Jo and David Snowden
Agronomic Services has produced the perfect solution for Turf Managers wanting to aerate the surfaces as soon as possible following heavy snowfall resulting in standing water. The company recommends Pervade penetrant tank mixed with Oxy-Rush, the oxygen generator launched at Harrogate.
“Pervade will move water through the profile and pull the Oxy-Rush into the rootzone, increasing the O2 levels,” says Agronomic Services’ M.D. David Snowden. “Both products can then get to work, reducing black layer, algae and anaerobic conditions.”
The Pervade/Oxy-Rush combination can be sprayed directly onto waterlogged turf using a lightweight spray rig.
Once weather conditions improve and aerating equipment can be safely taken onto turf, Oxy-Rush can be applied in conjunction with the Turf Manager’s regular aeration programme.
Tel: 01765 658021 Mob: 07799 036996 or visit: www.agronomics.co.uk
British Seed Houses introduced three new grass cultivars for a range of uses, from golf to summer sports and turf growing to landscaping.
Creeping Bents are the greenkeeper’s secret weapon for use on greens, tees and fairways, and British Seed Houses presents its advanced generation 007 variety, developed by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station working in conjunction with Richard Hurley PhD. 007 has a broad genetic base developed from more than 24 parent plants, including varieties proven in high stress conditions.
Offering superior turf quality, 007 eliminates winter stress discolouration and is highly competitive against poa annua. It is a real winner for golf course projects, especially in stressful environments such as drought and extremes of temperature.
Recommended uses include new seeds of turf greens, tees and fairways, whether newly established or renovated. It is also ideal for overseeding greens planted with older, poor performing cultivars.
British Seed Houses’ Simon Taylor told The Landscaper: “This new creeping bentgrass adapts well to low mowing on greens, as well as reducing fungicide management on fairways and tees.”
007 has enhanced Dollar Spot and Brown Patch resistance, and offers vigorous, uniform growth. Moderate density allows fertiliser and top dressings to be incorporated, but this variety also cuts maintenance bills due to lower fertiliser requirements. It also offers the bright, dark green colour coveted by course managers.
“This cultivar is likely to challenge all other creeping bents on the STRI list,” suggests British Seed Houses’ Simon Taylor. “It is ideal for golf courses looking for the excellent performance of Creeping Bent but without the high inputs. You could say it has a licence to thrill!”
A brand new amenity perennial ryegrass cultivar for spring 2010, Escapade has high shoot density and a very fine leaf quality – rated 8.3 and 8.7 respectively – offering dense ground cover. It provides an ideal blend with fescues, giving a luxuriant, attractive sward.
simon.taylor@bshlincoln.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1522 868714 –
www.britishseedhouses.com
Alison Nicholas is pictured with The Solheim Cup trophy at the BTME
John Deere and the Ladies European Tour (LET) extended their original patron agreement at the end of 2009 for two more years, during which Deere will be designated the Tour’s official supplier of golf course machinery.
The company will also be an official industry partner of The 2011 Solheim Cup match between the women’s professional teams from the US and Europe (captained for the second time in succession by Alison Nicholas), which will take place at Killeen Castle in Ireland; this new partnership agreement also covers the newly established AIB Ladies Irish Open, supported by Fáilte Ireland, in 2010, 2011 & 2012, and The 2011 PING Junior Solheim Cup.
Through the Ladies European Tour agreement, LET tournaments will be supported by John Deere equipment and irrigation products through the company’s European golf dealer network. Deere officials will also continue to work closely with the LET’s agronomists, with the goal of helping to produce better quality playing surfaces.
“The Ladies European Tour is pleased to extend its relationship with John Deere, which has been an excellent partner,” said Mark Casey, director of operations for the LET and director of The Solheim Cup. “We know the enduring strength of the John Deere brand is based on the quality of its products and customer service, and the Ladies European Tour and The Solheim Cup are proud to be associated with it.”
