BLOWING IN THE WIND The value of leaf blowers by TurfPro Editor, Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR
My most used item when maintaining gardens is my leaf blower - and professionals have such a wide choice of models and types available to them now.
Firsty, before I get into this week's blog, I just want to say what a delight it was to attend last week's Service Dealer Conference & Awards.
The sister publication to TurfPro once again staged a superb programme of speakers for the UK independent dealer network - and then celebrated their achievements with a prestigious Awards ceremony in the evening. It was fantastic to see the often unsung heroes of our groundscare, domestic and agricultural industry get the recognition they so richly deserve.
Moving on to this week's subject, working in the grounds industry is particularly rewarding when you are able enjoy the seasonal changes we witness throughout the year. Spring, summer, autumn and winter all bring different challenges to the grounds manager / practitioner.
However, the severity of the challenges we face are influenced by the weather and ground conditions at that time of the year. I personally think the job has become a lot easier in recent years, mainly due to the shear amount of machinery, tools and resources we now have available to us.
Take the current autumn weather. Back in the late 1970s when I was working on golf courses and in large parks and gardens, the task of clearing up leaves was a monumental task, resulting in an all hands-on deck approach to clearing them up for weeks on end - raking by hand and filling open back trailers using wooden boards. Thankfully today we now have a fantastic array of hand powered tools tractor mounted / trailed blowers, brushes and hoovers at our disposal.
I have personally found the powered hand blowers very useful and a tool I use constantly when maintaining gardens, very good for cleaning up debris quickly. We now have such a vast range of these products to choose from with leading brands such as STIHL, Husqvarna, ECHO, Makita, Pellenc, EGO, Bosch, McCulloch leading the way with ever changing products, that come in all different configurations to suit the customer’s needs.
Husqvarna provide the following tips :-
Handheld or backpack? The important thing to remember when buying a blower is what it will be used for. If you are using it for shorter periods of time and smaller amounts of debris, it is better to choose a lightweight, agile hand-held leaf blower. If you are working for longer periods and with more material to blow, a backpack blower is better. The backpack blowers are divided into two categories, for general professional jobs and those even more demanding tasks.
Turn the blower into a vacuum A blower can also be turned into a garden vacuum to suck grass, clippings and leaves from the ground. It is especially useful in places where you don’t want to blow debris around, for example around a pond, or your parked car.
Battery or petrol? Modern battery blowers are lightweight, strong, remarkably silent and nearly vibration- free. All Husqvarna products use the same type of charger and charging a 4.2 Ah battery takes 30-50 minutes. Some extra batteries or a backpack battery allow you to work a full day. Battery blowers are perfect for indoor jobs, or when you are working in noise-sensitive areas, such as hospitals, schools and city parks. If you are doing heavier work, like moving a lot of wet leaves, we recommend that you consider a petrol backpack blower, since it is more appropriate for that task.
Things to consider when buying a blower
Make sure it is easy to start and use.
Pick a blower with low vibration, to avoid fatigue and vibration injuries.
Make sure it has sufficiently high air speed and airflow for the task.
If you are working long hours, make sure that the backpack blower come with harnesses that are comfortable, and have a hip belt and wide shoulder straps for load-reduction.
Endorsing what Husquarna stated above, we do today now have a wider choice of battery or petrol-powered devices. The choice of machine will be dependent on many factors, primarily driven by cost and performance. However, in the professional world the choice is centred around performance and comfort for the user.
Recent advances in battery technology enables battery powered blowers and vacs to be more efficient and run for longer periods whilst charging times have been reduced. The major benefit from battery powered devices is that they tend to be quieter with reduced vibration and noise.
Whilst hand held blowers can be useful for tidying up odd corners or working around small gardens and grounds, the power required by most professional users for annual leaf clearance requires a backpack blower, so that the operator can more easily carry the extra weight of the machine.
