to a range of relevant qualifications and training. These can be university or college qualifications, apprenticeships, vocational short-courses, or e-learning. The website already has more than 2,500 courses listed so people can find out more including where and when they are available.

Our industries are awash with passionate, knowledgeable, and experienced professionals like you who, alongside more formal learning routes, hold the key to inspiring the next generation. If you do one thing today, remember it could be you who makes the difference to someone’s future career path.

MAKING TURF MATTER

Leicester City FC Training Ground played host to a fantastic gathering of turf professionals.

Turf Science Live, an event organised jointly by ICL and Syngenta, offers a platform for greenkeepers and groundsmen to dive deep into the latest in turf management.

The incredible surroundings of Leicester City Football Club’s training facilities made for the perfect backdrop. With over 100 attendees from sporting venues all over the UK, the day was ripe for sharing insights and experiences.

The day commenced in the impressive press room, setting the tone for the informative sessions that were to follow. Attendees were divided into four groups, ensuring an intimate and comprehensive learning experience. Each group would experience all four designed stations - two in the morning, followed by two post-lunch.

Attendees also had the opportunity to showcase their golfing skills, with a “longest drive” and “nearest the pin” putting competition on the site’s golf course, adding a touch of camaraderie and friendly competition to the day.

The seminar’s core, however, was undeniably the four stations:

STATION 1: FROM RESEARCH TO RESULTS

Dr Andy Owen, International Technical Manager for ICL Growing Solutions, Turf and Landscape Division, and Dr Jonathan Knowles, Head of the Sports Turf Academy at Leicester City Football Club, explained the intricate process of turf research, exploring its nuances and the journey from laboratory findings to real-world applications

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A day of learning and networking

STATION 2: ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY OUTFIELD NUTRITION

In this session, Henry Bechelet, ICL’s Technical Sales Manager for UK and Ireland’s turf and landscape business, discussed the shift towards eco-friendly solutions, highlighting the importance and efficacy of sustainable nutrition for outfield areas.

STATION 3: INTEGRATED TURF PEST MANAGEMENT

Glenn Kirby, the Syngenta EAME Technical Services Manager for Turf & Landscape, enlightened attendees on holistic approaches to turf pest control, emphasising

the integration of multiple tactics to achieve optimal results.

STATION 4: BIOLOGICAL TOOLS FOR TURF MANAGEMENT

Eric Chen, the Syngenta EAME Biologicals Technical Manager for Turf & Ornamentals, presented on the potential of biological tools in turf management.

As the day wrapped up, Ed Carter offered gratitude to the team at Leicester City FC for their partnership and for hosting the event. Prizes were awarded to the competition winners and attendees had the opportunity to walk on one of the football pitches. n www.icl-growingsolutions.uk

Dennis ES-860 is King of King’s Roger Neale, Head of Grounds and Gardens at King’s Hall School in Somerset, has claimed that his new Dennis ES-860 battery-powered mower has been “unbelievable.”

Roger, Head of Grounds and Gardens at Kings Hall School, is currently working towards a ten-year replacement machinery plan.

“There were a few different brands we looked at; some were good while others had issues, but the Dennis ES-860

stood out. Dennis is a British company with lots of great history and quite frankly their mowers are everywhere.”

The Dennis ES-860 is a 34” battery powered turf management system which delivers maximum versatility and has a range of 13 interchangeable cassette options to provide a solution for many day-to-day maintenance tasks such as cutting, scarifying, brushing and verticutting.

The aim is to help professionals meet sustainability and environmental initiatives, reduce carbon footprint emissions, running costs and noise without any range anxiety.

After working with petrol machinery throughout his career, Roger was sceptical about the performance of a battery-powered mower but admitted that the ES-860 quickly changed his opinion.

“It is unbelievable. I need not have worried about the battery running out too quickly. I’ve not got one bad word to say about the Dennis ES-860,” said Roger.

TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023 | 7

NEWS

MAKING TURF MATTER

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R&A agronomy service offering for golf clubs The R&A has expanded its Sustainable Agronomy Service to provide expertise and best practice advice to all levels of golf facilities in Great Britain and Ireland and continental Europe, aiding in the effective management of courses.

First launched in the Asia-Pacific market, the service will now offer facility operators worldwide with support in the delivery of sustainable agronomy, golf course auditing and benchmarking, management planning and strategic advice, annual maintenance programme planning, and project management support and drainage design.

The service is already actively supporting and guiding clubs to become more resilient and sustainable in the face of changing legislation on pesticides, climate change and access to resources.

Clubs such as Haydock Park, West Sussex and Blackwell are among over

100 facilities in Great Britain and Ireland and continental Europe already being encouraged to use more resilient grass mixes and improve growing environments for grass, in addition to making the turf less reliant on pesticides.

“We’re here to provide expertise and support to golf facilities, highlighting the most efficient and accessible methods surrounding sustainable golf course management,” said Alistair Beggs, Head of Agronomy at The R&A. “This will enable them

to develop plans that will present facilities with optimum conditioning all year round but have sustainability at the heart of the decisions and processes put in place to support this aim.”

The Sustainable Agronomy Service includes a team of agronomy experts which has acquired a wealth of knowledge and experience from its active role in supporting worldclass golf championships run by The R&A each year – including The Open and AIG Women’s Open.

The team will offer facilities a bespoke service with ongoing support and advice in the planning and implementation of effective and sustainable management practices.

“We have already seen facilities in the AsiaPacific region benefit greatly from the support and collaboration that have been provided for the sustainable management of facilities,” said Paul Woodham, Head of Agronomy, Europe, at The R&A. “The introduction of the service in Great Britain and Ireland and continental Europe forms part of the organisation’s aim to encourage facilities to adopt a more sustainable approach to the management of courses.

Furthermore, we are fully committed to reinvesting proceeds into research and education for those operating in the industry.” n sustainableagronomy@ randa.org

New Faunamaster seeders from BOSS ORV Faunamaster Seeders will be launched on the Corvus stand at Saltex 2023. BOSS ORV, the UK distributor of Corvus Off-Road Vehicles has been appointed as the sole UK distributor of the seeders.

These are multifunctional and timesaving seed drills

8 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

designed for use with an ATV, UTV or tractor. The Faunamaster, which comes from the Danish company Faunamaster ApS, sows seeds of virtually any size to a depth of up to 80mm. It is ideal for sowing into existing grass fields, wildflower meadows, tilled soil, paddocks or any area where normal planter equipment is too big.

It’s of great benefit in parks and gardens to plant flowers or herbs and the compact size when used with an ATV or UTV ensures it leaves minimum marks. The seeder handles

seed in many sizes, from small flower seeds to clover, alfalfa, beans, kale and corn, and can apply fertiliser at the same time as seeding. A seed table shows the settings for each type of seed. On the seed meter, there are 2 funnels: the blue is for small seeds, the yellow is for big seeds like corn, and seed blends.

Connecting the Faunamaster to an ATV or UTV ball hitch is made easy and a built-in actuator allows the driver to operate the planter without getting off the ATV. When fully raised, the clearance

is 200mm inches and when used with an ATV, the seed flow is easily adjusted through the handlebars.

The Faunamaster uses discs to cut into soil and where it is used for no-till planting, the recommended depth is not exceeding 10mm.

Depth control is via two bolts located on the wheel arm. The working width is 1050mm.

There are seven adjustable rows with the distance between them being 150mm in seven rows, 350mm in three rows, 525mm in two rows. n www.bossorv.co.uk

NEWS

ET Lander cruises through the streets of London A

ccording to Jo Desborough, Head Gardener for The Bedford Estates, the Etesia ET Lander is a luxury electric utility vehicle which can be driven from site to site through the busy streets of London without worrying about the battery life.

The Bedford Estates has owned, developed and cared for much of Bloomsbury, London since 1669. The Estate comprises some 200 properties containing over 825,000 square feet of office and educational accommodation, some 100,000 square feet of retail space, over 1,000 hotel bedrooms and more than 550 flats.

It also includes two public garden squares, Russell Square and Bloomsbury Square and several private garden areas. These include Bedford Square, the only intact Georgian garden square in London.

The location of these gardens was a reason for choosing the

10 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

ET Lander according to Jo. “We chose the Etesia ET Lander because it’s a vehicle that’s easier to drive on the roads,” explained Jo. “We have to go between our gardens and in order to do that, there are busy London roads in between, so having a cab that’s fully enclosed helps us with the traffic. It’s more comfortable to ride in and the features that it offers are perfect for what we need.”

100% electric, well-equipped and user-friendly, the ET Lander is built on a robust chassis and has an

IT FEELS MORE LIKE DRIVING A CAR RATHER THAN GARDEN EQUIPMENT.

array of options including a threeway tipper bed with dual control from the fully fitted two-seater cab or by remote control when outside the vehicle. With a length of just 3.72 meters, the ET Lander is very compact. Thanks to the power steering, the short turning radius of 4.40 meters and 360 ° visibility, it goes anywhere. The autonomy of the vehicle lasts for a full working day – without noise pollution, can transport loads of up to 940kgs and can also tow up to 750kgs.

The latest models are fully N1 homologation compliant meaning that the ET Landers are fully road legal along with being able to be used off road. They also feature lithium-ion batteries which ensures that the range of the ET Lander extends to 100km and have a charger system compatible with a standard type 2EV car charger.

The battery-life on the ET Lander certainly doesn’t concern Jo and she also revealed that the team wouldn’t be without it.

“We’ve had the ET Lander since January, so we’ve been running it around our gardens for the last six months or so. The battery life has been really good. We use it to do lots of short journeys and you might expect that the batteries would run out maybe slightly quicker, but in fact, we find that they last several weeks for us.

“We often use the ET Lander for collecting our tonne bags and also for taking equipment over to gardens.

“Using the ET Lander has made life a lot easier going between the gardens and driving on the roads. It’s very comfortable in the cab, very manoeuvrable and easy to drive. It also has windscreen wipers and having a radio is the icing on the cake.

“It has a very luxury feel to it and it feels more like driving a car rather than garden equipment.”

Bloombury Estates purchased the ET Lander through Etesia dealer RT Machinery and Jo was quick to praise the service she has received to date. n www.etlander.co.uk

MAKING TURF MATTER

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Mansfield Sand integral to renovation Matthew Newman, Grounds and Sports Turf Manager at Hartpury University and College, in Gloucester, believes that MM40 from Mansfield Sand plays an integral role in his renovation work.

Hartpury University and College are specialist education providers in agriculture, animal, equine, sport, and veterinary nursing, offering world-class degrees and facilities to over 4,500 students from over 60 countries.

Matthew, pictured right, was once a student at Hartpury. Fast forward two decades and he now oversees a team of 13 members of staff at the college where he became qualified.

Matthew and his team have been carrying out their own renovations for three years after previously employing contractors to do the work. When it comes to sand for renovations, he uses MM40 Sport from Mansfield Sand.

Mansfield Sand is a company

with history and pedigree – its origins can be traced as far back to 1840. It has been a long-standing pioneer in the development and production of premium sandbased products and boasts the most up-to-date and advanced equipment currently in the industry.

From winter sports pitches, golf courses, bowling greens and all amenity turf areas – Mansfield Sand has a solution for all.

MM40 Sport is sourced directly from the Two Oaks Quarry in Mansfield where the company produces its renowned Mansil range of Silica Sands. MM40 is a medium sand which is predominantly used in the construction and maintenance of a wide range of sports surfaces.

“We mainly use the MM40 for renovations. We use two tonnes of it on the USGA spec Mackenzie golf green; so, we vertidrain it and then we will top dress with MM40.

“We use 90 tonnes of if on the

football pitches. This year we are taking the pitches down to 10mm.

We then take all the debris off, scarify in three directions, and then collect any debris again so we have massively opened up the pores by now and got rid of all the thatch. We then will fertilise, top dress with the MM40 sand and then apply the seed.”

Matthew continued to explain exactly why a good quality sand is so important.

“We are predominantly on heavy clay, so in the winter it is holding moisture, and, in the summer, you can’t get enough moisture into it.

The reason for the sand is to try and change that soil profile and give the grass something to reach into.

So, we are trying to break that pan of clay up and inject sand into it.

“It’s a theory as opposed to digging up the entire pitch and starting again, but we are already seeing the MM40 improve drainage and rooting.” n www.mansfield-sand.co.uk

TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023 | 11

NEWS

MAKING TURF MATTER

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Pitch perfect at Morecambe FC with OAS grow-in renovation EFL

League Two Club, Morecambe is celebrating the condition of their pitches after adopting the Grow-In Programme from Origin Amenity Solutions.

Head of Grounds Rob Davidson is “over the moon with this year’s pitches and incredibly proud of the results”.

Rob joined the club in 2021 following the renovation period and during the first year he struggled to keep coverage on the shaded area of the pitch.

During a visit to Origin Turf, Science and Technology Centre, Rob had the opportunity to review the research data comparing tetraploid and diploid grass seed mixes.

For his first renovation Rob selected R140 grass seed mix from the R range because of the tetraploid content. He remarks, “Since using R140 at the stadium we have seen improvements in coverage, density, colour and over all turf health, especially in the shaded areas of the pitch. The germination and establishment could not have been better this year.

“Visiting the OAS Turf, Science and Technology Centre has given me additional confidence in the products and the technical support offered by the Origin team has been excellent.

With support from Origin, we have tailored the OAS Grow-In plan to suit the pitch requirements. Having a structured Grow-In programme has allowed us to get the best out of the products with a limited budget.”

It’s not just about the products through.

“Working with OAS has allowed me to enhance my education and understanding of the products I use and how to get the best from everything I apply. Their events also provide networking opportunities and a chance to meet with peers and form relationships, which I believe is

“SURFACES PLAY WELL AND LOOK IMPECCABLE. IT HAS BEEN A JOY TO SEE THE RESULTS” 12 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

an important part of our industry.”

Rob has used the OAS Grow-In Programme for his second year at the club. The Grow-In programme is borne from extensive R&D at the OAS Turf, Science and Technology Centre. It is a twostep approach which comprises a mix of products to be applied at renovation and at emergence.

The mix for application at renovation stage includes an organic soil amendment - a composted cow manure and Humic Acid soil conditioner, Tricure AD Granular – a residual wetting agent, and Mycorrhizal Inoculant – a microbial inoculant.

At emergence, the programme uses an organo-mineral fertiliser and biostimulants that feature nitrate nitrogen and molasses providing early carbohydrates and instantly available nitrogen to promote growth and enhanced plant health.

“The addition of the liquid mix applied at emergence alongside the C-Complex 14.2.5 has given

us a quick grow response. Cutting schedules have commenced earlier and cutting frequency has meant third leaf stage has been reached quickly to allow for Primo Maxx applications. The biostimulant applications and organo-mineral fertilisers, supported by Vertidrain aeration has promoted a healthy root system.”

Andy Merry, Key Account Manager from OAS said that it has been great working with Rob over the last few years.

“His professionalism and communication with the club has established a trusting relationship, enabling the renovation work required to produce a surface that performs. Rob is enthusiastic and committed to providing pitches of the highest quality using modern techniques and technology. He has improved the standards across all pitches and produced surfaces that play well and look impeccable. It has been a joy to see the results.” n sales@originamenity.com

NEWS

MAKING TURF MATTER

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‘Fully Charged’ roadshow reveals battery benefits STIHL launched a series of roadshows designed to demonstrate that not only does their battery power equipment save end users considerable sums of money but generate just as much, of not more, power as their petrol equivelents.

The STIHL Fully Charged Roadshow give professional users an opportunity to get hands on with STIHL’s AP battery-powered tool system, designed to meet the varying needs of large fleet users, such as councils and major landscaping contractors.

In addition to access to the latest STIHL cordless tools, professional users were able to meet STIHL’s team of trained experts at the national event, who were on hand to offer advice and highlight the benefits cordless technology can offer.

Although petrol powered equipment continues to be popular,

14 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

AVERAGE USAGE FOR A BATTERY CHAINSAW COULD AMOUNT TO 500 CHARGES A YEAR WHICH WOULD COST £45. THE EQUIVALENT USAGE FOR AN PETROL CHAINSAW WOULD COST £600 the advancement of cordless technology means professional users now have a genuine alternative option to petrol tools.

Offering exceptional performance, long battery life, lower running costs, ease of maintenance and use, quiet operation, reduced vibration and carbon footprint reduction, cordless technology offers professionals users more options than ever before.

During the powerpoint presentations which preceding the hands-on element of the roadshow it was demonstrated that an average usage for a battery chainsaw could amount to 500 charges a year which would cost £45 in total. The equivalent usage for an petrol chainsaw would cost £600 in petrol.

While those represent a significant saving it was pointed out that for a contractor using multiple chainsaws the savings would much more.

After lunch the delegates were able to move around five stations each displaying a different element of the STIHL battery range and have the opportunity to operate the tools.

“More and more professional users are moving towards battery technology, so this national event allowed us to not only highlight STIHL’s extensive range of professional tools and how they can meet the requirements of the most demanding applications, but also provide our network of Approved Dealers with the opportunity to grow their cordless business among Customers,” said Simon Hewitt, Head of Marketing at STIHL GB. The extensive STIHL AP system comprises over 40 tools together with a vast array of attachments, accessories and battery options, all suited to the most demanding professional tasks.