Jon Chase, Deere & Company’s director of sales and marketing for turf products in Europe, added: “We are very pleased to have added The 2011 Solheim Cup, AIB Ladies Irish Open and The 2011 PING Junior Solheim Cup to what has already been a fruitful relationship with the Ladies European Tour. John Deere is also very proud of its longstanding relationship with the US PGA Tour, and is confident its relationship with the LET will continue to grow.”
Tel 0800 0852522
www.johndeere.co.uk
The Grass Group presented a new product from turf machinery manufacturer Trilo at the show
Greenkeepers are well aware of the benefits of scarification on fine turf, where it removes thatch and tidies up unwanted lateral growth. The operation encourages healthy growth and maintains the appearance of greens and tees throughout a busy playing season.
The process also improves surface penetration by water and enhances airflow around the plant which minimises the potential for disease.
Finding the right machine can be tricky – pedestrian scarifiers make it a time consuming job and can suffer from wear and tear with a heavy workload. On fine turf, tractor mounted machines can be heavy and cumbersome.
Trilo’s new VCU 120, however, has a working width of 1.2m – ideal for greens and tees – and weighs in at just 225kg, teaming up ideally with compact tractors. A slightly offset design allows working right up to the edge of the green or tee without risking damage by the tyres.
Spacing for the rugged tungsten tipped blades is 50mm as standard, but can be swapped to 25mm for greater intensity and working depth is to a maximum of 50mm, for effective, clean scarification that will be an asset on any golf course.
The Grass Group’s Progressive Pro Flex 120 rotary contour mower is another winner for golf. Ideal for producing a fine finish on fairways and surrounds without the risk of scalping, the Pro Flex 120 shares its PTO shaft, running gear, blade spindle assembly and drivetrain with the renowned Tri-Deck Series.
With a high blade tip speed for a top quality cut, the mower decks are equipped with shock absorbers to prevent the deck bouncing and allow cutting as speeds up to 10kph. The full frame design allows cutting to continue while reversing, further boosting productivity.
Individual decks hug ground contours, floating fore and aft as well as side to side, giving a superb cut on the most undulating course. Outer wings fold for transport, and with the two exterior decks raised, the remaining three can continue to cut, allowing more restricted areas to be maintained.
A great finish is assured by the use of adjustable discharge deflectors for an even spread of clippings.
Cut width is 3m for high workrates, reducing to 2.44m in transit and cut height is easily adjusted to meet requirements from 2cm to 8.25cm.
tim@thegrassgroup.com
Tel: +44 (0) 1638 720123
www.thegrassgroup.com
Headland has added Blaukorn to the company’s existing Xtend and Multigreen ranges of outfield, coarse turf fertilisers. The addition of Blaukorn means Headland can now offer cost-effective conventional, as well as slow or controlled release nutrition, depending on the needs of individual customers.
Blaukorn is a conventional fertiliser, designed for use on Racecourses, Polo Grounds and Sports Pitches as well as tees, fairways and roughs on Golf Courses. A successor to the discontinued Nitrophoska product, it has improved granule characteristics and an optimum nutrient package with a low risk of scorch. The smaller, blue granules spread more evenly and breakdown more rapidly due to the inclusion of more soluble raw materials.
Both Blaukorn analyses feature immediately available ammonium and nitrate nitrogen to ensure a rapid turf response even during cool spring and autumn temperatures. The phosphorus content is derived from phosphoric acid for quicker availability to the grass plant and the potassium from sulphate of potash (rather than potassium chloride) for maximum turf safety. Blaukorn products also feature the important secondary plant nutrients – sulphur and magnesium as well as micronutrients, boron, iron and zinc.
Blaukorn is available in two different analyses; 24-5-5+2MgO+micronutrients and 15-3-20+2MgO+micronutrients and both products are packed in 25kg bags.
: www.headlandamenity.com
Tel: 01223 597834
director Ruth McAdam:
Multihog were first time exhibitors at this year’s Harrogate show, using the event to launch the latest 4WD 90 Multihog model.