As the name implies, backpack machines are carried on the shoulders like a rucksack, using similar shoulder straps. But the amount of padding and quality of the material used varies widely between brands. Some machines also feature a padded backplate which adds greater comfort, and a waist strap, which improves stability on larger blowers. Vibration is a crucial issue for employers and any machine where the engine is actually worn by the operator will subject him to some level of vibration. positioning and enclosure of the engine, the use of shock absorbing materials and the quality of the harness and backplate, influence how much vibration the operator will feel.
Larger areas of open space would require tractor mounted / trailed blowers to clear leaves. Again, these come in a range of configurations and sizes. These larger fans and blowers are vastly more powerful and can clear large open spaces very quickly. As for makes, there are plenty of companies making these blowers with Votex, Turfmech, Trilo, Inmants, Toro, Kersten to name a few.
Votex, have one of the largest ranges on offer. Trilo produce several models with their BL400 being a popular choice because it can be mounted both on the front or the back of the towing vehicle. This makes this blower not only suitable for tractors, but it can also be used on mowers, hydraulic vehicles etc.
Campey Turfcare also offer their IMANTS RotoBlast, another tractor mounted blower designed to move leaves, grass clippings, thatch, litter and other unwanted surface debris from important areas. Typically used for clearing greens & tees, fairways, pathways and other sports turf areas. Attached to the 3-point linkage, the powerful blower is mounted on a wheeled chassis to allow contour following whilst maintaining a constant nozzle height above the ground.
Imants RotoBlast
There clearly is plenty of choice. The key is to choose the right one for the job. You tend to get what you pay for with build quality, performance and operator comfort the key issues to consider when buying a blower. As I mentioned earlier, my STIHL petrol blower is my most used item when maintaining gardens and keeping them tidy.
The winners of the 2018 Dealer Of The Year awards were presented with their honours on Thursday last week, at the prestigious awards ceremony.
In a prestigious ceremony at the Oxford Belfry Hotel last Thursday, presided over by comedian and actor Charlie Baker, the Service Dealer Awards were were presented to winning independent dealers from around the UK.
The categories and winners were:
PROFESSIONAL TURFCARE DEALER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Etesia. Presenting Award: Les Malin, managing director
Richard Taylor, Tom Bailey and Scott Reynolds with Les Malin plus Duncan Murray-Clarke (l) and Charlie Baker (r)
The judges said, "This family business clearly specialises in machinery targeted at professional users with extensive groundcare knowledge and a strong website. In case we needed confirmation of the quality they offer, they have just been awarded the royal warrant."
Amar and Rajiv Parmar with Ken Brewster plus Duncan Murray-Clarke (l) and Charlie Baker (r)
The judges said, "In a very competitive category, Gayways took over a struggling business 10 years ago and have completely turned around the fortunes of this dealership by engaging with the local community, utilising technology like WhatsApp, video and imagery."
Sponsored by Kramp. Presenting Award: Andrew Herring, account manager
Winner - RBM Agricultural, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire-based
Peter Arrand Bob Tindall and Steve Plewes receive their Award from Andrew Herring plus Duncan Murray-Clarke (l) and Charlie Baker (r)
The judges said, "This year’s winning farm machinery dealer supplied a strong category entry with comprehensive customer feedback. They support training and education in the industry and have recently celebrated their 80th birthday."
Rob Gusthart with Robin Lennie plus Duncan Murray-Clarke (l) and Charlie Baker (r)
The judges said, "This business started off, like so many, as a father and son team. Supported by excellent customer feedback, the founder of the dealership, Rob Gusthart, is a well-known character in the industry. His product knowledge is superb, and the showroom and website are a shining example to all."
Huw Owen with Steve Morris plus Duncan Murray-Clarke (l) and Charlie Baker (r)
The judges said, "Llyn ATVs And Garden Machinery have been selling ATVs in North Wales for over 25 years and now the family business is expanding with a second branch in Derby. The dealership received many, many great customer feedback comments."