The oadshow visited 10 locations during October: York Gate Garden in Leeds; Newcastle; Dalkeith Country Park in Edinburgh; Myerscough College in Preston; Harper Adam in Shropshire; Melton College in Melton Mowbray; Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire; Bicton College in Devon; Sparsholt College in Winchester and Writtle College in Chelmsford. n www.stihl.co.uk

SYNTHETIC

Key considerations for synthetic surfaces

W

hile there may be an element of scepticism around synthetic surfaces, the installation of an artificial turf pitch can, for many, provide all-important relief to an over-stretched natural pitch, particularly during the winter

16 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

months or periods of heavy play.

While both natural and artificial surfaces have their own pros and cons, the addition of an ATP should be seen as complimentary and an asset, not a burden. Redexim UK explain that it can sometimes be as simple as understanding how to effectively look after the surface to obtain maximum return on the investment.

An ATP is a carpet and always will be a carpet and when it is first laid on day one, it is as good as it will ever be. However, there are standards which need to be achieved and maintained for safety, longevity and governing body accreditations.

It is now understood that a synthetic pitch does have maintenance requirements, and while this needn’t be complex or costly it does need to be consistent and effective whether the surface be sanddressed, sand-filled or 3G. Footfall will compact infill and flatten the fibres, leading to a firmer playing surface, with reduced porosity and increased vulnerability to wear and breakage.

To alleviate this, the most effective operation is brushing to agitate infill and stand fibres

up. The general rule when using something like the Redexim VertiComb or Verti-Broom is one hour of brushing for every ten hours of play. But remember, if a surface is accommodating more simultaneous matches and therefore subject to more pairs of feet, the calculation should be altered accordingly.

When it comes to surface cleaning, again a little and often approach is most effective. Most material on the surface is natural debris and detritus, which if left can get trodden on and broken down into the surface. This will then migrate downwards causing drainage problems but machines like the Redexim Verti-Top have proved invaluable to correct this.

The understanding of the health and environmental issues associated with 3G pitches, in particular micro-plastics and polymeric infill, is driving the industry towards a different specification of surface – with lower pile height and a combination of sand and natural infill such as cork and pine expected to become the industry standard over the next decade.

Fields with natural infill will need more attention than conventional SBR pitches due to their more mobile nature, and increased susceptibility to bacterial and airborne contamination.

This will likely mean that equipment such as the Verti-Top which was once considered a more specialist tool, will become a weekly usage item as grounds staff work more intensely to maintain performance and player safety.

MAKING TURF MATTER

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SISIS Osca – perfect for synthetic surface maintenance Synthetic sports surfaces require a good maintenance programme in place from the very beginning. Failure to maintain the surface could lead to issues such as compaction, loss of porosity, inconsistent playing characteristics, damaged fibres and contamination of the infill.

One machine that is being used by many groundstaff is the SISIS Osca tractor mounted powered oscillating brush, which is ideally suited to either a sand or rubber crumb surface.

A pair of oscillating brushes allows periodic aggressive brushing to be undertaken to agitate the upper infill level helping reduce compaction, encourage the fibres to stand upright and reduce the risk of contamination and surface water.

It can also be used for regular light brushing, helping to stand the fibres up, move the infill around, creating

a level surface and minimise the threat of moss and algae.

It uses fewer passes than a conventional drag brush, and has the option of adding a further 1.8m wide brush to the system which helps to enhance the final finish.

Once Warwick School had decided to invest in a new synthetic pitch, Grounds Manager Duncan Toon felt that the SISIS Osca was the only machine that could maintain the new surface effectively and truly justify the major investment decision.

“With the investment which has been made into the synthetic surface, I felt that we needed to have the best equipment to maintain it, and for me, the Osca was essential.

“It is clear to see that the de-compaction this machine achieves is simply on a different level. Since we have been using it the pitch has significantly improved.”

Another user full of praise is Andy Jackson, Grounds Manager at Stoke City FC, who has reported ‘phenomenal’ results since incorporating the SISIS Osca into his synthetic surface maintenance programme.

“Getting the right equipment for all the different textured pitches we have here is big task, and it’s key to how we go about our business,” says Andy.

“I wanted a machine that was going to be effective and quick but to get a machine to do those two things I felt would be a hard task.

“The Oscillating brushes are the best feature because they get rid of any compaction problems and provide a fantastic finish.

“The results have been phenomenal and I think the Osca ticks all the boxes.” n www.sisis.com

TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023 | 17

SYNTHETIC

MAKING TURF MATTER

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Remove leaves, not infill, with the GKB Leaf Clean T

he Leaf Clean from GKB Machines has been specifically designed for the fast, effective clearance of leaves and other

18 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

debris from your artificial turf pitch. A combination of brushes and bespoke suction nozzle enables you to sweep and collect leaves in a single pass, without disturbing or removing synthetic infill material.

Leaf clearance on all types of turf surface is notoriously time consuming, but with an artificial pitch, removal also risks stripping infill from the surface into a collector or blowing material out of the boundary and into the surrounding environment. The GKB Leaf Clean offers a quicker and cleaner alternative, preventing microplastic contamination and retaining the pitches play and performance characteristics.

The Leaf Clean features soft brushes which rotate and sweep loose leaves together, before being

vacuumed into a spacious collection hopper by the internal nozzle. The suction of this unique nozzle can be fully adjusted to prevent disturbance of all types of modern-day infill material. Once the container has been filled, the leaves are then easily emptied thanks to the container’s hydraulic tip function.

The ease and efficiency of the GKB Leaf Clean machine means it can be effectively operated by just one person, halving the labour required and freeing up other team members to complete other essential autumn maintenance tasks.

The GKB Leaf Clean is available in two sizes – the LC150 featuring a 1.5m working width and 650L collection container, or the LC180 with a larger 1.8m width and higher capacity 1000L hopper.

TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023 | 19

GOLF

Toro 3370: All quiet in green oasis At the picturesque Malden Golf Club in south west London, Course Manager Josh Thorley is always looking for ways to be more environmentally-friendly and boost employee wellbeing. Their expansion of the club’s fleet with the all-electric Toro Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 is helping them do just that.

As the industry’s first lithium batterypowered ride-on mower, the eTriFlex 3370 has proved a popular, sustainable solution for eco-conscious greenkeepers like Josh.

The 18-hole course is home to two brooks, marking it as a green oasis in the otherwise urban surroundings of New Malden.

Maintaining this environment and the wildlife that inhabits it is a priority for the club. He explains: “We work closely with the council and Environment Agency to protect our brooks as well as all the other natural habitats on-site. We always see herons and we’ve even got our own beehives!

“The 3370 is an amazing machine,” he says. “I would go as far as to call it faultless.

When I joined as course manager in 2020,

20 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

I was relieved to find that we were already using Toro – it’s the best in the industry.

“One thing that sets the 3370 apart is the fact it’s silent – so, no noise pollution,” Josh goes on. “Since we’re situated right in the middle of a housing estate, we’ve always had difficulty managing morning cuts because of residents, golfers, and wildlife. But now we can go out at four in the morning, which we’d never have been able to do with a diesel-powered machine.”

The 3370 features shrouded, 46-volt lithium-ion batteries, offering virtually silent operation (73 dB for riders).

Without an on-site mechanic, Josh also saw an opportunity to ease the daily headaches of running a club for 800-plus members by taking out a Gold maintenance plan through Reesink’s popular ReeAssure service.

Reesink’s service plans are designed to reassure customers by offering tailored service solutions that meet the needs of every customer.

“Reesink’s Gold maintenance plan is the best thing in greenkeeping, I tell everybody they should be doing the same thing. It costs us less than it would to pay a full-time mechanic, all callouts included!” said Josh.

“We have a great relationship with Reesink. Josh Nash and Tom Clark, in particular, have been fantastic.” n Photo shows Reesink’s Josh Nash (left) and Course Manager Josh Thorley with Malden Golf Club’s new all-electric Toro Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370.

MAKING TURF MATTER

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Baroness join Agrimetal for blowers Baroness have joined forces with Agrimetal on the sale of blowers, adding to their existing successful partnership with rollers.

“We are extremely pleased to be already working with Agrimetal having sold more than 40 rollers within the first year.

We are now extremely excited

to be complementing our range with the robust and powerful Agrimetal blowers to include the very well-priced and powerful 27HP TB-270,” said Adam Butler, Director for Baroness UK. “We already produce market leading cutting technology for a wide range of mowing

equipment but now have added another fantastic product to our ever-growing portfolio, to be sold and supported via our extensive dealer network.

Like the rollers, they will also be coming into the UK sprayed in the fantastic Baroness red.” n www.baronessuk.com

TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023 | 21

GOLF

The sustainable choice Richard Allen, CEO of Ecobunker, talks bunker sustainability

S

ustainable: A word we read and hear more and more in all forms of media. It’s a word that is becoming increasingly powerful in all sorts of debates even at the highest levels of national and international politics.

In my sector, civil engineering, the concept of sustainable development has been reasonably well understood for quite some time, and for over 20 years I have personally been involved with the promotion and design of hundreds of projects where sustainable drainage (commonly known as SUDs) has been a key requirement.

However, the interpretation of what is and what isn’t sustainable is still widely misunderstood. For

22 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

example, in a range of dictionaries there are multiple definitions of the meaning of the word ‘sustain’. Confusion is still very common as to what ‘Sustainable’ means, and, in my experience, it is often used incorrectly, both innocently and deliberately.

We’ve all heard the phrase ‘Playing the Health and Safety Card’ which refers to a tactic used to close down a debate into uncomfortable issues.

I believe that the ‘Sustainable Card’ is also being played in order to cut short debate and arguments, thereby avoiding proper scrutiny. I’d like to give an example from the golf construction industry where I now work. I will start with A short story.

The setting is Radyr Golf Club, an

excellent Colt designed course just outside Cardiff, where evidence of the master’s original routing and features is still retained. In 2006 the club embarked upon a bunker rebuilding project. Being a Radyr member at that time, with a passion for golf course design, I took a close interest. It’s fair to say I wasn’t a fan of the proposed designs, which removed the existing Colt Style (irregular edges with pronounced, varied height lips).

I’ve still got the correspondence I exchanged with the Greens Committee: In one letter it was explained to me that the club would have preferred to continue using natural turf revetting, but the rate of erosion and resultant maintenance

MAKING TURF MATTER

burden was not something that the club could sustain. There’s that key word again, the first time I had seen it in relation to golf bunkers. This experience provided me with the inspiration to look for an alternative, more sustainable bunker edge solution and ultimately led to my invention and patenting of synthetic revetting systems.

Roll forward 17 years to 2023.

Synthetic revetting is performing superbly at some of the world’s best golf courses; Singapore Island Country Club, The Machrie, Dumbarnie Links, The Medalist, Secession, Clearwater Bay and Ellerston, to name but a few, are all saving hundreds of thousands in pounds, dollars, euros and many other currencies.

Furthermore, with reference to aesthetics, ex Ryder Cup player, BBC Commentator and highly respected golf course designer Clive Clark says: ‘If 100 golfers played Dumbarnie Links I doubt whether five would notice that the bunker faces aren’t entirely natural’.

Despite the mounting evidence base, there is still a perception in some quarters that somehow, Geotextile Reinforced Soil Bunker Edges, built from 100% recycled material is less sustainable than natural turf bunker edges. This may well be an innocent case of misunderstanding what the word sustainable means, and I will now provide evidence of why synthetic bunker edges

are ‘The Sustainable Choice’.

Put simply, when you choose a synthetic bunker edge option, you get a recycled product so, for example there are no CO2 emissions associated with the production and very little caused by the recycling process. You are also helping to divert material from landfills. Furthermore, there is a 20 year warranty (which given 14 years of monitoring may soon be extended) and once installed the bunker edges need much less maintenance. Recent studies have shown that in some cases maintenance is reduced by 80%.

By contrast, although the initial perception of grown turf maybe that it is a sustainable option, the reality is different. Producing thick cut revetting turf requires a lot of soil, and preparation. You then need seed, pesticides, fertilisers, irrigation and the nurturing and maintenance work. All this has a ‘footprint’. Then, if the turf is grown on a remote farm, it has to be harvested and transported by road, often hundreds of miles and sometimes in refrigerated conditions. Finally, with a design life of between four and seven years this whole process has to be repeated three or four times during the synthetic option warranty period.

And here’s the final surprise: There is very little cost difference between the two options, and in some instances, we know that natural revetting has been more

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expensive, just for one installation.

Repeat these three or four times and the true cost of the organic choice becomes evident. One aspect of sustainability that is often overlooked is cost. In my opinion care should always be taken to ensure that financial decisions taken today should not tie the hands of future generations.

Turf suppliers do a fantastic job and they are no doubt partly responsible for the vastly improved playing surfaces that may cover dozens of hectares on any golf course. However, for the estimated 0.02 hectares of bunker edges on a typical golf course, the synthetic option is the only sustainable choice. n ecobunker.co.uk

Hartsbourne G&CC: Man hours on bunker maintenance reduced by 80%

Dumbarnie 8th Hole: All the revetted bunkers on the course were built by EcoBunker Ltd

TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023 | 23

MAKING TURF MATTER

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WETTING AGENTS

Australia-based Jerry Spencer provides some invaluable knowledge on the subject of wetting agents

Soft to moderately soft

Medium to hard Hard to very hard

WHAT ARE SPRAY TANK ADJUVANTS?

Spray tank adjuvants are compounds that are added to a tank mix to aid a chemical’s mixing, application, or how well it works. Agricultural spray adjuvants include specialty adjuvants like tank buffers, anti-drift agents, anti foam products and spray stickers. Some spray adjuvants are already included in the formulation such as many formulations of glyphosate or they may be products that are added to a tank mix.

With pesticide restrictions and products being taken off the market this is making turf managers jobs even more difficult than they already are. The use of adjuvants may offer a degree of respite.

Often there is a lot of cross over between the surfactants in spray tank adjuvants and those in soil wetting agents. Recent work we have been doing into soil wetting agents has actually shown that some of these (not all) can be used to successfully reduce dollar spot.

DO SPRAY TANK ADJUVANTS WORK?

The simple answer is yes but only if you use the right one. I’m going to use quinclorac (a herbicide used in Australia and the US) as an example.

Woznica, Z et al 2003 looking at how well quinclorac works when mixed with nonionic surfactants, methylated seed oil (MSO), spray pH, and salts present in spray carrier.

THE BENEFITS OF SPRAY TANK ADJUVANTS:

• First, they help with product mixing; • Second, they give better herbicide contact with plant tissue and so better spray coverage; • Third, they increase rates of chemical movement through the leaves and stomata; • They increase the safety of a chemical by increasing its selectivity; and finally • Adjuvants can also reduce the rate of a chemical by up to 5-10 times and so reduce costs.

Adjuvants cost a lot less than turf chemicals and a USA study shows that using these can result in up to a 40% reduction in costs.

Wet, wet, wet The use of spray adjuvants isn’t just restricted to herbicides.

Take this data on how adding a spray tank adjuvant improves the performance of azoxystrobin.

THE NEGATIVES OF USING SPRAY ADJUVANTS.

Spray tank adjuvants can also have negative effects. Firstly, they can reduce how well a chemical works. Besides this they can also increase the life of chemicals or even be dangerous themselves.

This is the case with the carrier in many glyphosate formulations.

USING SPRAY ADJUVANTS TO GET BETTER RESULTS.

Spray adjuvants have several modes of action. The most important of these are the retention, spreading, and movement of chemicals into plants coupled with their ability to effect the droplet size.

ACTIVATOR SPRAY TANK ADJUVANTS

These improve the performance of a

chemical by for example increasing chemical ingestion. Surfactants, crop oils, crop oil concentrates (COCs), vegetable oils, methylated seed oils (MSOs), petroleum oils, nitrogen fertilizers, and silicone derivatives, all fall in this class.

SPRAY MODIFIERS.

Spray modifiers include spray stickers, spreaders, and drift control agents.

UTILITY SPRAY TANK ADJUVANTS

Ultility adjuvants include products like anti foam, spray buffers, and water conditioners and increase the range of conditions where you can use a turf chemical.

SURFACTANTS

These are the most common group of spray adjuvants. Surfactants comes from SURFace ACTive ageNTS and they reduce a spray solutions surface tension and how it behaves.

By lowering the surface tension this means that the product spreads out and covers the leaf rather } TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023 | 25

WETTING AGENTS

} than beading up on the surface.

This reduction in surface tension allows more uptake as the spray stays in contact with the leaf surface for longer.

Examples of non ionic surfactants include EO-PO Block copolymers, organo-silicones, and alkylpolyglucosides (APG).

MAKING TURF MATTER

organosiloxanes are in this class.

Organosiloxanes also reduce the surface tension of a solution, and form a thin layer on the leaf surface. Due to their super spreading property it also makes them nearly impossible to wash off a leaf surface even if it rains after being applied.

OILS

The three types of oil-based adjuvants are crop oils, crop oil concentrates, and also methylated seed oils. They are popular, because they increase the movement of a chemical spray into a plant and help reduce surface tension.

