Members of the TGA (Turfgrass Growers Association) met in London on Wednesday 18th March for their first meeting of 2026 to share knowledge and best practices, discuss industry issues, while also networking and seeking out potential business opportunities.
The Landscaper was delighted to attend the event, hosted at Regent’s Park’s Danubius Hotel, where speakers from across the UK presented talks on a range of topics, including innovations and ideas aimed at tackling many of the problems that have surfaced within the industry in recent times.
The day began with a council-only meeting, before the wider members joined for the main session which began with a series of external presentations.
The Innovators
Dan Hughes of Agrovista kicked things off with a talk about robotic mowers, the importance of which cannot be understated in today’s turfing world. Agrovista distributes THOR, a fully autonomous, all-electric rotary mower designed for large-scale turf management. Using smart technology controlled by an app on your phone, THOR handles complex mowing jobs with minimal input and maximum efficiency, all whilst remaining affordable.
The Founder and CEO of Bionema, Dr. Minshad Ansari, gave a fascinating talk on the leatherjacket crisis many turf growers have faced in the UK since the withdrawal of pesticides containing chlorpyrifos. Bionema’s solution for eco-friendly pest control, the NemaGen™ System, won the King’s Award for Enterprise Innovation in 2024.
Scott Baker, commercial director at Omex, spoke about the benefits turf growers could gain by switching to liquid fertiliser, showcasing their Multiflo NPK fertiliser range. These include improved sustainability through reduced waste, accurate application and enhanced nutrient uptake. Furthermore, there is the cost-saving that comes from having reduced operator hours and lower overheads in terms of personnel.
Scott also warned the members of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which comes into effect on the 1st January 2027 and is intended to prevent Carbon leakage. Import costs are set to rise as a result, and the UK fertiliser market will undoubtedly undergo significant change.
P, Stresses, New Features and Nutrition
Robert Hawkin was the next speaker to present, representing Fielder Nutrition, a family-run independent plant nutrition specialist. Robert highlighted the value and importance of Phosphorus (P), a vital macronutrient in turf management. Fielder Nutrition’s seed treatment product, Surge, unlocks ‘legacy’ P and enhances nutrient-use efficiency, resulting in cost savings and healthier plants.
Business Development Manager for ICL Lewis Blois, bringing over 15 years of experience in the amenity sector, touched on the ‘stresses’ that all members of the TGA face when growing turf and how to mitigate them. Turf growers within the industry face significant challenges, such as the climate, government restrictions and economic difficulties, leading to ‘stressed’ turf. ICL has recently launched Greenmaster Liquid Advance, a new liquid fertiliser range developed to support turf performance during periods of stress.
Rikki Brown and Liz Wootliff then presented on behalf of Trimax, a global business which was originally founded in New Zealand. Trimax are leaders within the industry, their innovation driven by customer feedback. Rikki and Liz talked the members through several mowers in their range, including the PEGASUS s5 and the X-WAM. A particular highlight of their talk was information about their new OptiAdjust app, which can be used to control settings like cutting height, all from the comfort of the cab.
Finally Ollie Wright from Agrigem explained the ideal season-by-season programme for better turf, shining a spotlight upon the importance of foliar nutrition. This approach is highly beneficial for turfing businesses as it delivers nutrients directly into the leaf, giving a quicker response than traditional granular fertilisers. Products such as Agrigem’s Nutrigem 15-15-15 help nutrient uptake, root growth and stress tolerance, ensuring consistent turf performance and improved resilience to environmental stresses.
Final Thoughts
The members’ meeting ended with a discussion about certain challenges the industry is currently facing, such as the economy, the climate and how the potential impact of the war in Iran will be affecting fuel and oil prices. Costs to turf growers will inevitably be affected, and the members of the TGA discussed how they could ensure that 2026 and the years beyond are as smooth as possible.
Chairman Richard Owens summed it up perfectly in his closing remarks to the room: “Whilst many of the companies here are technically competitors, when we are in this room, we are united in trying to make the industry as a whole easier to navigate.”
The TGA (Turf Growers Association) is the only professional organisation in the UK and Ireland dedicated to the advancement of quality turf production. Since its formation, the TGA has been at the forefront of raising the standard of the cultivated turf supplied to professional and domestic customers. To become a TGA member, complete the application form.