The machine’s versatility and all seasonal operation was a particular draw according to director Ruth McAdam: “Visitors to our stand were impressed by the wide range of applications possible with just the one vehicle due to the number of attachments which can be fitted. From grass cutting, groundcare, highway maintenance and snow blowing, the Multihog can be put through its paces all year round, making it a financially clever option.”
The ability of the Multihog to work on gradients was also of particular interest to those needing to cope with steep slopes – its tilting driver station, wide wheel base and low centre of gravity put it in a class of its own for demanding terrain.
“As well as talking to many visitors from not only the UK but also Holland and Germany, we welcomed the opportunity to make contact with representatives from companies interested in becoming dealers for our product,” says Ruth, “so all in all we had three very worthwhile days in Harrogate and will be back!”
TEl : +353 (0)42 938 6738 m:+353 (0)86 601 5849 e:ruth@multihog.com
www.multihog.com
The Sunburst aerating fountain,
Toro Turf Machinery and irrigation products’ distributor Lely UK distributes the leading Otterbine range of water aerators and aerating fountains and is spotlighting two different types as part of its Harrogate Week exhibit.
The first was the Sunburst aerating fountain, which provides excellent aeration as well as performing as a feature that displays a conservative yet striking pattern. As with the company’s other aerating fountains – together with its submerged and floating aerator types – by oxygenating the water the Sunburst prevents water-quality problems that can quickly turn a sparkling asset into an algae-ridden, stagnant eyesore.
The second highlighted product was the Otterbine Air Flo 2 sub-surface aerator. This is an air diffusion system that works by using an air compressor located onshore to pump air to diffuser manifolds at the bottom of the water. Energy efficient and quiet in operation, the Air Flo 2 fine-bubble diffused aeration system operates at depths of up to 12 metres.
Lely offers a wide range of Otterbine aerators of all types for not only golf courses, but also for aerating lakes, ponds and other water features found in parks, plus hotel, commercial and retail landscape settings among others. The company also offers a free inspection service, including symptoms’ check and recommended aeration solutions.
TEl 01480 226848/226872, email otterbine.uk@lely.com
www.otterbine.com
The Redexim Group and Blec (Global) Ltd have entered into an agreement under which the two companies are working together on the design and development of new machines for the Redexim turf maintenance business
As part of the agreement Redexim have bought the exclusive rights to the Sandmaster machine, the sand injector system, and the Uniseeder from the Blec range that will be manufactured and marketed by Redexim on an exclusive basis around the world.
It is a logical step for Redexim, which includes among its market leading stable of products the iconic Verti-Drain decompactor, to add a machine which is capable of injecting materials into the root zone.
The Sandmaster, which has proved highly popular with contractors and groundsmen since its introduction in 2003 is the only machine of its type that can inject damp materials, into the ground up to 20cm deep, offering increased versatility when improving drainage and aeration on all types of sports turf.
As a result of this agreement between the Redexim Group and Blec (Global) Ltd, Charterhouse Turf Machinery will market the renowned Sandmaster range of sports turf renovation machines and Uniseeders in the UK and Ireland.
Nick Darking, Sales Manager for Charterhouse Turf Machinery told The Landscaper : “This is a great opportunity for us to expand the sales of Redexim products in the UK market, especially to our contractor customers.”
info@charterhouseturfmachinery.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1428 661222 –
www.charterhouseturfmachinery.co.uk
SISIS EQUIPMENT displayed their sports ground and golf course maintenance machinery range.
The SISIS AER-AID, vertical action air injection machine has been on the market for several years now. This machine allows turf professionals to inject air into the root zone at a fast working rate, creating thousands of fissures. The Aer-Aid relieves compaction, combats black layer and dry patch; reduces the need for fertilizers and pesticides; improves infiltration rates; reduces hardness and all this with MINIMAL surface disturbance.
Now all the above benefits can be found in the SISIS ARROW-AERAID, independently powered vertical action air injection aerator.
The Arrow-AerAid is fitted with a 10hp engine and has a range of interchangeable tines with a maximum working depth of 12.5cm and variable spacing.