CROP OILS

These are also known as petroleum oils and do not contain vegetable oil, and also contain a maximum of 5% surfactant. Crop oils promote the movement of a chemical spray either through a plant’s waxy cuticle or an insect’s tough, chitinous shell. Traditional crop oils are more commonly used for insect and disease control and seldom with herbicides.

CROP OIL CONCENTRATES (COCS)

These contain 10-20% non-ionic surfactant. COC’s are also known as penetrating agents and also as excellent spreading agents. As they help make some of the less-soluble herbicides more soluble in water they are often used with grass herbicides.

SURFACTANTS WORK BY:

• Allowing more uniform spreading over the leaf surface. For example, they act as wetting agents for herbicide sprays; • Increasing the sticking of a spray on the target plant; • Increasing movement past leaf hairs etc; • Preventing spray deposit crystallization and • Increasing drying time and water retention of a spray.

The three main types of surfactants are nonionic (no charge), anionic (negative charge), and cationic surfactants (positive charge). Both anionic and cationic surfactants are not often used on turf.

NONIONIC SURFACTANTS AS SPRAY TANK ADJUVANTS

As well as being hydrophilic (waterloving), due to having no ionic charge they do not have a negative effect on a spray mix. All products termed spray wetters, spray spreaders, and 26 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

METHYLATED SEED OILS (MSOS)

These are oil-based surfactants.

You should always take care when using these as they can be a bit “fruity” and cause leaf burn and phytotoxicity. In fact these are the most active of the activator adjuvants, working best on larger or drought-stressed weeds that are not growing. These have the following benefits: • They increase the drying time on a leaf surface and as a result increase the potential for herbicide uptake; • They can also improve chemical penetration of a leaf by solubilizing waxes; • You get better control of larger weeds; • You get better control of stressed weeds that are not growing and • They work well on difficultto-control weeds.

There are several reports of MSO’s improving the herbicide performance by enhancing the chemical movement into the leaf and maintaining it in solution

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rather than it being able to crystalize on the leaf surface.

TANK BUFFERS

For the most part the ideal water pH for most turf chemicals is in the range of 4.0 to 6.5, and it is best between 5.5 to 6.5. One outlier to this are the Group 2 herbicides such as Katana and Valdor Flex which contains iodosulfuron.

These will give better results at a tank pH of 7 or greater.

The reason why most chemicals work better in the 4-6.5 pH range is due to what is called alkaline hydrolysis.

In brief, above a pH of 7 some turf chemicals tend to be prone to this such as the old iprodionebased fungicides. This has a half-life of 48 minutes at pH 7.

Another product that should be given serious consideration to use in conjunction with a spray buffer is glyphosate. Using a tank buffer such as Sprayphix or Nuphix Water Conditioner lowers the pH of the water in the spray tank and so helps maintain the pH at a constant level. The end result is fewer re-sprays, more consistent performance, and reduced chemical usage and labour costs.

WATER PH

If you think water pH doesn’t effect you think again and be aware water quality changes throughout the year so it needs regular monitoring. Generally speaking tap water in the UK is between 6.59. So if you use this as your spray tank water with some chemicals you will need to use a buffer.

Do not however, get into the habit of using a buffer in every tank mix. For example at a low pH 2,4-D amine tends to drop out of solution or form a gel.

DEPOSITION AND DRIFT CONTROL AGENTS

Deposition aids are also called spray stickers since they increase how long a chemical lasts once applied to a leaf surface. Other properties include an ability to reduce evaporation and also an increase in UV stability. Bond adjuvant® or Di-1p-menthene are examples of these.

Drift control agents reduce spray drift by increasing the size of spray droplets. As droplets with a diameter of 150 microns or smaller will tend to drift, the use of drift control agents means you can better target your spray as they } increase the average droplet size.

WETTING AGENTS

} AMMONIUM FERTILISERS

Urea-ammonium nitrates (UAN), and ammonium sulphate (AMS) are all used as spray tank adjuvants to reduce the negative effects of hard water ions. These include Fe, Zn, Mg, Na, K, and calcium and can react with some herbicides such as 2,4-D and glyphosate to form insoluble precipitates.

MAKING TURF MATTER

HOW TO CARRY OUT A JAR TEST.

Step 1. Measure 500ml of water into the glass jar. You want to use the same water source you are going to use in the spray tank.

Step 2. You are trying to mirror on a small scale what happens in your spray tank. Add the products you want to use in the same amounts, one at a time, as per the label. If the order for adding turf chemicals is not listed on the label add them in the following order. Each time a product is added make sure you stir it well until the next one is added. For example, add emulsifiable concentrates before liquid UAN, etc.

• First, add your compatibility, buffering, or defoaming agents; • Second add wettable powders, dry flowables, waterdispersible granules; • Third, add flowables, liquids, microencapsulated products; • Next add, solutions, soluble powders; • Then add the remaining adjuvants, such as surfactants or crop oils; • Then add any emulsifiable concentrates; and finally add • Liquid UAN Step 3. Shake the jar and leave it for

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at least 15 minutes. The mixture is not compatible if a scum forms on the surface, or the mixture separates, solids form and settle to the bottom, or clumps or gels form. Also look for other signs of a reaction, such as heat or a smell. If the jar feels warm to the touch and/or there is a strong smell don’t use the mixture. If issues occur, this mix is not compatible and should be thrown away. n After graduating from Newcastle University with an Hons Degree in Soil Science in 1988, Jerry Spencer worked for the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) before emigrating to Australia in 1993.

He followed this by gaining a Grad Dip in Business Management from UTS and has worked in a number of management roles for companies as diverse as Samsung Australia, Arthur Yates and Paton Fertilisers.

He has always had a strong affinity with the Australian sports turf industry and as a result, he established Gilba Solutions in 1993.

Jerry has written over 100 articles and two books on a wide range of topics such as Turf Pesticides and Nutrition which have been published in Australia and overseas.

TABLE SHOWING RATE OF AMMOMIUM SULPHATE FOR HARD WATER Water hardness Ca2+ ppm

The Drinking Water Directive and the UK drinking water quality regulations don’t specify any standards for hardness, calcium or magnesium. This link is excellent for determining your water hardness.

Don’t use granular or standard ammonium sulphate with glyphosate as these both contain impurities that will give poor results.

Also if you add crystalline ammonium sulphate to a spray tank the temperature of the spray solution will drop which is an endothermic reaction. Because of this be aware that in winter the drop in temperature can make the mixing of turf chemicals into the spray tank difficult. For this reason fill the tank at least three-quarters full before adding crystalline ammonium sulphate. n Here is a method for a “jar test” to find out the stability of a mixture. Always remember to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling turf chemicals.

To do this you will need a 1L or bigger glass jar. The key point to note is that how well a tank mix works depends on how well the products mix in a spray tank.

28 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

Water hardness level CaCO3 ppm

Liquid Boost (AMS) recommend mL/100L

Equivalent amount of AMS Crystal g/100L

80

200

250

104

120

300

375

156

160

400

500

208

200

500

625

260

240

600

750

312

280

700

875

364

320

800

1000

417

360

900

1125

469

400

1000

1250

521

500

1250

1565

652

750

1875

2345

977

BE AWARE THAT IN WINTER THE DROP IN TEMPERATURE CAN MAKE THE MIXING OF TURF CHEMICALS INTO THE SPRAY TANK DIFFICULT. FOR THIS REASON FILL THE TANK AT LEAST THREE-QUARTERS FULL BEFORE ADDING CRYSTALLINE AMMONIUM SULPHATE.

GROUNDSFEST REVIEW

Windy, wet and

Scott MacCallum reports back from GroundsFest, the latest trade show to enter the industry

A

week before the first ever GroundsFest, at the National Showground in Stoneleigh, a look at the long term weather forecast raised a little bit of concern. A show which traded on its outdoor/indoor USP did not need strong winds and heavy rain. However it says much for the organisers that they rode with it and when the opening morning did open to torrential rain and winds – ironically they held off virtually until 9am, the official opening time of the Show – they were ready for it.

The gales blew, the rain fell, but the visitors kept filing in and within an hour there was the familiar buzz of a successful show. Indeed the outdoor/indoor format enabled some exhibitors, with an eye on the forecast to transfer their stands inside where the facilities matched any indoor exhibition floor in the country.

Throughout the day those station outside were thankful for their gazebos for two reasons – it kept them dry and it attracted visitors to the them, for a bit of shelter and a potentially worthwhile chat.

The much heralded festival was also an excellent innovation. The 30 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

rain stayed away for much of the time allowing to eat and drink in some degree of comfort before taking in the music – the Queen tribute band proved a huge success banging out hit after hit. A symbolic rainbow also an appearance.

Crowd estimates were in the region of 500+ who remained for the festival with those staying in hotels in nearby towns greeted by coaches to ferry them back, and then returning them to their cars in the morning.

Day two opened, and continued, in glorious autumn sunshine, giving a smug look to all those visitors who had decided to forego the opening day in favour of the second. It also meant those working for exhibitors who had taken an outdoor as well as an indoor stand, and who had manned the outdoor stands on the first day but negotiated a swap with their indoor colleagues for day two, felt a little hard done by!

My initial thoughts where how unlucky it was that the first day had not enjoyed the second day’s weather, but on reflection I believe that the fact that the show operated well on the opening day, during far from ideal weather, will stand the

show in fine stead going forward.

With a strong landscaping element to the show there was a slightly different vibe to GroundsFest which differentiates itself from the other two main shows in the sector. It ensured a nice blend of visitor and there was a relaxed atmosphere across both days.

A large part of the two days was the education programme which was held at five indoor theatres –as well as an outdoor programme.

Among the organisations taking part were the STRI, the Amenity Forum and Lantra while notable names to deliver the programmes included Keith Kent, Chris Parry and Martin Sampson while on the landscaping side was Naomi FerrettCohen and Peter Donegan, who flew in especially from Ireland to talk on his Melbourne Show Gold Medal.

Another speaker, at the start of his career in the industry, but having already shone in another, was former Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Luton Town player Henri Lansbury, who having retired from football has launched a new company Grass Gains with a couple of his former groundsmen colleagues.

Henri’s love of all things turf has

MAKING TURF MATTER

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wonderful

seen his company already secure contracts at Fulham, in the Premier League; Genk, in the Belgium League; AS Monaco in the French League and, more recently, Real Madrid, in Spain.

Event Director Christopher Bassett, said that the GroundsFest team really wanted to extend their gratitude to all their exhibitors, partners and visitors who showed their support for the first event.

“From the very start, we wanted GroundsFest to be an event for everyone and to be able to establish a real sense of community. Over the two days we’ve had sunshine, we’ve had rain showers, but more importantly we’ve had collaboration, built relationships, witnessed innovation at its finest and ultimately come together to celebrate the industry and have a great time with one another.

“The positive feedback has been overwhelming but we’re certainly not resting on our laurels.

“We’re already planning how we can improve the event for 2024 by listening to every single piece of feedback and by analysing both the exhibitor and visitor surveys.

“We’ll certainly be back with GroundsFest chapter two in September 2024 and we cannot wait to welcome you all again,” said Chris, who revealed that the two day attendance figure for unique visitors, excluding exhibitors, was 6,511.

GroundsFest will be a week earlier next year on September 10 & 11, 2024 and while the organisers will be hoping for better weather next time around they will know that, whatever is thrown at them, they will still be able to put on an excellent couple of days.

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ESTATE MANAGEMENT

www.turfmatters.co.uk

Latest kit from Makita Leading power tool manufacturer Makita has added two new Brushless Linetrimmers, UR014G and UR017G, and the UR013G Brushless Brush Cutter to its range of high performance 40VMax XGT products.

Each delivers power and performance comparable to equivalent petrol-powered machines without the noise, environmental or safety considerations in storing and transporting fuel.

The UR013G 40VMax XGT Brushless Brush Cutter is ideal for heavy-duty tasks.

It has a 1500-watt maximum output, delivering power equivalent to that of a

35cc petrol machine, and features a high torque mode. The UR013G has a variable speed control with a maximum speed of 6700 rpm, a lock-off function and a temporary reverse rotation ‘grass tangle removal’ function. To ensure ease of use, the machine is operated using the intuitive control unit on the right-hand side of the adjustable offset U-shaped handle.

The UR017G 40VMax XGT Brushless Linetrimmer offers a simple, lightweight and easy to use machine with a 600w power equivalent to a 23cc petrol engine. It has three speeds with a maximum of 6500 rpm plus an Automatic Torque Drive Technology mode, which adjusts the speed and torque automatically for optimal performance. Like the UR013G, the UR017G also includes the useful grass tangle removal function.

The UR014G 40VMax XGT Brushless Linetrimmer offers the same compact design and loop handle but delivers a high power output of 1500w and a maximum speed of 5700 rpm on a variable speed control. It has a 450mm cutting diameter and a high torque mode making it ideal for the most demanding tasks.

The UR014G also features a reverse rotation mode to suit different user requirements as it allows control over the direction in which the grass clippings are

scattered. The grass is scattered to the right and left with clockwise and anticlockwise rotation respectively. This is useful, for example, when cutting verges or lawns next to a road or driveway.

All three machines include Makita’s highefficiency brushless motors that minimise wasted energy to extend run-times per battery charge and improve productivity.

The UR013G, UR014G and UR017G also all include safety features such as an antirestart function, electric break and Active Feedback Sensing Technology, which shuts the tool down if it detects the rotation speed suddenly slowing.

Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita UK said: “The launch of the new 40VMax XGT linetrimmers and brush cutter provide customers with even greater choice when selecting a high performance tool to tackle the most demanding garden and grounds maintenance tasks. These machines deliver the power usually associated with petrol-engines but with all the benefits of cordless.”

The continually expanding XGT portfolio of garden machinery now includes more than 35 products including lawnmowers, chainsaws, hedge trimmers, blowers and earth augers. n www.makitauk.com

Council’s weed control by Foamstream As part of their wider Climate Change Agenda, the team at East Devon District Council (EDDC) have switched to nonherbicidal weed control with Foamstream from Weedingtech. In an attempt to improve the environment and move towards net zero, the council have eliminated the use of glyphosate in the management of a range of weed species in public spaces across the district.

EDDC is the largest of the Devon district councils, serving a population of over 150,000 residents and increases significantly during the summer months as visitors arrive to enjoy the beaches and countryside. “We see a big variety in the amount and type of weeds across the district” explains Horticultural Technical Officer Paul Fealey.

32 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

“Perennial weeds, such as dandelion, tend to dominate landscapes in and around paved areas, with annual weeds such as groundsel and chickweed more prevalent in beds and borders in our formal parks and gardens. Despite having small root systems that can be easily uprooted by hand, they are high in quantity and spread very quickly so Glyphosate was traditionally sprayed throughout the growing season as a ‘quick-fix’ solution across our hard and soft landscape surfaces.”

“The teams understood that there was an environmental impact to their spraying and, with a Glyphosate ban imposed in 2022, we needed to explore all options to find something the team would be happy to adopt and that would deliver the same efficacy and efficiency as Glyphosate.”

12-months of data was presented as part of a herbicide audit, where Foamstream emerged as a viable solution. Foamstream’s patented low-pressure process combines hot water with a biodegradable foam made from natural plant oils and sugars. The foam acts as an insulation blanket, preventing the heat from escaping and keeping the water in the ‘kill-zone’ of 57 degrees Celsius and

above for longer. The heat penetrates the waxy outer leaf structures, travels down the stem and into the roots – killing or severely damaging the plant.

Paul’s findings were presented to EDDC StreetScene’s Operations Manager, Tom Wood. “We invited as many of the operatives along to the demonstration as we could and monitored the results over the next seven days. We were all blown away!” exclaims Tom. “As our district is split into East and West, we proceeded to purchase two L12 systems in May 2023, both with a 60m retractable hose which means that, with the unit mounted on the back of a flatbed tipper, we can get the applicator wand exactly where we need it.”

“Foamstream sterilising spores and seed banks was another major benefit compared to some of the other non-herbicidal alternatives, which will help to break the ‘losing battle’ the teams have traditionally faced with the rapid life cycles of ephemeral weeds.”

Paul adds, “We are now well placed to control weeds in a way that is of benefit to our operatives, to the environment and to those across areas in the wider public realm.”

BROMSGROVE SCHOOL

Variety …the spice of life Scott MacCallum travelled to Bromsgrove School to meet Richard Hare, a man who loves his school, loves his job and loves his staff

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MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

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MAKING TURF MATTER

BROMSGROVE SCHOOL

Head of Grounds, Richard Hare, right of picture, with his Bromsgrove School team

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p and down the country there is outstanding work being carried out on a dayto-day basis within our schools. And it’s not just the sports pitches which are seeing standards raised to professional levels it is the entire school surrounds with their gardens, often offering superb havens for wellness, also receiving attention worthy of the very best.

One such example is at Bromsgrove School in the Midlands, where in addition to having some superb sports pitches there are ponds, orchards, gardens and even a tunnel to keep pupils underground and out of sight of an old Head Master’s study!

Speaking with Head of Grounds Richard Hare, you find a man who is as keen to nurture, not only his sports pitches and gardens, but also the careers of his team, several of whom he lined up to speak with Turf Matters about their job at the school and also the industry in which they worked.