Winner - Jess Parks, 'all-rounder' at AF Wiltshire, Dunsfold, Surrey
Jess Parks with Mike Cameron plus Duncan Murray-Clarke (l) and Charlie Baker (r)
The judges said, "Our winner this year has shown rapid progression in her relatively short time at a highly respected dealership. She has quickly learnt the complex world of parts ordering and has become an integral part of the business."
APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Kubota UK. Presenting Award: Martin Tyler, field service manager
William Dart and Martin Tyler plus Duncan Murray-Clarke (l) and Charlie Baker (r)
The judges said, "William possesses qualities that are crucial for our industry. A very strong and honest application to all his roles, including his participation in the Honda Apprenticeship Programme, have demonstrated some real determination and initiative."
OVERALL DEALER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Kramp. Presenting Award: Des Boyd, sales director
Amar and Rajiv Parmar with Des Boyd and Duncan Murray-Clarke (l) and Charlie Baker (r) celebrating their Overall Dealer of the Year win
The judges said, "Gayways received a huge amount of positive customer feedback forms in support of their business. In addition to this their online reviews are very strong with a 4.7 Google rating from 262 reviews."
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AWARD
Presented by Chris and Trish Biddle
Winner – Patrick Vives, recently retired md of Etesia UK
Chris and Trish Biddle with Partick Vives
Chris Biddle said, "Patrick Vives has a strong connection with the timeline of Service Dealer having launched the UK side to the Etesia business at around the time I started the magazine. Since then he has been instrumental in building a successful UK franchise in parallel with the history of our magazine.
"In 1988, the Wolf company developed a machine for tough conditions and decided on a separate brand, Etesia, entrusting its launch and development to Patrick. Although strong in France and Germany, Wolf had a lower profile in the UK where Patrick saw great potential.
"Initially, the Wolf family thought they could handle everything from France, but Patrick along with Tania Wolf saw it differently. They knew that UK grass conditions and operator requirements were unique to this country – and they needed to have a base here in order to succeed.
"When he first came to the UK in 1990, Patrick only had a rudimentary grasp of English. In the years following, he was an integral part of the UK operation, conversing easily with dealers and customers at shows and demo days.
"I am sure Partick is proud of all that the Etesia UK dealers have achieved and the impact they have made on the turfcare market in the UK - and I know that they recognise the commitment, the quiet authority and the sense of direction that he has provided over the past near 30 years."
The IOG are asking industry professionals to input into the public consultation about a matter that has implications for the grounds management sector.
The IOG are asking industry professionals to input into the public consultation about a matter that has implications for the grounds management sector.
The Institute are asking for turf professionals to contribute to the European Chemical Health Agency (ECHA) PUBLIC consultation.
The IOG said in a statement, "The use of END OF LIFE TYRES (ELT)-derived granules in synthetic turf pitches has recently received high public attention in a number of EU countries. Concerns have been raised because of the presence of carcinogenic chemicals and the human health risks associated with using these pitches. The current permissible concentration limits applicable for supply to the general public are set at 100 mg/kg for two of the eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PAHs relevant to the proposal and 1 000 mg/kg for the other six.
"Given these current applicable concentration limits, the restriction proposal identifies how an unacceptable risk to human health would arise as a consequence of the use of PAH-containing granules and “mulches” as infill material in synthetic turf pitches and in loose form on playgrounds and in other sports applications. In addition, the risks to workers has been considered.
"The proposed restriction outlines that the suggested concentration limit would ensure the cancer risk from PAH exposure remains very low for those coming into contact with granules and “mulches”. The proposal aims at alleviating societal concerns about the possible negative health impacts resulting from the use of infill material containing PAHs in artificial sports pitches."
The IOG say they are contributing to this open consultation and in doing so they are asking turf professionals to complete this very short 1 to 3 question survey (depending on your response), based on the following enquiry:
“Do you have any information on the current practices and measures used to control worker exposure during the installation and maintenance of synthetic turf pitches, playgrounds, or in other applications?”
To complete your answer click here. All responses will be anonymised.