The air injection tines are specially designed to use the maximum air available from the compressor which produces clean, fresh air at a constant rate. The Arrow-AerAid tines alternate with conventional solid tines and both are 10mm dia., and tipped for extra durability.
The SISIS ROTORAKE 602 is a heavy duty powered scarifier/de-thatcher and linear aerator which has a seeder option so the machine can be used for over seeding worn areas of turf. A range of interchangeable reels is available for year-round use.
The SISIS MULTISLIT 1500 is a tractor mounted slitter with interchangeable tines for outfield and fine turf use. The angle of the tines and spiral design of tine shaft assists penetration giving maximum underground cultivation with minimum surface disturbance.
Tel 01625 503030 publicity@sisis.com
www.sisis.com
Syngenta Turf Nozzles launched at the show have been specifically designed to improve the targeting of spray applications in turf and achieve better results for sprayer operators. The nozzles have been introduced as part of the Syngenta Art of Application initiative to help turf managers get the best possible results from their applications.
Drawing on the experience of Syngenta’s dedicated Application Specialist, Tom Robinson, Syngenta has initially designed two nozzles – one for foliar applications that will deliver greater leaf coverage yet retain as much spray as possible on the plant, along with a high impact soil nozzle that effectively enhances penetration of the turf and improves the targeting of Heritage and Heritage Maxx sprays for soil borne diseases, such as Take-All and Fairy Ring.
Telephone: 01223 883400
www.greencast.co.uk
Bert Brace
VITAX Bert Brace, Vice President/Formulator of Aqua-Aid USA was on hand during Harrogate Week to re-launch Vitax OARS Curative, an Organic Acid Removal System, which when used in a wetting agent programme removes the organic waxy coatings that attach to soil particles and cause water repellency. “The removal of these organic coatings removes the cause of Dry Patch Disease/Localised Dry Patch on golf, bowling greens and other fine turf surfaces,” he explains. “The surfactant components within the product attach themselves to hydrophobic soil surfaces and thatch to provide uniform movement of water into and through the soil profile.” Thus, Vitax OARS Curative not only cures Dry Patch but also gives up to 30 days’ surfactant activity. Only 2 to 3 applications are needed per season.
Tel: 01530 510060 or visit : www.vitax.co.uk
Wiedenmann GXi8 HD took the centre stage at Wiedenmann stand
Chas Ayres, Wiedenmann UK’s Sales Manager, told The Landscaper : “For some show visitors the 1.8m width really suits. The new technology in the GXi8 HD has meant a very smooth running, quiet, low maintenance, productive Spiker. The results are excellent where a good heave can be seen but with a pleasingly clean finish on the surface. The GXi 8 HD has eight legs so you get more holes per square metre than you would on a traditional 1.6m wide machine. In development it sailed through its production tests with 5800m²/ hour at 110 mm square hole spacings.
“Our feedback from new owners is that it delivers a super uniform job throughout, even with undulating ground, because tines on the GXi8 are now even closer to the front roller. Moving parts like springs and heave linkages have been re – positioned behind covers at the front of the machine away from the dirt zone. This reduces wear and tear and helps quieten the machine. The centre of gravity is now closer to the tractor making it more stable.”
The GXi8 HD employs the patented Terra Spike Quick Set system altering depth, kick and heave angle with one tool-free, central adjustment. Within the “dirt zone” the only consumables are the tines; the buffers and springs enjoy a long lifetime. Unlike shallow working machines, solid tines are available from just 5 mm right up to 20 mm diameter. Coring tines start at 5 mm and go up to 17 mm diameter. By using a variety of tines in combination, soil decompaction and soil exchange can be done cost effectively using only one machine.
Other standard features are the PTO shaft, safety rails and rear roller. The GXi8 HD fits tractors from 35 hp to 60 hp.
www.wiedenmann.co.uk/media.html
Tel 0141 586 6789 val@fairwaysgroup.ltd.uk