“I believe we produce the best sports pitches in the world in this country, whether that be football, rugby, cricket or horse racing, and I also believe that we probably have the best schools and universities in the world too,” said Richard,

36 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

www.turfmatters.co.uk

“I BELIEVE WE PRODUCE THE BEST SPORTS PITCHES IN THE WORLD IN THIS COUNTRY, WHETHER THAT BE FOOTBALL, RUGBY, CRICKET OR HORSE RACING, AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE PROBABLY HAVE THE BEST SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE WORLD TOO” as we sat in the ancient pavilion which serves as a mess room.

Richard has been at Bromsgrove for 10 years, the first few of which were a genuine case of him proving himself.

It wasn’t an extended probationary period but a chance to prove to the school that his approach for improving the surfaces were valid and would also save the school a considerable sum of money.

“My first year was extremely wet and the two main floodlit pitches here were constantly flooded and virtually unplayable.

It got to the stage that it was just standing water and it meant rather than postponing games

we were playing on other pitches which were ok, but not great.”

It wasn’t a sustainable situation and Richard found himself being pushed down the route of 3G. “A lot of the bigger private schools had gone onto 3G pitches, while some of the Premier League rugby clubs had 3G and there was a feeling that they were the answer to everything. You could play on them 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“I was thinking that they weren’t the answer, but I was struggling and not in a position to give the school what it required,” recalled Richard.

“I remember having a meeting with the Bursar and saying that for a fraction of what we were going }

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MAKING TURF MATTER

BROMSGROVE SCHOOL

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“THE EQUIPMENT FROM WHEN I FIRST STARTED TO NOW, IS A MILLION MILES AWAY. WE’VE GOT VERTI-DRAINS, SHOCKWAVES, PRO CORES, EVERYTHING WE COULD POSSIBLY NEED. PARTLY BECAUSE WE DIDN’T SPEND THE BUDGET ON A 3G PITCH”

} to spend on 3G we could start

installing draining and putting down more sand. I said that with proper renovation the pitches would come around, and that from the day you put in a 3G it is deteriorating. Grass pitches, so long as you keep doing the work, get better and better.”

Richard’s pitch – the one to the Bursar, not the pitch he was hoping to renovate – worked and she told him that she’d give him two years, and a set amount of money over that time, and if in those two years were was an improvement they’d carry on rolling out the renovation programme on all the pitches.

“Two years in, the pitches had improved tremendously, a view shared by the sports staff. There was always that little bit of doubt particularly as we were doing half a pitch at a time and it wasn’t until year two, when the entire pitch had been done that you could see the real benefit. We did the worst half first which made a real difference,” said Richard, of the work which was carried out by contractors.

“That was seven years ago and we’ve carried on since. Each year I’d get a budget to do either drainage or irrigation and we’ve now completed the first two pitches, a third is just about finished and

38 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

next year we will have completed four pitches, all with full drainage and secondary drainage, while the other pitches have had endof-season renovation work too.”

The money saved from not going down the 3G route has ensured that not only have their pitches improved, but Richard now has all the equipment he could possibly need to maintain the standards.

“The equipment from when I first started to now, is a million miles away. We’ve got vertidrains, Shockwaves, Pro Cores, everything we could possibly need. Partly because we didn’t spend the budget on a 3G pitch.

“If we had gone down that route eight years ago, we’d be looking at it and thinking that it’s going to need replacing before much longer… and then where does the waste pitch go. Where does the carpet go when it’s finished its life?

Where does the rubber crumb go?”

That’s not to say that Richard is totally against artificial pitches.

“Don’t get me wrong, there is a place for artificial pitches. You wouldn’t play hockey on anything other than an artificial pitch.

We have three sand dressed hockey pitches at the school.”

Ah, sand. That brings Richard

onto another topic about which he has interesting thoughts.

“Since April we’ve put 300 tonnes of sand into our pitches, plus another 100 tonnes on during the summer when we were doing our drainage work. That’s 400 tonnes of sand and we do that every single year.

“You’ve got to guess that most big schools will be doing something similar and then you have the big training grounds for the football clubs, and the rugby, then there are the golf courses. I dread to think how much sand is used each year. And then you have loam which is a big issue as well. The Ongar loam all came out of the digging of the M25 but it’s not sustainable in the longer term.”

Having described the issue Richard is honest enough to admit that he doesn’t know the answer.

“I don’t know the alternative. We are an old school and carry out a lot of hollow coring which is basically taking core out of the top then adding sand to create a rootzone.

So we are still taking sand from somewhere. I honestly don’t know what the answer is,” he said while adding that the desire to strive for perfection does contribute.

For Richard, he freely admits that it was his ability to produce }

BROMSGROVE SCHOOL

} fine sports surfaces as the reason he’s at Bromsgrove, but over his 10 years at the school he has taken more and more pleasure from the gardens for which he is ultimately responsible and which his Garden team carry out.

That was demonstrated on our walk around the grounds when he was so keen to introduce me to Nicola, the five foot sturgeon which lives in one of the school ponds.

“One of the gardeners used to look after the pond and Nicola but he was off during Covid and I started working on it, clearing the filtration system and feeding Nicola,” he said while admitting he had no idea whether Nicola was a boy or a girl.

It was during the same walk around that he showed me some 300-year-old oak trees and an orchard featuring 50 midlandbased fruit trees. He also showed me a real curiosity – a tunnel commissioned by an old Head Master so that he wouldn’t have to watch pupils walking past the window of his study! We hasten to add the tunnel is no longer in use other than as an amusing detour on school tours, and we are sure that it would not happen now.

“We have 1,400 trees on site in total and with some new hedging we are creating we planted 800 trees last year and have just got another 420 trees from the Woodland Trust.”

Bromsgrove, founded in 1553, now has over 2,000 pupils (aged 2 to 18) 600 staff, it is a progressive school with new buildings constantly being adding to the existing portfolio and it is here that Richard and his team have also had an input. The

Richard Hare

RICHARD ALSO SHOWED ME A REAL CURIOSITY – A TUNNEL COMMISSIONED

BY AN OLD HEAD MASTER SO THAT HE WOULDN’T HAVE TO WATCH PUPILS WALKING PAST THE WINDOW OF HIS STUDY!

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MAKING TURF MATTER

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A SNAPSHOT OF THE BROMSGROVE SCHOOL STAFF Sam Hendon (18) Second Year Apprentice Growing up I was fascinated by sports and being outside so this seemed the perfect job. I really enjoy being outside, using different pieces of equipment and broadening my knowledge base. In five years’ time I’d hopefully still be working here and hopefully gone on to my Level 3.

Stacey Jones (37) Gardener I’ve only been here for three months but I’ve always wanted to do gardening but it took my until my 30s as I didn’t really see a way into it. If you love the job, that’s half of it. The pay is not bad but the fact is if you get up and are happy to come to work that’s the main thing.

I’m the only female of the team which might be quite intimidating for someone fresh out of school but it doesn’t bother me as I’ve got a strong personality.

Luke Harper (28) Grounds Team I started here when I was 17 and it was just a job when I started but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve completed my Level 3 (Luke was the second person in the

school now consists of Bromsgrove Senior School, Bromsgrove Prep School, Bromsgrove Pre-Prep and Nursery and Winterfold School which are all on separate sites.

“As part of the contract for these new buildings there was a clause included that meant the surrounds had to be landscaped so at the end of the project they’d come in and make it green. But it was horrendous, a tick box exercise and we’d have to go in dig it up and start again.

“I went to the Bursar again and said that we were wasting our time having to undo the work of the contractors and put in our own. I suggested that we take over all the renovation work once building work had been completed.

“She said we should try it on some projects and it works, so we won’t be going back. It saves money, we get a better outcome and the work we carry out is more in keeping with the school. Our gardeners take pride in what they do and are the ones who look after it thereafter.

country to complete the new Level 3 in Horticulture). However I’m leaving to study computing at university soon and am studying Japanese on an Open University course.

Olly Baldi-Turner (29) Grounds Team I’ve been here for nearly nine years and just completed my Level 3 at Pershore College. I think people leave the industry because they don’t realise how much is involved. They think it’s just cutting grass and a lot of people are looking to make more money for less work.

Jordan Murphy (25) Gardener When I first came out of school I went into an office doing IT but I thought this wasn’t for me. I prefer to be outdoors and that’s why I started on the Garden team. I’ve got my Level 2 and am starting out on my Level 3. I enjoy doing a variety of different things instead of the same thing every day.

I think people get impatient and get bored as it’s not a job for everyone.

But I enjoy it and just get on with it.

Sometimes it takes us more time because there is other work to be done as well but the results have been fantastic,” said Richard.

Another addition to the grounds team’s workload has been the acquisition from the local council of the adjacent athletics track and sports club – the Ryland Centre.

“We had permission to use the track for school events on the condition that we maintained the facility. However, in effect, we were using it for eight weeks of the year, but maintaining it for 52 and, to be honest, we were basically acting as contractors, and only had enough time to carry out the basics.

“Now, as it is part of the school grounds, it will get the full treatment and be finished to a much higher standard.”

Richard’s love of the job evolved from his love of sport in Nottinghamshire where he played football and cricket to a decent level.

“In }

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“MY JOB HAS PROGRESSED IN THAT NOW MY JOB IS GETTING THE BEST OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE RATHER THAN SPENDING 20 HOURS WORKING ON A CRICKET PITCH” } the 1980s the cricket pitch didn’t

have a full-time groundsman and was maintained by the many retired miners in the area, who had finished at 50 and had time on their hands.

You’d go down to the club and there would be six or seven people, who seemed to know what they were doing, working on the ground.

“As time went on there weren’t so many retired miners and I started helping, as well as working as a lorry driver. By the end it got too much.

I was either working, or being at the cricket ground either playing or working on the pitch. I had a young family and I was never at home.

“Something had to give and in 2004 I got a job with Pugh Lewis,

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who carried out a lot of work with Premier Pitches, where my HGV licence proved a huge asset.”

From there he got a job at King Edward School in Aston, close to Villa Park, and eight months later moved to another King Edward School grammar school on the other side of Birmingham. From there, there was a move to become number two at the independent King Edward School in Birmingham where he remained until he moved to his current post 10 years ago.

“I have never regretted it. I’ve still got my HGV licence and could return to that tomorrow, but I’m well looked after here and the school is a very good employer. And I am so

lucky to have the team that I have here. I respect what they do and they respect what I do. It’s such a big site that I can go all day and not see some of them but I have confidence that they are getting on with the job.

“My job has progressed in that now my job is getting the best out of other people rather than spending 20 hours working on a cricket pitch,” he said.

Bromsgrove is an excellent example of what a well-run school can achieve. Budget is agreed and set aside for the grounds and Richard and his team have a can do attitude, ensuring that the entire school benefits form a much improved outdoor environment.

SALTEX

A mix of learning, networking,

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urf does matter and pristine grounds elevate a venue, improve the playing surface for top-quality sport and ensure visitors and users get a positive and enjoyable experience. So how do you ensure that your groundscare programme is the best? Well one way is to attend SALTEX, Europe’s largest free, sports turf, amenities, and landscaping trade exhibition. The event delivers an unmissable mix of learning and networking opportunities, education, and exhibition, all in one place over two days.

Visitors can view the latest advances in equipment, hear about product developments in soft and hard landscaping and receive technical advice, all invaluable elements if success in keeping grounds in great condition is to be achieved.

Now in its 77th year SALTEX 2023 will provide the visitor the chance to view over 400 brands in three halls, across two days ¬– 01 and 02 November – at one central location – Birmingham NEC. Alongside the exhibitors is an all-encompassing Learning LIVE education programme that provides advice, insight, and real solutions

SALTEX’S HISTORY, ALONG WITH THE GMA’S WORK TOWARDS MAKING SPORT POSSIBLE, HAS MADE THIS THE EXHIBITION OF CHOICE FOR FIVE OF THE UK’S NATIONAL GOVERNING BODIES. 44 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

to the biggest issues that the grounds management industry faces. Designed to bring people together for the greater good of grounds, SALTEX’s comprehensive and extensive Learning LIVE programme for 2023 is now live on the exhibition’s website – www. saltex.org.uk/learning-live.

Months in the making, all the industry’s hottest topics are covered across the three stages over two days.

On the Spotlight Stage on Wednesday 1 November, the ‘Messi of mowing’ John Ledwidge, head of grounds and landscapes at Manchester City FC, Nick Taylor, managing director of Greycircle and Adrian Kay, York Racecourse Grounds Manager, host a discussion on skilful leadership best practice and the importance of team culture.

How do you deliver a major sporting event? Grounds managers at England’s most iconic cricketing venues talk about that and overcoming the challenges in hosting this year’s Ashes tournament on the Main Stage. Visitors can also meet the team behind the Women’s Ashes’ pitch delivery. These female pioneers will discuss how they got involved in this initiative and how they’d like its legacy to help promote grounds management as a career option for women and girls.

Also on Wednesday, attendees will get the chance to take part in an interactive panel discussion on the Main Stage with GMA consultant, Tim Nicholls, and the Rugby Football League’s, Pat Clusky. The topic of discussion will be the GMA’s newly launched Grounds Management Framework which offers new and existing grounds staff a clear career pathway aligned with the necessary tools and qualifications needed to improve pitch standards

and progress within the industry.

On day two, the Main Stage is busy celebrating volunteer heroes.

Wes Matthews from Cranfield FC & Luton Town FC, GMA award winner Dean Gibbons from Wantage Bowls Club and Liam Murgatroyd from Queensferry ARLFC talk about working around the day job, finding funding opportunities and making the allimportant budget spread further.

Tony Hanson, Planet Mark Associate and Golf Environment Organisation Sustainability Associate, who is hosting a session on this subject says: “Water availability is changing – historically high personal consumption, population growth, climate change, increasing incidence of drought and flooding, over abstraction and pollution have all contributed to problems we now have to solve around water resource and quality.

The leisure sector can protect future water sources and be part of the solution at SALTEX.” Speaking of climate change and what comes next, over on the Spotlight Stage on day one, an important audience participation event concerning where we were, where we are now and where we are going with concern to UK weather under the umbrella of a rapidly changing world is hosted

by Jim Dale – senior meteorological consultant, British Weather Services.

The Learning LIVE schedule this year brings visitors 34 sessions, with additional papers attacking the key issues for the grounds care industry of pay, career development, how to negotiate in the workplace and how to find out about the millions of pounds of grant funding available from sports clubs. More information can be found at www. saltex.org.uk/learning-live

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

education and exhibition

HISTORY REWARDED

SALTEX’s history, along with the GMA’s work towards making sport possible, has made this the exhibition of choice for five of the UK’s National Governing Bodies (NGBs).

Year round the GMA, Football Association (represented by Football Foundation), Sport England, England & Wales Cricket Board, Rugby Football League, and Rugby Football Union work collaboratively to improve pitches and upskill those in the industry.

The NGBs also play a major role in the Learning LIVE education programme where they will discuss several burning topics relevant to their respective sports, from grassroots facility funding and workforce development to showcasing the work that has gone into the major sporting events this year.

NEW SOCIAL SPACE INTRODUCED

New for this year is The Clubhouse.

Post-show feedback indicates that networking is the second biggest highlight for visitors attending the show and The Clubhouse will deliver an enhanced facility with a relaxed, licensed, social space on the busy show floor.

With a bar, relaxed seating options and a private area called The Trophy Room, which can be booked for prearranged meetups, The Clubhouse offers visitors and exhibitors the ideal space to boost their network.

Sarah Cunningham, director of commercial and events at the GMA, says: “Creating a space where visitors and exhibitors can relax, unwind, and build connections with old friends and new colleagues has been a priority following visitor and exhibitor feedback from the last two shows. Crucially, we wanted to create a space that means attendees

can sit down and catch-up without having to leave the show floor.

“The Clubhouse will cater to these desires perfectly, offering attendees a comfortable place to sit down and a bar where they can purchase drinks and food at competitive prices. The Clubhouse is all about maximising the visitors’ experience and bringing the industry closer together.”

With attendees coming from all backgrounds and levels of grounds care, including elite sport, estates and landscaping, parks, playgrounds, and education settings, visitors will have the chance to meet likeminded people and expand their network of grounds care colleagues.

Last year’s show brought together over 8,300 visitors from 50 plus countries with the biggest names in the groundscare industry voicing their enthusiasm for SALTEX. And this year promises to be no different with early indications of a further } TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023 | 45

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} increase in the international interest with a 16 percent increase in international exhibitors attending the 2023 show from 2022. Visitor registrations also have a global feel with registrations from 39 countries.

Statistically, this makes 2023 the most internationally recognised show in the grounds care sector. Of course, it helps that for any visitors coming from overseas, Birmingham is conveniently centrally located.

Right next to the airport, the NEC is just a four-minute walk from Birmingham International railway station and for those driving, the NEC is in the centre of the UK’s motorway network with its ample parking and GMA members parking is subsidised for the duration of the event.

WHY SALTEX?

So, what’s the reason for sports turf management personnel from

46 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

around the world making the journey to SALTEX in November?

Geoff Webb, CEO of the GMA, comments: “SALTEX isn’t just a show for the UK, it’s a show in the UK for the entire industry worldwide. Author of FIFA’s official handbook on pitch maintenance, Richard Hayden’s comments about the UK being the global leader in grounds management, are true.