Simon Richard Ltd, UK agents for the Woods Equipment range are hoping to find the oldest and still working Woods model in the country.
Simon Richard Ltd, UK agents for the Woods Equipment range are hoping to find the oldest and still working Woods model in the country, from their Batwing, Rotary, Finishing mower, or Seeder models.
Simon Richard said, “Since taking on the Woods range in early 2017 we have been amazed by the number of extremely old but still fully functioning machines we have become aware of. Machines like Batwings at 18 years old and single Rotor machines at 20 years. We even have come across a triple Finishing Mower at 30 years of age.
"We are now asking owners to send us a picture of their machine at work, the serial number and their name and address. The owner of the oldest working machine will win a Woods 20 ton log splitter."
To enter email for an application form which should be with the company no later than the end of February 2019.
Each year Jacobsen invites 20 ambitious greenkeepers to its headquarters in Ipswich to undertake high quality education designed to help them take the next step into golf course management.
Each year Jacobsen invites 20 ambitious greenkeepers to its headquarters in Ipswich to undertake high quality education designed to help them take the next step into golf course management.
Each of the greenkeepers is a member of BIGGA, which has worked alongside Jacobsen to provide the education programme for 20 members every year since 2013. FTMI was born in the UK but has rapidly expanded in the years since and has been introduced in Spain, Portugal, Australia and New Zealand.
The FTMI delegates in the Jacobsen factory
Across two days of intense education, high quality speakers and experienced mentors, themselves course managers and head greenkeepers, will provide candidates with a wide range of knowledge and skills that prove invaluable as their careers progress.
BIGGA is proud to reveal the members who have been selected to take part in the 2019 edition of FTMI, to take place from Tuesday 5 to Thursday 7 March 2019.
The successful candidates for the “FTMI Class of 2018” are:
Andrew Wilson, deputy course manager, Whitecraigs Golf Club;
Ben Hunter, deputy course manager, The Richmond Golf Club;
Ben Williams, first assistant greenkeeper, Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club;
Christopher Jones, deputy course manager, St Anne’s Old Links;
Craig Berry, course supervisor, St Andrews Links Trust;
David Stewart, deputy head greenkeeper, Walmley Golf Club;
Edward Campbell, deputy course manager, Sandford Springs Golf Club;
Gareth Hunt, deputy head greenkeeper, Cricket St Thomas Golf Club;
James Bruder, deputy course manager, East Berkshire Golf Club;
James Cleaver, senior greenkeeper, The Belfry;
John Scurfield, first assistant, Morpeth Golf Club;
Luke Hine, deputy head greenkeeper, Gaudet Luce Golf Club;
Michael Hughes, deputy course manager, Scotscraig Golf Club;
Phil Worth, first assistant greenkeeper, Prestbury Golf Club;
Sam Sweetzer, assistant greenkeeper, Queenwood Golf Club;
Scott Corrigan, assistant greenkeeper, Royal Troon Golf Club;
Scott Logan, first assistant greenkeeper, Royal Bled Golf Club, Slovenia;
Simon Pyett, greenkeeper, Halesworth Golf Club;
Tim Brewster, deputy head greenkeeper, Reigate Hill Golf Club.
Jacobsen and BIGGA say they recognise the importance of preparing the next generation of greenkeepers to take on a management role at a golf club. FTMI has been designed to provide practical tools and guidance to help delegates pursue their career aspirations through this professional development course.
Karen Proctor, director global marketing at Textron Golf, said, “Congratulations to all 20 delegates chosen to take part in FTMI 2019. Each year the number of applicants increases, giving us a very tough job to choose just 20!
“We are looking forward to welcoming the class of 2019 to Ipswich in March and providing a unique experience that will help the delegates on their way to achieving their career goals.”
Sami Strutt, head of member development at BIGGA, said: “FTMI pushes our members out of their comfort zones. Each of the successful candidates will be at the point in their career where they are itching to take the next step in their career. But what does that mean in a practical sense and what skills do you need to learn that you may not gain in your day-to-day working life?