“The UK is 10 years more advanced than anywhere else in the world and has expertise like no other when it comes to sportsturf management.

“He is absolutely right that ‘if you want to work in technology, you go to Silicon Valley and the UK is the Silicon Valley of turf’ – the UK and specifically SALTEX is where you go to learn and network with some of the greatest in the business.”

The English grounds-management sector alone is valued at more than

www.turfmatters.co.uk

£1bn and employs more than 27,000 people, with specialists in every area, from seed enthusiasts who can breed grasses that grow in the shade to scientists who develop chemicals to make grass greener. Representatives from all areas will be at SALTEX. The show is organised by the Grounds Management Association – the leading not-forprofit membership organisation representing grounds managers, grounds personnel, grounds maintenance managers, greenkeepers and all others involved in the management of sports turf, pitches, landscape, and amenity facilities in the UK. SALTEX takes place at Birmingham NEC on 1-2 November 2023.

To secure a free ticket to Europe’s largest and leading sports turf, amenities, and landscaping trade exhibition, register online at https://www.saltex.org.uk/

SALTEX 2023

SALTEX

1st - 2nd November 2023 NEC, Birmingham

Hall 8

Hall 7

VE DOOR 7.1

VE DOOR 8.3

Roller Door

EMERGENCY EXIT

3

A030

Spotlight Stage

8

5

D012

15m²

Air-Seal Products Ltd

3

Reesink UK

8

A032

84m²

10.5 7.5

4

8

9m²

48m²

6

16m²

8

16m²

6

3

1

C040

C050 GPS & 4 Guidance Solutions

4

D041

FGM Claymore

Cub Cadet 10

10 10

12m²

D040

Hydrowick

4

75m²

7.5

4

100m²

10

10

5

E045

16m²

4

E050

CORVUS

12

WEIBANG

12

12 24m²

E053

120m²

10 2

8.1

3

G030

G023 G025 4 8m²

2

Lubbe & Sons (Bulbs) Ltd

4 6

12m²

H027

10m²

2.5 2.5

6

6

8

G057

30m²

5

H051

12

Dennis & Sisis

216m²

G060

6

6

36m²

6

H070

HillTip

12

72m²

6 4

12

12 GKB Machines 12 12

4

24m²

10

4

120m²

10 9.5

K030

K028

Eco Stage

10 4

G085

Kersten UK Ltd

6 6

9

4

7

KRESS

12 12

Husqvarna

12

12

Infinicut

12 10

K040

6

5

K050

72m²

8

6

10 10

Vale 10 Engineering

10

Overton (UK) 10 Limited

40m²

95m²

9.5

M035 4

5

6

Niterra UK Ltd 5 L057 Zhejiang Sunseeker Industrial Co Ltd

Milwaukee Tools UK

10

M050 4

7

K070

Wessex International

6

10

70m²

7

7

24m²

5

DNA Ramps & Access

100m²

Vanmac Turf Equipment / 7 Trilo 10 Industries63m²

Performance Fencing 24m²

6

60m²

Timberwolf Ltd

6

60m²

20

K080

Reesink UK

10

9

200m²

20

M055 Duralock

6

30m²

10

10

9

6

BigChange

32m²

5

7

10

10

84m²

5

H085

30m²

6

8

Changzhou Cleanspeed 4 Tools Co Ltd

100m²

60m²

8

K060

96m²

30m²

5

10

6

K055 5

Kioti UK Ltd

96m²

24m²

H081

10

H075

G095

MJ Abbott SISGrass Ltd

54m²

6

6

6

Martin Lishman 4 Ltd 40m²

9

54m²

9

8

H060

8

80m²

E080 4

G075

Billy Goat & Wood Bay 6 6 Turf Technologies

78m²

13 8

H055

6

2

12

99m²

9

G070

Origin Amenity

13m²

E

PSD Groundscare

8

6

16.5

13

6

30m²

3

99m²

E070 6

18

7m²

C089

10

E081

Hunter Grinders & Lloyds Mowers

4

Traqnology TinyMobileRobots6 6

36m²

10

H040

Trafalgar 12 12 Cleaning Equipment Ltd

28m²

Allett Ltd

10

6 Tracmaster Ltd 6

24m²

6

6

4

G055

16.5

E071 6

6

250m²

25

24m²

5

10 10

2

C087 Hubscap

Henchma

9m²

Toro UK Limited

12m²

3

C085

6

20m²

10

K010

RootWave

4

G050

2

3

4

9m²

3

21m²

18

24m²

15m² B089

3

Evapos 3 UK Ltd

90m²

4

A089 STUART CANVAS 4 3 Springmasters GROUP

D067

5

Flails Direct LTD 12m²

80m²

10

Kubota UK / Baroness

Eco Green 7 Composting

4

4

H024

12m²

6

6

C070

Service Dealer/Turf 5 Pro

H012

K015

ZHUJI BOLIN TOOLS CO LTD

36m²

6

H010

G040

132m²

11

6

G041

Techneat 6 Engineering Ltd

4

7

2

2

TurfSolv 5

5

6

Towmate Trailers

VE DOOR

60m²

ISEKI

6

12

Wiedenmann UK 8

25

10

3

A087

5 8 8

96m²

12

3

Seeds

E065

KAR UK Ltd

4

32m²

Grillo Agrigarden Ltd

3

A085

5

40m²

E057

8

10

A080

Earlsmere Ltd Hurrells 7

Trimax Mowing Systems 4

3

8

S

Roller Door

12

A070

C065 20m² C066

15 3

4

4

ISEKI

8

Media Village

C051

6

11

E046

12m²

3

32m²

Wanfair

12

64m²

8 10

20m²

D050

8

Southern Machinery 8 Ltd

8

48m²

5

4 Bionema 10

8

Javelin Irrigation 4 Systems Ltd 4

4

3

A061 A065 Hopespare Limited 12m² DW Tomlin A063 Sanz 4 Group 4

10

D030

8

A060

Turfcare 4 A051

4

3

6

A058

A055 4

5

8 3

6

A040

Foamstream

10.5

A010

VE DOOR 8.2

Roller Door

Ambrogio UK

Sliding Doors

M075 4

4

10

3

4

M085

M080

NET WORLD SPORTS. 40m²

Wanfair/ ZHEJIANG PAINIER TECHNOLOGY INC.

12m²

4

4 Block Blitz 4 16m²

EME

SALES KEY Available

Organisers Office

Organisers Office

Features Reserved HALL 8 ENTRANCE

Sold Storage Void

Issue Number : 795

Date : 3rd Oct 2023

The dimensions on this plan have not been verified by Showlite Ltd and no responsibility can be accepted for any discrepancies

48 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

HALL 7 ENTRANCE

www.turfmatters.co.uk

MAKING TURF MATTER

FLOOR PLAN VE DOOR 7.2

Hall 6

VE DOOR 6.2

Roller Door

VE DOOR 6.1

12m²

Spaldings Ltd 8

12m²

B112 4

4 32m²

5

4.5

C100 Green 6 Best Ltd

Team 5 5 Sprayers Ltd

18m²

20m²

4

25m²

5

22.5m²

D102

6 3

132m²

Catalyst Computer Systems Ltd

6

6

36m²

6

18m²

G100

Cobra Garden

6

6

12 12

J090 CRAMER

12 8

18m²

9m²

F110

5

3

6

2.5

144m²

4

9

K090

K095

6

6 10

36m²

STM

4 84m²

12

M090 4

4

Ecolawn Applicator

K103 K105

Harrod Sport 10

2

Groundsman Industries Ltd

6

L107

2

4 3.5

K109

3

K121

10

6 3

M102

60m²

3

M103

3 BAGMA SAGE 9m²

9m²

3

5 2.5

K122

H130

5 3

15m²

H136

CST Industries

6

5

15m²

3

15m²

15m²

17.5m²

3

2.5

2.5

J140

LWS Irrigation 3

3

3

3

6m²

9m²

9m²

Hello Fresh

3

M121 9m²

18m²

3 3

G160 GBR Technology Ltd

G163 Mumby Machinery Ltd 3

30m²

9

3

H180

27m²

6

18m²

3

14.5

3

24.5m²

G196

3

43.5m²

H160

9

3

6m²

2

7

2

2

M126M130 6m²

K150

59.5m²

27m²

3

12

3 6m² L149

4 8m²

2

15

Networking / Clubhouse

15

6 3

Specialists (AgriFJ)

9m²

J142

9m²

Tudor Environmental

6m²

4

Agricultural & Farming

6

6

K145

3 3 6m²

L140

3

12m²

27m²

6

Monty Miracle

F194

2 Covermaster Inc. 2 6

F190

12m²

Chappell 3 Makita UK 3 3 Enterprises 3 Ltd UK 12m² 12m² K142 L145 K147 K149 3

K134 K136

18m²

3

4

K140

Ltd

3

3

9m²

E221

SALTEX 6 SALES TEAM

18m²

F186

D223

9m²

F187 3 Film Studio

3.5

7

H151

15

9

Syngenta

5

18m²

3

6

F183

5

Turfix

15m²

18m²

J130 15m² 4

M106 M107 M108 M120 M104 Lighthouse Pro BIGGA Landscaper UK 9m²

H150

H143

6

12m²

5

2.5

K130 K132

6

12m²

6

60m²

H140 Agralan Ltd 3 H141

New Milton Sand and Ballast 3

60m²

Agronomic TerrazzaMC - Services6 6 UK

9m²

3

12m²

3

G150 6

5

Post Pullers 3 (UK) LTD

L147 Jac Uittenbogaard + Grundfos 4 4 4 Pumps Matchsaver 4 4 Terraflex 4 4 Village Sensation24m² 10m² 10m² 16m² 8m²

4

12m²

3

10

18m²

K124

AMS 10 3 Watermatic 9m² Robotics K123

28m²

5

Hewitt 12 6 Sportsturf

48m²

9m²

3.5

3

F180

F150 F152 Sports & Pedrollo 5 Asecos Turf Distribution4 Ltd Ltd

ICL

6

54m²

H131

3

Ltd 9m²

6

4

6

225m²

15

12m²

10

G140

3

K120

85m²

10

9

24m²

Ash 3 One LANTRA 3 Training

F156

12m²

4

SGL

J125

6

24m²

F154 4

9

Major 8 Equipment Ltd

8

6

4 Mansfield Sand 4

35m²

Ransomes

15

30m²

3

3

12

5

E150

F140

12m²

36m²

J112

E140 FJ Dynamics

3

6

6

3

6

15m²

Certis Belchim 4

J100 SPA Power 3 Machinery 18m²

12m²

M095 M105 Healthmatic 2 Ltd 7m² Grasshopper Turf Equipment

30m²

10m²

H110 4 4

6

Ureka 7 Global Ltd

20m²

6

7.5

Tudor Environmental

24m²

3

24m²

G130

6

2 H102

36m²

10

3

6

White Horse 6 Contractors

36m²

15m²

D220

187.5m²

GMA Hub

Greentek Solutions10 Ltd

3

5 DrainTalent Hozelock-Exel 4

36m²

6

G120

Yongkang Maxpower Technology Co Ltd

6

Kreon

9m²

Phoenix 8m² Amenity J108 Supplies Ltd

8

24m²

3

4

J092

3

6

6

H100

H082

3 12

15m²

9m²

C166 C190

C164

80m²

8

E129 Mawdsleys 3 BER 4 9m² Ltd F132 F125

3

C220

3 Myerscough College

5

30m²

4 Ground Control 4

48m²

15m²

10

6.3

Main Stage

3

C162

5

12m²

F112

6

36m²

E122

6

EGO

10

6

E125 6

Grass Master 6 6

36m²

Landscape & Amenity Product Update

VE DOOR

5

30m²

F134

5

9m²

C150

6

6

6

3 ATVTrac Moasure 3

G110

Fleet (Line Markers) Ltd

E120

12m²

Patchwork

15m²

Campey Turf Care Systems 14m² 10m²

3

Everedge4

5

4

15

A190

8

3

8

Vitax Supaturf 5 D122

E116

3

3.5 4

C136 5

6

8

64m²

8

6

20m²

5

8

36m²

6

5

C135 Sports & Stadia

18m²

E111

6 Machines

6

6

4

3

3 Technologies

Compo Expert 6

72m²

SMG

42m²

E112

12m²

3

12

12

3

E110

Ekip Spor 4

F105

Turf Tank

D112 Agrigem 6

E100 Upson Mowers 3 Ltd 18m² F100 E102 9m²

MH Goals

H090

3

1 11.25m² 3

F102

E095

G090

4

6

Ariens

6

D105

8

Price Turfcare 4 Limited Ventrac

Hangzhou Excelsior& 6 Sharp Garden 6 Tools Co Ltd

TP 7 Woodchippers

12m²

8

30m²

0.5

InstaPlant

6m²

3

8

7

C134

18m²

1.5 1.5

14

E090

6

8

40m²

5

6

C120

C107

4

1.5

6.5

4.5

Tyre-Line

C097 Prodata Weather Systems C095

16.5m²

D090

an

5.5

3.5

5.5

11m²

4

24m²

6

3

1.5

QCR

AhusTurf Hybrid Turf

3

Germinal Amenity

4

48m²

6

5

C090C094

pe

48m²

6

3

Demon International ltd

4 2

8

A150

12.5

8

8

A140

18.5

8

3

A125 Turfdry 4 Ltd

12.5

EGHOLM

8 8

3

B124

3.5

AKFS

5

8.5

8

A120 4

8.5

3

A112

3.5

3

A110 4

3.5

6

A105

8.5

6

Melcourt

A100

Sliding Doors

Roller Door

3.5

4

A090

4

Roller Door

8.5

Roller Door

Sliding Doors

18m²

180m²

3

24m²

ERGENCY EXIT

HALL 6 EXIT

EMERGENCY EXIT

TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023 | 49

SALTEX

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

AGRIA UK

ARIENS CO

STAND A085

STAND EO90

Agria known for its hybrid remotecontrolled slope mowers, launches a new machine.

Welcome the agria 9700e, an all-electric tool carrier that operates on slopes to 50°.

With as much power as a 30 hp tractor, the 9700e is a base unit that lets you attach mowing decks, flail decks or other accessories using a CAT 1 standard 3-point linkage and is PTO driven.

Wiedenmann UK & Agria lead demonstrator, Andy Kerr, said: “The agria 9500 and 9600 are specific rotary mowers positioned underneath a hybrid power unit. The 9700e moves technology forward,creating a host of exciting new opportunities. All electric, it has the power of a small tractor. While it can climb inclines of 50 degrees it is also amazing on the level. If you have implements weighing less than 300 kg then the 9700e should be able to take them.”

AGRONOMIC SERVICES STAND K132 Agronomic Services Ltd are an independent family business, which understand the meaning of personal service and attention to detail. With no sales targets, no sales reps, or pointless sales campaigns, they only specify the product your sports turf really needs.

As the market leaders in foliar nutrition, producing the most advanced soil testing evaluation service and agronomic advice. Agronomic Services offer a comprehensive range of carefully curated turf care nutrition and work with their clients to deliver on time and within budget.

Supplying world class venues in the UK and Internationally. Let them create a road map for your sports turf, to enable you to produce the finest quality greens throughout the year and excellent playing surfaces. With over 30 years of experience, specialising in grow-ins and renovation work and simple to follow turf action plans.

50 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

AriensCo is a market leader in commercial outdoor power equipment.

On display will be a range of battery and petrol-powered grass cutting solutions from Ariens and from AS-Motor, our high grass experts.

Ariens mowers are built to daily commercial use. This also applies to the new stand-on mower, the ARROW E, will be presented for the first time at the Show. The Ariens ARROW E combines the advantages of a stand-on mower with the latest battery technology. Professional users benefit from lower operating costs, improved profitability and the ability to service future contracts in noise and emission-sensitive areas. The Arrow E battery-powered mower is equipped with an Ariens FusionCore interchangeable battery system. Up to four battery packs can be swapped in seconds and charged inside or outside the machine.

AS-Motor’s range of high grass, slope and mulching mowers will also be on display. With the new AS 60 EWeedHex, AS-Motor now has an even more powerful weed brush with a 60 cm working width in its portfolio. The compact and easyto-handle weed brush with 56V battery drive is ideally suited for inner-city use.

The newly developed machine enables a higher area performance than the existing AS 30 WeedHex on level and slightly uneven surfaces as well as along walls and kerbs.

BERTHOUD STAND F125 “All Berthoud sprayers are manufactured in our factory in France. The quality of the components and their assembly, the rigorous monitoring at all stages of manufacturing and the systematic tracking are all measures to ensure high quality, durable and reliable products.

Quality is our priority and as a result the company is certified ISO 9001 version 2015, a guarantee of quality procedures at each stage of the design, manufacture and distribution of our sprayers. Berthoud also guarantees

their manual knapsack sprayers and compression sprayers over 2L for 5 years (under the conditions specified in the equipment’s user manual). All of our products are repairable thanks to our after sales service which guarantees the availability of spare parts for at least 10 years after the end of the product’s commercialisation.”

CAMPEY TURF CARE SYSTEMS STAND HO82 Campey Turf Care Systems is planning an exciting UK Road Tour in 2024 and Saltex is providing the platform for dealers and customers, to register your interest in attending a demo day in your area.

For many years Campey has taken a huge number of machines across the water for various educational and sales tours throughout Europe. Most recently was an eight-country demonstration tour visiting 14 venues to provide industry-leading customer support and training.

Now it is the turn of the UK! The key to the success of all the events is working with turf professionals to solve issues specific to their sport and conditions. For Campey Director Lee Morgado, this is the primary purpose of the in-person demos and is invaluable to what Campey offers.

“Giving people detailed advice on issues specific to them is priceless, and the impact of it really can’t be overestimated.

The challenges groundsmen and greenkeepers face in the UK can vary considerably, so to have the opportunity to talk through those issues can make a difference for them and us because we can learn and adapt from it,” said Lee. So, for this reason, Campey has chosen Saltex this year, not only to exhibit a selection of their extensive range of equipment, but to engage with industry professionals on the stand to discuss when and where Campey may be visiting their region.

Anyone who registers and attends the road shows will have their name automatically put into a raffle to be held at each venue. The top prize is a visit to the Imants and Vredo Head offices in Holland with a factory tour to see how these flagship machines are manufactured, followed by traditional Dutch hospitality to make you feel welcome.

MAKING TURF MATTER

CERTIS BELCHIM STAND H110 With a legacy of trusted weed and surface management solutions and a focus on sustainable time saving practices, Certis Belchim Amenity and its products have played a fundamental role in landscape and grounds management throughout the UK. Our dedicated team of Basis qualified professionals brings expertise and insight into weed control in a wide variety of situations from industrial to fine turf.

With Chikara Weed Control, Katoun Gold and Enclean at the forefront. We invite you to engage with us on the Stand and explore how Certis Belchim Amenity’s product range can contribute to your landscape and grounds management success.

COBRA STAND GO90 The Cobra Fortis cylinder mowers and lawn tractor ranges will take centre stage on the Henton & Chattell stand at this year’s Show.

The Fortis range combines eight machines in one to give the ultimate package for creating picture perfect lawns, and are the first powered cylinder mowers to be launched by Cobra. The innovative Cobra cartridge system transforms the Fortis from mower to verticutter, scarifier, dethatcher, aerator, turf rake, and lawn brush.

Cobra’s new range of ride-on lawnmowers provides a high-quality, yet walletfriendly option – with six models and cutting widths ranging from 24” up to 42”, and choices again being manual and hydrostatic gear changing, as well as a twin cutting blade.

CRAMER

has been designed for use in narrow, awkward spaces.

Both Optimus Z zero turn mowers have been designed for durability and longevity, and come with a host of invaluable features.

The ride on model has individual rear wheel hub motors which integrate transmission for fast drive as well as park brake. It benefits from a large 18 or 24 kWh battery with a run time up to 8.5 hours per charge. Features include a water resistant storage unit to cope with our changeable weather together with cup holder and mobile phone charger.

A new high level LED bar in white and amber, with flash function, make for high visibility and therefore improved safety.

The Optimus Z stand on zero turn mower measures just 92cm in width to enable it to be driven through smaller gates and around tighter obstacles. It comes with a premium leg pad for driver comfort.

Cramer will also be exhibiting a selection of its existing cordless professional outdoor power equipment tools, all of which are powered by an 82V battery system, and benefit from innovative features such as Magnesium components, fleet connectivity, and ultra-high torque motors to rival petrol performance.

GREENBEST

leading battery-powered equipment on stand E070.

SALTEX visitors can expect to see the following line-up of products on the Dennis Mowers stand: This new mower is based on the Dennis FT510, with a choice of 12 interchangeable cassettes, the ES-510 is capable of scarifying down to -10mm.

Ideal for fine turf it has the power to cut 4-5 bowling greens or approximately 10km on a single charge.

Users of the Dennis G860 cylinder mower will no doubt see familiarities in the new ES-860. This 34” battery powered turf management system delivers maximum versatility and the range of 13 interchangeable cassette options provide a solution to many day-to-day maintenance tasks.

The ES-36 provides a perfect finish every time and capable of cutting 2-3 pitches on a single charge. The powerful battery system allows the addition of a trailer seat to be attached and still achieve a minimum of 20km of cutting.

Easy to use, superb balance, control, and easy pull back for accurate alignment of next run are just some of the features of the ES-26. With a 26” cutting width, this mower is available with a standard front roller for maintaining fine turf sports surfaces such as golf greens and tees, or with the larger front roller for maintaining ornamental lawns and gardens.

STAND C100 At GreenBest we have been manufacturing and distributing liquid, granular, and soluble fertilisers, soil conditioners and turf care-related products since 1998. Our products which are made in Britain, are in high demand for prestige turf and landscaping applications around the world and are used in many of the top golf, football, and sports venues.

Our success comes from combining deep technical ability with a commitment to providing the best-performing products and highest quality service to our customers.

Whether using our bespoke fertiliser services or shopping our Velvit, SmartLawn or Florifeed ranges, you’ll find a product to suit your turf, lawn, or plant needs.

STAND H090 Cramer will be launching two new Optimus Z zero-turn battery-powered mowers specifically designed for professionals who demand the ultimate in performance and durability at Saltex.

The ride-on model boasts a mowing speed of 25.6KM/H - the fastest in the market and a battery that allows for a full day’s operation, whereas the stand-on model

www.turfmatters.co.uk

DENNIS MOWERS STAND EO7 Dennis Mowers is continuing its longstanding tradition of being at every SALTEX since the show was founded and will be showcasing a wide range of

DRAIN TALENT STAND F132 The award-winning, sustainable solution to optimal pitch moisture management will be on show this November, as DrainTalent make their return to SALTEX. Innovative and unique in its operation, DrainTalent continuously monitors both the moisture content within the profile and the current weather conditions to optimally balance soil conditions in realtime. The installation of a bi-directional, under-pitch drainage system is linked to the DrainTalent – a compact unit which can be safely stored indoors or outdoors, pitch-side. The fully automatic system will identify when it starts raining and will actively begin extracting superfluous water from the top layer.

Together with managing moisture, it can also force air into the subsoil and up into the soil profile, creating conditions for stronger root growth and a more stable pitch, able to better withstand wear and tear.

DrainTalent has proven revolutionary }

TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023 | 51

SALTEX

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

} to a number of elite football venues

following installations at top-flight clubs across Europe, including FC Utrecht in The Netherlands. Together with the professional market, the promise of increased play hours and reduction in overall maintenance costs also make it a serious consideration for clubs at amateur or community level.

GKB STAND HO51 No trip to SALTEX is complete without a stop by the bright and bold stand of GKB Machines! This year, the stand has been redesigned to maximise visual impact and make space for a wide range of

52 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

machinery from across GKB’s portfolio of maintenance solutions for natural, hybrid and synthetic surfaces.

From the natural offering, particular highlights include the Deep Tine Aerator and GKB Sandspreader. The Sandspreader range features four models, offering hopper capacities between 1m3 and 4m3 to cater for fine turf, sports turf and contractor applications. The material is transported from the hopper to the adjustable metering valve via an internal conveyor belt, before being efficiently and evenly distributed via the double disc hydraulic spinners.

On synthetics, one important fact to consider when it comes to both the usage and maintenance of a surface is minimising the migration of infill into the environment. With the use of a synthetic pitch, infill will naturally tend to disperse outwards towards the pitch perimeters which is where effective maintenance will be needed, to ensure infill is returned to the higher use areas where it is required

for surface stability and playability.

The easiest way to achieve this is via brushing, for which GKB have a range of options. The 4m wide Brush is ideal for quick surface coverage, with hydraulically foldable wings for convenient transportation and storage, while the GKB Quick-Brush can be configured with a range of optional extras including a rake or rubber finishing mat to suit individual requirements.

GROUNDSMAN INDUSTRIES STAND K103 Groundsman Industries welcome you to visit our stand K103 to see our unique range of Aerators, Sod Cutters and Accessories.

On display the Turf Multi Cutter range offering excellent cutting ability and

}

TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023 | 53

HAND HELD TOOLS SALTEX

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

} traction in all conditions with smooth

operation and operator comfort. The four wheel drive with rear blade cuts a consistent thickness even on rolling terrane as well accommodating a wide range of blades and attachments. A Guillotine attachment is available to chop the sod into pre-set lengths.

Groundsman Tractor Mounting and Pedestrian Aerators all use Groundsman’s proven rugged Elliptical Plunge Action mechanism for aeration down to 15cm depth with minimal surface disruption.

Quick-change tine-holders switch between Solid, Chisel, Hollow and Cluster Tines for aeration, thatch removal or over-seeding.

The Flexblade Collector is available for many aerators to Core and Collect in one pass or for use independently for Followup Collection of Cores or Linear Aeration Soil.

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HUNTER GRINDERS STAND EO71 It was a year ago at SALTEX 2022 when the announcement was made which saw the Hunter Grinders and Lloyds Mowers brands become divisions within the Howardson Group alongside the Dennis and SISIS ranges. A year on and Hunter Grinders is returning to SALTEX where visitors will be able to see a range of the company’s leading grinding machinery.

The Jupiter ATI series 6 flagship model will be of particular interest to attendees.

It is a fully automatic grinder which combines the accuracy of full relief grinding, full spin grinding and also relief and spin grinding, with the ability to grind bottom blades, in one machine.

Further benefits include:

Fully programmable, with automatic traverse, indexing and infeed, returning cylinders and bottom blades back to manufacturers specification.

Will grind up to 42-inch cylinders and bottom blades out of situ.

No need to change grinding wheels between spin and relief modes.

The Jupiter ATI series 6 will achieve the highest standard of accuracy automatically.

It absorbs shock, vibration, and noise.

The grinder converts to a precision bottom blade grinder in under a minute.

Variable cylinder speeds in spin mode for increased operator control.

Automatic docking mode for the grinding head, should you wish to stop the machine mid-operation, again giving the operator greater control and flexibility over the grinding process.

A countdown to indicate the number of cycles completed on full spin grinding allows the operator to take that coffee break without losing sequence. }

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} The Amazon, a dedicated bottom blade

grinder which grinds top and front of the blade at the same time and is fully automatic with full guarding, will also be on display.

INFINICUT STAND HO70 ATT will be making a popular return, showcasing the latest advancements across their Infinicut and TMSystem ranges. It’s been another busy twelve months for the company, with refinements in line-ups and a vast array of new features incorporated into both the hardware and software of their industry-leading pedestrian mower collection.

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The company have been utilising BLDC motor technology in the INFINICUT for the last few years, which has now been developed and enhanced to boast even greater efficiency, torque and smoothness. While the original motor could not be considered noisy, one of the most evident advantages of the new upgrade is the noticeably quieter operation. A multi-connector has also now been eliminated from the motor design, further improving reliability.

Upgrades have also been made within the InfiniApp, which continues to evolve as a result of customer feedback. Several new features have been added to the app in recent months, including a new fleet management function which has proven to be a big hit with customers managing large Infinicut fleets.

Another update being rolled out by the team is their state-of-the-art auto-slow down feature. From the InfiniApp, users can select a percentage of their chosen walk speed to slow the mower for end-of-

line turning. Simply lift the mower in the normal way for a turn and the speed will reduce automatically.

The new additions to the InfiniApp will be demonstrated first-hand by the technical team, who will be on hand to answer all of your questions and discuss all of the machinery upgrades.

ISEKI STANDS DA50 & DA50A ISEKI UK & Ireland will be presenting products from their portfolio of compact tractors, mowers, electric vehicles and tractor implements including: A preview of a new 25hp Tractor with HST or mechanical transmission and a choice of either ROPs or air-conditioned cab. It will be available early next year SXG324/SXG327 the best mid-mount mower that cuts and collects in the wet

}

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} and dry. Now available as a cut and drop

version.

SF5 highly productive out front collecting mower with a 1300 litre collector and a choice of rotary or collecting flail decks Addax electric road legal vehicles. 1 tonne capacity with a variety of body configurations including flatbed, tipper, high cage sides, full height secure tool storage and cargo boxes Raymo, electric or hybrid powered remote control mower for maintaining difficult to access areas including severe slopes, under solar panels and under static caravans. Available with three sizes of rotary deck and a sickle bar mower TG6507 49hp compact tractor with the innovative IQ dual clutch transmission which offers the ease of use of a hydrostatic gearbox but the with control of a mechanical gearbox. Supplied with an airconditioned cabin, three speed mid and rear PTO, headland management control and hydraulic controls for a loader.

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KING FEEDERS UK

KIOTI

STAND HO12

STAND KO30

King Feeders UK based in Cheshire, specialist in the supply of green waste composting machinery and has wide ranging experience in this area of equipment, with a proven track record of supply to a range of different sectors.

The Eco Green composter offers simple, reliable and economic means of recycling. They grind, mulch and mix bio-degradable products. Material is significantly reduced and can be blended with other products.

Because these machines operate at a very low noise and nuisance level, they are favoured by local authorities for use in urban areas. www.ecogreencomposting.co.uk

KIOTI UK will exhibit a range of KIOTI products. Examples of CX, CK and DK compact tractors show case industry leading features, such as HST hydrostatic transmission, spacious and comfortable cabins and integrated front loaders.

Completing the KIOTI line up will be the multipurpose K9 2400U utility vehicles, with 3 seater cabin and large load area, plus a ZXR 48 zero turn mower with a 48” cutting deck.

Representing the recently formed ‘Greenline’ division will be an LM 287 multipurpose utility tractor with a mechanical weeding brush and boom arm hedge cutter attachments. The forward cabin position and front linkage and PTO }

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} makes the LM Trac perfect for highway

and municipal maintenance tasks. Finally, the Zemmler MS 1000 rotary screener will demonstrate its versatility. Compact, portable and easily towed, the MS1000 is capable of screening and recycling up to 20m3/hr of material ranging from soil, compost, rubble and timber.

KRESS STAND HO55 A game-changer in every way, Kress is leading the charge with breakthrough innovation in batterypowered technology, built to deliver the performance and power of petrol. As a part of the well-established Positec family of brands, Kress is recognised for its superior quality engineering that has been synonymous with reliability, quality, and industry-leading standards for over 50 years.

62 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

The line of Kress commercial-grade outdoor power equipment, and the Kress 8-minute CyberSystem deliver unmatched power in record time, setting the standard for commercial equipment.

Kress’s complete line of current commercial OPE as well as our exciting new products for 2024 will all be on display at our stand at Saltex. Come and view the range on our stand and chat to our friendly team.

Kress is dedicated to the commitment towards a future that will forever eliminate the need for petrol-powered equipment. Start your transition to zeroemissions landscaping today.

KUBOTA STAND CO70 Visitors will be the first to see the latest

in the electric offering from Kubota UK, as stand the provides the European launch platform for the next addition to their eco-friendly line-up. The bigger and bolder stand promises the very best in both technology and innovation, with two out-front centre-collect mowers from their FC Series also taking centre stage.

2022 saw the introduction of Kubota’s first electric compact tractor, the LXe261, equipped with a large-capacity battery that can provide rapid one hour charging and three to four hours of continuous run-time.

The stand will also feature some larger machines from Kubota’s extensive tractor portfolio, including the 110hp M5112 which can deliver high output, high productivity to contractors and those working on larger-scale groundworks and groundcare projects. Also promising to showcase the very best from their RTV range, the Kubota team will be joined

by Baroness – whose range of mowers and implements complement the Kubota offering. }

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} LANTRA

STAND K124 Over the coming months team Lantra will be out and about at several trade expos sharing our latest developments in training and qualifications, whilst also inspiring visitors with our landscaping careers information. We rely on industry professionals to help provide insights to future proof Lantra’s offer, while keeping sight of commercial challenges and opportunities afforded by technology.

We want to ensure the workforce is suitably skilled to meet the needs of employers now and in the future.

Therefore, we are constantly looking at ways to translate the demands of the sector into our training courses. As

64 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

a not-for-profit organisation, we are uniquely placed to take an objective stance on the varied needs of the landbased and environment sector. Whether it be conducting research with trusted partners or working with education providers to ensure our training keeps pace with the latest innovations, Lantra can always be relied on to put sector needs first.

LLOYDS STAND EO71 Lloyds Mowers will be showcasing its highly regarded Paladin cylinder mower along with the trailed Leda standard and Giant gang mowers at the Show.

The Lloyds Paladin is one of the very best fine turf pedestrian mowers available and is a fine example of classic British engineering. Available in 21” and 24” width of cut, the Paladin, Paladin Dual and Paladin TG have a choice of various bladed cutting cylinders, ranging from 5,9 or 11, single or dual adjusters and a turf groomer.

Visitors can also expect to see the renowned Leda standard and Giant gang mowers from Lloyds, which are used extensively for wide area mowing. The Leda standard gang mower maintains fine sports surfaces such as sports fields and cricket outfields while the Giant gang mower is ideal for maintaining semi rough and amenity spaces.

The cutting units have a superb through flow of grass and leave a high-quality finish. Both models are available with pneumatic or cast wheels and have various multi cylinder options with a choice of 4, 6 or 9 cutting blades. }

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WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

trailer.”

Also on display will be the MAJOR 2.4m and 4m Swifts and 3.6m Contoura mower.

} MAJOR EQUIPMENT LTD STAND J112 Major Equipment Ltd will be returning to the Show with a selection of machines from their extensive range of tractor mounted grounds maintenance equipment, including the MAJOR 3m CS Pro Mower.

The MAJOR CS Pro is a multi-purpose mower for compact tractors and requires just 30hp to power it.

“The MAJOR CS Pro mower saves us fuel and time,” explained Will Parker of Parkers Pitches in Suffolk “The 3m working width means we can cut a 7-hectare site in 4 to 5 hours. It used to take a whole day! Now we can go to a second site on the same day which saves a massive amount of time. The folding wings allow it to be transportable by

66 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

MANSFIELD SANDS STAND E150 Visitors to the stand can expect to see a wide range of sand-based products that are vital to the overall health and performance of a sports pitch.

Mansfield Sand has pioneered the development and production of premium silica sand-based products for over 170 years. The company provides a wide range of innovative products for sports, landscaping, and equestrian uses. These

include stadium and training ground facilities; championship golf courses and world class show jumping arenas.

A range of Reinforced Rootzones developed to obtain greater use from natural turf surfaces while maintaining the high standards demanded by today’s sports industry and meeting the expectations of ground staff at all levels..

Mansfield Sand understands exactly what is needed to achieve the surface that turf managers require week-in-week-out and that is why their rootzones contain only the best quality materials to meet that demand. For renovation or construction, the company’s superior rootzone blend Mansil 40 Silica Sand with a quality screened topsoil, guarantees the perfect start.

A range of premium quality sand organic material blends which are perfect for creating a rootzone where an organic rich material is required within the profile, aiding in the retention of nutrients while providing increased drought resistance. }

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} MARTIN LISHMAN LTD STAND EO80 Martin Lishman Ltd is a specialist manufacturer of Compact Amenity Sprayers. The Mini-Spray, Midi-Spray and Micro-Spray models are suitable for a wide range of amenity spraying applications including golf courses, sports turf, school playing fields and paddock spraying, with users consistently reporting excellent results. The Martin Lishman sprayer range includes trailed, ATV mounted, demountable and selfpropelled models with tank sizes ranging from 70 to 600 litres and boom widths from 1 metre to 8 metres.

This year at Saltex, Martin Lishman Ltd are thrilled to introduce the Nano-Spray to their line-up of compact amenity sprayers.

The little sibling to the industry-leading Micro-Spray, the Nano-Spray is an ultra-compact, 36 litre, fully-electric self-propelled sprayer that delivers a high precision spray application with no impact on fine turf.

MAREDO STAND A085 Three new tool attachments will be unveiled for the across-all-areas Maredo Wiedenmann STrac 700 system. Cassette heads for ‘clean cut sand injection’, ‘high speed coring’ and ‘spike seeding’ will be on display at Birmingham.

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Brought via your local Wiedenmann UK dealer, the STrac 700 has easy controls on the guiding handle. The rear wheels adopt a variety of operating positions, while the 65 cm wide tools connect cassette-style.

The STrac 700’s revolutionary pedestrian power unit already supports scarifying, aeration, seeding and fraise mowing.

Light, fast, and versatile on difficult undulations, it provides uniformity of care and presentation. Areas like golf course collars, bowling greens, or where tractors can’t access, are now possible.

Look out, too, for the MT Maredo’s tractor-mounted MT200 Flex-Verticutter and the MT220 Vibe-Spike Aerator. Both provide a rapid response to difficulties that might occur in the vital area lying just beneath the turf surface.

ORIGIN AMENITY SOLUTIONS

superior stress tolerance in temperatures as low as 4ºc.

Carbon4Grass is a range of grass seed mixes that have been developed to support the industry’s awareness of carbon mitigation in amenity and landscaped areas.

Live demonstrations of the digital Turfkeeper platform will be also be happening on the stand, Our OAS Irrigation Specialists will be on hand to demonstrate and discuss the latest water management solutions and how they can enhance your turf health and performance whilst saving you time and money. The new 164-page catalogue, featuring a comprehensive range of Rain Bird products will be available to take away.

For the first time the OAS Line Marking team will have their own dedicated stand (G057) to showcase their robust and unrivalled line marking offering.

The famed OAS Barista will be present once again, along with a number of show offers and competitions which are sure to ensure that stands G060 and G057 are among the busiest in the exhibition hall.

STANDS GO60 & GO57 Origin Amenity Solutions will be making their presence felt at SALTEX with two stands.

Visitors will get a flavour of the comprehensive OAS product portfolio which will include its range of brand leading, tried and tested seeds, fertilisers, and biologicals, plus the addition of water management and digital solutions for your grounds management programmes.

Several of the latest OAS technology-led solutions will be profiled. These include a new generation of tetraploid grass seed mixtures which deliver enhanced root growth and germination along with

PRICE TURFCARE STAND B124 Price Turfcare returns to the Show with the all-conquering Ventrac multiimplement, all-terrain compact tractor.

“We’ll be exhibiting the recently introduced Ventrac 4520 compact tractor unit at SALTEX, along with the new Primary Seeder attachment,” said Managing Director Rupert Price. “It’s

}

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} not a radical change in appearance

for the 4520, but there’s a whole series of improvements ‘under the bonnet’ resulting in 30% more available power, giving the best mix of machine performance, operator experience and durability.

“The new Primary Seeder plants grass seed directly into bare soil with a consistent and accurate drop rate, resulting in perfect seed placement.

It has precise application adjustment and a removable calibration tray, which provides easy adjustment for different grass seed types.

“Ventrac has become a credible brand in the UK in just seven years with more and more groundscare professionals appreciating the versatility inherent in the product.

“We’re really looking forward to seeing customers, prospects and former colleagues at what is one of the premier shows for the UK groundscare sector.”

70 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

RANSOMES STAND F140 Ransomes Combines Legacy and Innovation with the all-electric Aurora ELiTE at the Show Ransomes is launching its first lithium machine at Saltex, with the Aurora ELiTE lithium out-front rotary mower cutting a new path in clean, green, sustainable turf maintenance.

While this is Ransomes’ first lithium mower, the company has decades of experience with electric products as the world’s first manufacturer of electrified mowers. As a result, the zero-emissions, road-worthy, quiet turf maintenance solution is meticulously designed to meet the demands of professional operators on their hardest working days.

Powered by proven ELiTE Lithium Samsung SDI batteries and based on the much-loved HR380 chassis, the innovative

Ransomes Aurora ELiTE ensures efficiency and longevity. The onboard, overnight charging feature means the mower is always ready for action.

Visit the stand to experience the future of precision and performance first-hand and learn why the Aurora ELiTE is the best value for investment in commercial turf maintenance.

As well as viewing the new electric lithium out-front mower and the Jacobsen SLF1 ELiTE, visitors to the Ransomes stand will be able to see electric vehicles from Cushman and the Ransomes MT503 flail and cylinder mowers.

REESINK UK STANDS K080 & A040 With a power source for the future, the Groundsmaster e3200 is Toro’s first all-

}

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SALTEX

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

} electric outfront rotary mower – and it

debuts at SALTEX 2023 on the Reesink UK stand. It will be joined by the new Toro Workman MDX lithium utility vehicle.

With the Groundsmaster e3200, Toro has taken the rugged chassis, commercialgrade mowing deck and intuitive operator controls of the diesel-powered machine that has been popular for 50 years and made it environmentally friendly with zero-operating emissions.

Toro’s proprietary, patent-pending lithium-ion technology incorporates a smart battery management system for consistent performance and optimised lifecycle and can be configured with up to 17 HyperCell batteries for all-day runtime in all conditions. The battery powered version of the customer favourite Workman MDX diesel mid-sized utility vehicle, means, for the first time, there’s a utility vehicle with enough power for tougher groundscare jobs.

Visitors will also be able to see the latest offering from all four of Reesink’s

72 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

divisions across two stands hosting an array of customer favourites.

SISIS STAND E70 As one of the longest-standing exhibitors at SALTEX, SISIS is looking forward to attending the 77th edition of the show.

This year, there will be a great line-up of SISIS products including: The Auto Rotorake Mk. 5 - a self-propelled lightweight and easy to manoeuvre scarifier for removal and control of thatch on fine and other quality turf. Its contrarotating reel has specially designed tipped blades for a clean, consistent cut and maximum thatch removal to reduce the risk of disease, encourage healthier growth and ‘true’ surface.

The multi-functional Quadraplay single pass maintenance system is perfect for busy groundspersons as it incorporates a mounted frame for up to four implements such as grooming rakes, spikers, slitters, rollers and brushes.

Simple design with low maintenance, the 1.2m Multitiner is a drum type tractor mounted aerator for use on fine turf surfaces and sports fields and is well suited to performing a range of various aeration methods such as solid, chisel and hollow tining. Fast and effective, this aerator has a maximum depth of 100mm and will leave minimal surface disturbance.

The Rotorake TM1000 is a tractormounted scarifier and linear aerator and is unrivalled when it comes to removing and controlling thatch. It includes a collector box and floating unit to follow ground contours and its contra-rotating reel throws debris forward ensuring a clean, consistent groove resulting in an excellent finish.

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grass seed or fertiliser application – a great way to see up-close, the benefits of such a versatile piece of equipment.

SPALDING

SYN-PRO BY SISIS

STAND A105

STAND EO70

Spaldings has over 60 years of experience dealing with all areas of ground care, large or small. The team are experienced and knowledgeable – with extensive expertise to share with you. On the day, the stand will host the TMC Cancela TLE-125 Hydraulic Mulcher for Remote Controlled Units (60-120 L/min), where you can get up-close and see the ingenuity built into this fantastic and versatile machine. Also on display will be the TMC Cancela TP-180 Rear Mtd. Mulching Topper, with many attractive features. If you have any queries about either of these machines – or any others, the team are on-hand to assist.

Innovation will be showcased by Spaldings at the stand, where you can see the quality of the parts provided. These will include products from the Spaldings Essentials GM Hand Tool Range, including loppers, secateurs, gloves and protective eyewear. You will also have the opportunity to view the 13389 Vento 8 Outlet Pneumatic Seeder- perfect for

Syn-Pro by SISIS is a range of synthetic turf maintenance equipment, ideal for sand-dressed, sand-filled, irrigated and rubber crumb 3G/4G surfaces. They are used around the world for routine and aggressive brushing, grooming, decompaction, infill distribution and debris collection of synthetic playing surfaces.

Here is a snapshot of some of the Syn-Pro products that will be on the stand.

The Osca is a tractor mounted powered oscillating brush with a 1.9 meter working width and is equally effective when used on synthetic turf with sand or rubber infill. The two oscillating brushes stand the carpet fibres up and redistributes the infill evenly, minimising compaction on the surface and improving its performance.

The SISIS SSS1000 is a towed sweeper which can be pulled by any vehicle. There are no tools required for the adjustment of the brush or the angle of the draw bar and to make storage easy the draw bar

STM CO LTD STAND KO90 The SCAG range, supplied in the UK and parts of Europe by STM Co Ltd continues to grow, with new additions to the mowing range, but also the arrival of the AerStorm Aerator to accompany the Turf Storm seeder, creating the complete turf package – from creation to management.

On the mowing side, as well as the introduction of the EVZ Electric version, the idea of the complete turfcare package has been extended to include Finish Mowers. The bulk of the cut can be done by your choice of SCAG model from the extensive range that suits your needs, and now you can complete the SCAG grasscutting process with the versatile 30” pedestrian mower or, for even more intricate areas, the 21” pedestrian.

All made, of course, to the impressive and trustworthy SCAG standard.

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Ryder Cup in Italy and Solheim Cup in Spain

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} lifts to an upright position.

The SISIS Twinplay single pass maintenance system is perfect for busy groundspersons as it incorporates a mounted frame for two implements such as grooming rakes and brushes.

A popular combination for the Twinplay is the Flexicomb and Brush. The Flexicomb ensures even distribution of infill materials and lifts the pile.

significant environmental and economic benefits to users via highly targeted weed control and minimal use of chemicals.

To complete the line-up is the new ProDrift Pedestrian Sprayer. With a covered boom and drift reduction technology it enables users to spray lawns accurately, whilst protecting border plants.

TORO STAND EO65

TEAM SPRAYERS STAND CO95 British sprayer manufacturer Team Sprayers will be at the Show with their range of pedestrian, mounted and self propelled ground care sprayers, including their best-selling Demount Pro Sprayer.

With Team’s Demount Pro optimum manoeuvrability, precision application, exceptional boom stability and superior performance comes as standard.

Highly versatile, fitting a range of utility vehicles the Demount Pro was re-designed a few years ago to be shorter and more compact, making it easier to spray difficult areas and is available with manual, electric folding or covered boom systems, all with break back pivot points.

It also features a flattened tank (in sizes 400l to 800l); offering total vision across the back of the machine. Available with an auto-rate control or GPS mapping system green keepers can ensure efficient use of time and chemicals.

TECHNEAT

Toro, an industry leader in landscaping and turf management, is proud to expand upon its cutting-edge Revolution Battery Line-Up. This innovation marks a significant step toward enhancing performance and sustainability in outdoor maintenance.

In a world where efficiency and environmental responsibility are paramount, Toro invites you to explore the future of lawn and turf care at the Show. Our booth will serve as a knowledge hub, showcasing the practical benefits of Toro’s battery-powered solutions.

Wondering how Toro’s innovation can elevate your landscaping operations without compromising on sustainability?

Join us and discover firsthand the capabilities of the Toro Revolution Battery Line-Up. This is your chance to embrace a more efficient and eco-friendly approach to outdoor maintenance.

Join Toro in leading the charge towards a more sustainable future.

TURF TANK STAND F102

STAND GO30 Cambridgeshire based manufacturer Techneat will be displaying their full range of pedestrian sprayers, including the 25L capacity Acuspray, 35L capacity battery operated Acuspray Solo and the 80-120L self-propelled SPPS that can now be powered by a standard 5.5HP Honda engine or high performance 24V lithiumion battery as a new electric, quiet, ecofriendly model.

Alongside their range of world class pedestrian sprayers will be the new Weed Wizard, a utility sprayer offering

The Turf Tank is going from strength to strength, not only is it popular at Premier League level with 50% of Premier League Football Clubs owning a Turf Tank robot, but the number of other users has also increased dramatically. Grass roots clubs, independent and state schools, local authorities, contractors, league football/ rugby/hockey and other sports are also finding the Turf Tank ideal and affordable for their clubs too.

Visitors can experience the next step in GPS line marking as the company that built the world’s first robotic line marker

continues to innovate.Performance and accuracy are the hallmarks of Turf Tank, and a combination of refinements, including two motor drives for better momentum and new wheels for improved grip and traction, have led to faster marking times with the Turf Tank Two. New in-app guides are introduced to walk you through most features, and the new Wizard guides you through the cleaning and priming process of the paint system.

To quickly troubleshoot any calibration errors, a new augmented reality guided calibration routine lets you take a picture of lines and automatically fix any calibration errors.

All of these features also work in Offline Mode, which means you have the full functionality of the Turf Tank Two in cases where an internet connection can’t be established.

TYRE-LINE STAND DO90 Tyre-Line are pleased to be back exhibiting at this year’s SALTEX show at the NEC Birmingham, bringing their extensive tyre knowledge and product portfolio to the UK’s Premier Turf Management exhibition.

They will be exhibiting their extensive range of Carlstar (formerly known as Carlisle) Lawn, Garden & Golf and ATV/ UTV & SxS tyres, the Compass range of High Speed Trailer tyres, associated wheels and accessories, speciality ATV/UTV tyres from ITP and puncture resistant Lawn, Garden & Golf tyres from Wanda. They will also be showcasing the revolutionary Michelin Tweel Airless Radial range of tyres for UTV machines, Golf Buggies and ZTR Mowers which are now available to order for a rapidly expanding range of machinery fitments directly from Tyre-Line’s Aftermarket division.

VANMAC STAND KO70 A stop by the Vanmac stand is one that can’t be missed… literally! Retaking

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SALTEX

G N I P A C S D LAN } their place on K070 directly in-front of

the show entrance, the stand will be jam-packed with equipment from leading brands including Progressive and Trilo.

Particular highlights promise to be the multi-functional Trilo M4 collector and the Progressive TDR-15.

Where other vacuum collectors spend the months outside of leaf-fall season in the shed, the M4 from Trilo works on. When not collecting leaves, clippings and other debris in the autumn, the modular unit can be equipped with a scarifier shaft for the effective scarification of large areas such as parks or fairways.

If it is leaf collection on the agenda, then Vanmac will also be showcasing a number of other solutions in the form of the towable SU60 vacuum collector and the BL960 blower. As the largest blower

in the Trilo range, the BL960 requires a 50hp tractor, has a capacity of 385m3/ min and delivers an airspeed of 75m/s which makes it a popular choice for large areas.

From the Progressive portfolio of trailed and mounted rotary mowers, the TDR-15 will be the focus. With a combined cutting width of just over 4.5m across the three decks, the versatile TDR-15 combines efficiency with superior cut quality and presentation thanks to the high-tip speed blades and full-width, heavy-duty rollers which deliver an impeccable stripe.

WEEDINGTECH STAND EO57 A hugely busy summer season for the team at Weedingtech will culminate in them returning to the Show, showcasing their world-leading commercial herbicidefree weed control solution - Foamstream.

Delivered by a range of patented machinery, Foamstream combines hot water and a biodegradable foam, made from natural plant oils and sugars, to offer an organically certified and herbicide-free alternative to weed and moss control. The hot water is ‘insulated’ by the foam, ensuring that the heat penetrates the waxy outer layer of the

LANDSCAPING Issue 3 OUCH T N E D L O G E H T MAN WITH CAPING S D N A L T F O S D HARD AN plant d n a s e l IC H E V MACHINERY, nd aggregates .uk a g matters.co sector g in The newest title in the landscaping in v p a a p c s , d e stOn www.lan is here. Landscaping Matters is a website

G N I P A C S D N A L

and e-zine aimed at offering those within the landscaping industry news, views and information sharing opportunities.

ISSUE 4 THE MASTER LEARNING FROM MOWERS ENT WATER MANAGEMLANDSCAPING ters.co.uk FT capingmat HARD AND SO www.lands

76 | TURF MATTERS |Matters NOVEMBER-DECEMBER Landscaping A5 ad.indd 1 2023

We aim to use the same model which has been so successful with Turf Matters and grow Landscaping Matters to be a key title within the industry.

Visit landscapingmatters.co.uk

29/08/2023 11:28

MAKING TURF MATTER

leaf, travels down the stem and into the roots, killing or severely damaging the plant. In addition to eradicating the plant, Foamstream also sterilises surrounding seeds and spores, helping to reduce future weed growth – reducing treatment cycles and overhead costs.

The all-natural ingredients also mean it is safe for applications around people, animals and sensitive environments making it a viable solution for, schools, local authorities parks and housing associations. 2023 has also seen a surge in sales at top-flight sports turf facilities, including a number of Premier League football clubs, most recently Chelsea FC, using Foamstream to control vegetation on pathways, car parks and other hard surfaces.

The exponential rise in demand for Foamstream systems has seen the growth of Weedingtech’s rental offering, with customers citing the benefits in accessibility and eliminating the sometimes lengthy and complex capital procurement process. Foamstream’s rental package includes the latest highspecification machinery and full technical training for a set weekly rate.

www.turfmatters.co.uk

WEIBANG

WIEDENMANN

STAND EO46

STAND A080

Maximum reliability and the highest level of performance, even in extreme conditions, this is the hallmark of Weibang machines. Every detail of a Weibang machine is designed to last, with heavy duty, professional quality components and the highest quality materials. A Weibang machine is designed to be a part of your life, for life.

“After 20 years our goal has never changed... To continually pursue the very highest quality, never compromise, and exceed our customers’ expectations” Weibang machines have been specifically designed for the UK, with the Legacy rear roller range being 100% designed by our UK team from the ground up, to meet the demands of the professional user. Due to the UK’s unique weather conditions, each product has been engineered to perform at its optimum in all conditions.

Versatility and value are Wiedenmann UK’s focus. Grounds teams and contractors need machines that work smoothly with high performance and can double up on tasks.

Whether you are de-compacting an overused pitch or hollow coring a surface, Wiedenmann has 11 separate deep aerators; the super light SL to the extra deep XP and everything in between.

Year-round Super 500 and Super 600 sweeper collectors have endless uses. they can flail mow, fraise mow, sweep and scarify and have a 2.1m high dump into trailers. Leaf sweeping and collecting is quick and efficient with debris vacuum packed into tanks of 2500 and 4500 litres respectively.

TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023 | 77

SALTEX EXHIBITOR LIST

Where to find the exhibitors Agralan

H140

Compo Expert

G100

Grasshopper Turf Equipment

M095

Agria

A080

CORVUS

E045

Green Business Events Limited

M103

Agricultural and Farming Jobs

M107

Covermaster Inc.

F186

GreenBest Ltd

C100

Agrigem Ltd

D112

Cramer

H090

Greentek Solutions Ltd

C166

Agronomic Services Ltd

K132

CST Industries Ltd

H131

Grillo Agrigarden Ltd

A070

ÅhusTurf AB

C094

Cub Cadet

D030

Ground Control

E125

Air-Seal Products

A032

Demon International Ltd

F105

Groundsman Industries Ltd

K103

AKFS

A090

DEWALT

D030

Grundfos Pumps Ltd

K134

Allett Ltd

K015

Denios Ltd

F150

Hangzhou Excelsior & Sharp Garden Tools Co Ltd

C134

Ambrogio UK

C085

Dennis & Sisis

E070

Harrod Sport

K095

K109

DNA Ramps & Access

H081

Healthmatic Ltd

M105

E090

DrainTalent

F132

Hello Fresh

J142

Asecos Ltd

F150

Duralock Performance Fencing

M055

Henchman Ltd

C089

ATVTrac

F110

DW Tomlin

A065

Hewitt Sportsturf

J125

BAGMA

M102

Earlsmere Ltd

C065

Hilltip

H040

BFS

E080

Eco Green Composting

H012

HOPESPARE LIMITED

A061

BigChange

M050

Ecolawn Applicator

K105

Hozelock-Exel

F125

EGO

C150

HUBSCAPE

C087

EKIP SPOR EKIPMANLARI

E102

E071

Evapos UK Ltd

D067

Hunter Grinders & Lloyds Mowers Hurrells Seeds

C066

Husqvarna

H060

Hydroseeding Supplies UK

H100

Hydrowick

D041

AMS Robotics Ariens Co

BIGGA

M104

Billy Goat & Wood Bay Turf Technologies

G070

Bionema

C040

Everedge

E111

Block Blitz

M085

FGM Claymore

D012

British Flora

H100

E140

Campey Turf Care Systems

H082

FJ Dynamics International Limited

Catalyst Computer Systems Ltd

F100

Flails Direct Ltd

A087

ICL

G140

Fleet (Line Markers) Ltd

J090

Justizia

M130

CertisBelchim Ltd

H110

Foamstream

E057

Infinicut

H070

Chandlers (Farm Equipment) Ltd

M095

GBR Technology Ltd

G160

InstaPlant

D102

Changzhou Cleanspeed Tools Co Ltd

M035

Germinal Amenity

A120

ISEKI UK

GKB Machines

H051

D050/ D050a

Chappell Recruitment Ltd

K145

GPS and Guidance Solutions

C050

Javelin Irrigation Systems Ltd

A051

Cobra Garden

G090

Grass Master

G110

JUB HOLLAND UK LTD VILLAGE SENSATION

K123

78 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

KAR UK Ltd

E053

Pedrollo Distribution

F152

Towmate Trailers

K028

Kersten UK Ltd

G075

Phoenix Amenity Supplies Ltd

H100

TP WoodChipper

C120

KIOTI UK

K030

Post Pullers (UK) LTD

H130

Tracmaster Ltd

G050

KREON

E122

B124

Trafalgar Cleanning Equipment Ltd

H024

Kress UK & Ireland

H055

Price Turfcare Limited - Ventrac

M106

G055

C070

Pro Landscaper

Traqnology

Kubota UK

C097

C051

D122

Prodata Weather Systems

Trimax Mowing Systems

Landscape & Amenity Product Update

PSD Groundscare

E081

Tudor Environmental

M090

Lantra

K124

QCR Recycling Equipment

C090

Tudor/ Chapin Distributor

K147

Lighthouse UK Ltd

M108

Ransomes - Cushman

F140

Turf Pro

H010a

Lubbe & Sons (Bulbs) Ltd

G025

REESINK UK

Turfcare

A058

LWS Irrigation

J140

K080 & A040

Turfdry Ltd

A125

RootWave

G041

Turfix

H150

SANZ Group

A063

TurfSolv

H027

SAPCA

F156

TurfTank

F102

Service Dealer

H010

Tyre-Line OE Ltd

D090

SGL

G130

Upson Mowers Ltd

E100

SISGrass

G095

Ureka Global Ltd

L107

SMG Machines

E110

Vale Engineering

K040

Southern Machinery UK Limited

A060 J100

Vanmac Turf Equipment / Trilo Industries

K070

SPA Power Machinery Spaldings

A105

Vitax Supaturf

C136

Sports & Stadia Services

C135

Wanfair International Exhibition Co Ltd

E050

Sports & Turf

F180

Watermatic Ltd

K121

Springmasters Ltd

A089

WEIBANG

E046

STM Co Ltd

K090

Wessex International

K060

Stuart Canvas Group

B089

White Horse Contractors

G120

Syngenta UK Ltd

G150

Wiedenmann UK

A080

Team Sprayers Ltd

C095

H102

Techneat Ltd

G030

Yongkang Maxpower Technology Co Ltd ZHEJIANG PAINIER TECHNOLOGY INC.

M080

Zhejiang Sunseeker Industrial Co Ltd

L057

ZHUJI BOLIN TOOLS CO LTD

G040

Major Equipment Ltd

J112

Makita UK Ltd

K140

Mansfield Sand Limited

E150

Maredo BV Martin Lishman Ltd

A080 E080

Matchsaver

K136

Mawdsleys BER Ltd

E129

Melcourt

L147

MH Goals

E095

Milwaukee Tools UK

H075

MJ Abbott Ltd

G085

Moasure

F112

Monty Miracle

F190

Mumby Machinery Ltd

G163

Myerscough College

C220

Net World Sports

M075

Niterra UK Ltd

K055

NMSB

J130

One Ash Training Ltd

K120

Terraflex

L140

Origin Amenity Solutions

G060

TerrazzaMC - UK

K130

Overton

K050

Timberwolf Ltd

H085

Patchwork Technology Ltd

E112

TinyMobileRobots

G057

H040

Toro UK Limited

E065

Peacock Salt

Correct as of 29 September

TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023 | 79

MANAGEMENT

BUYERS’ GUIDE

BUYERS’ GUIDE Golf Course Management Consultant

Golf Course Advice; Locum Greenkeeper Service; Project Management; Practical Solutions for Genuine Problems www.billymcmillanassociates.co.uk Tel: 07774 632747

To advertise here contact Marie Anderson – email: marie@turfmatters.co.uk FERTILISERS AND PESTICIDES

MACHINERY MACHINERY

MOWERS

SPORTS TURF CONTRACTORS

Toro Reelmaster 5010-H with PowerMatch

Horsepower on Demand

s arrived.

ble 1

www.etesia.co.uk 0118 3914540 jamie@advancegrass.com

www.toro5010.com

EQUIPMENT

TC1038 Turf Matters Buyers Guide.indd 1

21/12/2015 17:35

Bringing technical excellence and service to turf and groundcare

WETTING AGENTS SOIL SURFACTANTS ORGANIC FERTILISERS

www.wiedenmann.co.uk 0141 814 3366

01233 633267 UK.aquatrols.com

www.pellenc.co.uk GOLF BUNKERS

ble 2 Turf Matters | February-March 2016 | 33

04/03/2016 14:05

andy@whitemosseco.org.uk www.CompleteBunkerSolutions.com

LINE MARKING

WE BUY AND SELL ALL GROUNDCARE PLANT AND AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY

+41 7657 10184 info@flexgrass.ch www.flexgrass.ch One of the UK’s leading natural and artificial sports turf specialists. From initial concept and through Agripower planning to construction, Contractors drainage, renovation Good Grounding in Sport and maintenance.

www.agripower.co.uk Tel: 01494 866776 Agripower Contractors, Broomfield Farm, Rignall Road, Great Missenden, Bucks HP16 9PE

SCARIFIERS

IRRIGATION ALWAYS WANTED: Golf Buggies, All Mowers, Compact Tractors, Quads, Atv’s, Diggers, Dumpers, Trailers, Chippers, Boats, Caravans, Forklifts and much more and in ANY condition.

NEED TO FREE UP YOUR VALUABLE WORKSHOP AND YARD SPACE?

Call 07912 346037 – 01963 363512 sales@allterraintrader.co.uk www.allterraintrader.co.uk

80 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

TURF

OVER 30 YEARS OF CARE, CONSIDERATION AND QUALITY CALL US ON 01759 321000

www.inturf.com

MAKING TURF MATTER

MOWERS

GRASS SEED

www.turfmatters.co.uk

AERATORS

www.dennisuk.com TYRES BATTERY-POWERED EQUIPMENT

Petrol has had its day.

…because

TURF

Petrol-matching power without the noise, vibrations or fumes. A range of batterypowered equipment with market leading four-year commercial warranty on all batteries.

www.pellenc.co.uk

GROUNDS MAINTENANCE SUPPLIES

MACHINERY

GRASS CUTTING MACHINERY

DRAINAGE

GRASS SEED

www.mm-seeds.co.uk/ EQUIPMENT

People with something to say, say it on the Turf Matters YouTube channel Find out why we’re our industry’s most watched channel. More than a magazine… our cameras bring you stories from across the UK. Because Turf Matters…

www.campeyturfcare.com

Telephone: 01260 224 568 Email: info@campeyturfcare.com

TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023 | 81

BUYERS’ GUIDE

MAKING TURF MATTER

AERATION

GRASS CUTTING MACHINERY

SYNTHETIC SURFACES

EQUIPMENT

Equipment built with experience

www.turfmatters.co.uk

Invicta Groundcare Equipment Ltd

www.sisis.com EQUIPMENT WASH DOWN

www.synprobysisis.com SPRAYERS AND SPRAYING

One of Europe’s largest quality used golf machinery buyers

PROFESSIONAL SPRAYERS

www.berthoud.fr/en/ ROLLERS

FERTILISERS AND PESTICIDES

InvictaTurfcare

Call us on 01474 874120

Invicta_groundcare

www.invicta-groundcare.co.uk

TURF RECRUIT Looking for your next move?

Turf Recruit has quickly become the largest resource for ALL industry jobs. With EVERY job in one place you’ll never miss an opportunity again.

Simply browse hundreds of jobs and find the one for you!

Are you an employer looking to recruit?

FERTILISERS AND PESTICIDES

l Featured in the Turf Recruit section of the website –our most visited page

TRACTORS

l Featured in our monthly dedicated jobs e-shot – sent to over 26,000 industry professionals l No time limitations – the job remains listed online until you FILL IT l Regular social media promotion of your job to an audience of over 15,000 and growing

Kioti UK Ltd Abbotsley Golf Hotel, Potton Road, St Neots, Cambs PE19 6XN Telephone 01480-401512 www.kioti-uk.com

82 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

To find out more contact Marie Anderson

Email: marie@turfmatters.co.uk Tel: 07841 927500

www.turfmatters.co.uk

QUIZ

To mark the final Turf Matters of 2023 we have brought back the Quiz to test your sporting knowledge as we move towards 2024! Answers below

Football 1. Who scored Scotland’s goals in their 2-0 win over Spain at Hampden, in the Euro’ qualifier?

2. Who were the three relegated teams from the Premier League last season?

3. What was the final score in the final of the woman’s World Cup? 4. What does VAR stand for?

5. Up until October 1 how many International goals has Renaldo score?

1. Where is the next Open Championship being held?

2. Which of the eight Ryder Cup rookies remained unbeaten at Marco Simone?

3. What does LIV mean in LIV Golf?

2. Who is England’s leading try scorer?

3. Who are the current European Champions’ Cup holders?

Tennis 1. Andy Murray is seeking to overtake a recently retired Spanish player in number of match wins on Tour. Who is it?

2. How many Grand Slam singles titles does Novak Djokovic have to his name?

3. Who is the current British ladies number one?

Golf

4. Who was the last British player to win a Major?

5. When and where was the first Solheim Cup played?

4. Which American legend lends his name to a show court at Flushing Meadows?

5. Who did Andy defeat in the two Olympic Singles finals?

4. Which of the Six Nations teams are the last to lose to Italy?

5. Recently-retired Stuart Hogg scored how many tries for Scotland?

Cricket 1. In which year was Twenty20 first played at men’s international level?

2. In whose honour is Bazball named?

3. Who are recently crowned County Champions?

4. Where do Hampshire play their home games?

5. Who was England’ leading run scorer in this summer’s Ashes?

Rugby Union 1. How many caps did Alun Wyn Jones accumulate for Wales and The Lions?

ANSWERS Tennis 1. David Ferrer, 2. 24, 3. Katie Boulter, 4. Arthur Ashe, 5. Roger Federer, in Golf 1. Royal Troon, 2. 1., Robert McIntyre, 3. In Roman numerals it is 54 which is the number of holes played in a LIV Golf event, 4. Danny Willett in the 2016 Masters, 5. 1990, at Lake Nona Country Club, in Florida Football 1. Scott McTominay, 2. Leicester City, Leeds United and Southampton, 3. Spain 1-0 England, 4. Video Assistant Referee, 5. 123

TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023 | 83

Cricket 1. 2005, 2. Coach Brendon McCullum, whose nickname is Baz, 3.

Surrey, 4. The Ageas Bowl, 5. Zak Crawley with 480 runs Rugby Union 1. 158 for Wales and 12 for the Lions, 2. Rory Underwood with 49, 3. La Rochelle, 4. Wales at Cardiff in 2022, 5. 27 London 2012 and Juan del Potro, in Rio 2016