“FTMI provides 20 ambitious BIGGA members with the necessary skills to take that next step. Each year the education gets better and better as we find out more about what the delegates find most useful and relevant as they work towards their career goals.
“We’re delighted that so many FTMI graduates have built upon their experience and are now embarking upon careers in course management. I’m sure the same will soon be true of this year’s 20 delegates, who were all of an incredibly high standard.”
Duncan Ross Sports Contractors has used its drainage expertise to successfully revitalise three fairways at Longridge Golf Club that had previously suffered heavily with water retention.
Duncan Ross Sports Contractors has used its drainage expertise to successfully revitalise three fairways at Longridge Golf Club that had previously suffered heavily with water retention.
The 18-hole, 5,904-yard, course provides outstanding views over the Ribble Valley, Forest of Bowland and the Fylde coast, and, is maintained by course manager, Andrew Read, and his four staff.
Trenching out drains on first section of the 3rd fairway
During his 18-years at the club, Andrew had to contend with moisture retention on the third and ninth fairways. Recently, this had caused the third fairway to become near unplayable and action was taken to bring it, and the ninth and eleventh fairways, back in line with the rest of the course.
Duncan Ross was picked to rectify the drainage issue based on Andrews requirement to find a contractor capable of delivering a high quality and tidy project.
He said, “It is the first time that Duncan has worked on our course. I know of the company’s reputation through word of mouth from other greenkeepers and going on Twitter and seeing the videos and work they have done recently, so it’s the overall reputation and recommendations which swayed it for me.
“The third fairway this time last year was horrible. It was black in places, you could hardly walk on it, so if you can’t walk on it you can’t really play golf on it.
First section of 3rd fairway complete with tidy finish
“We had more problems when it came to cutting because it would make a mess. In the autumn it never dried up, so I had a meeting with our greens chairman and explained that we needed drainage work done, and they went to the council and funds were made available.
“We then got Duncan on site and he looked at the third, ninth and eleventh fairways and came back with a plan. I had drawn some plans up and Duncan looked at those and decided what the best way to achieve it was, and he’s got the experience, so we were happy to go with what he recommended.
“Going into September we’ve had over 160mm of rain and the drains have started working well. We’ve checked the outlets and there is loads of water coming out of them, so it’s been a sound long-term investment.
“The third fairway and the ninth, which is a short fairway, are now playable. I checked the outlets on the ninth recently and they were running well, and the fairway is dry.
“Golf is a 12-months a year sport now, in the past getting into September and October people started putting their clubs away but now they want to play all year round. The ninth used to get churned up because we’d need to have buggies on for people that couldn’t walk around the course, so we did the ninth because it was wet but also to make it more playable and get the buggies going on there.”
Whilst the main objective of the drainage installation was achieved on the third, ninth and eleventh fairway, Andrew and the club’s members were also impressed with the clean and diligent nature the Duncan Ross team carried out the project.
Because the course had to be allowed time to dry out from the wet winter, work began during May for two weeks when the course was in use. This meant work needed to be flexible and accommodate competitions the course was hosting, requiring the work to be done in a clean and tidy way, something the company is renowned for doing.
“The men worked around us, if we had a competition on then they would move onto another fairway, so the only disruption was the drainage lines that were left afterwards but they were nice and tidy, and the golfers were really impressed with the work and how tidy everything was,” Andrew explained.
“The golfers are happy and we’re happy because we didn’t have to spend time clearing up after the work, we were able to concentrate on looking after the rest of the course instead.
“The club members and the council will look at it and be happy to use them again because the site was always left in a tidy condition.”
Karl Williams, course manager at Redditch Golf Club, has reported fantastic results from applying a range of Limagrain’s grass seed at the 18 hole course in Worcestershire.
Karl Williams, course manager at Redditch Golf Club, has reported fantastic results from applying a range of Limagrain’s MM grass seed on the tees and greens at the 18 hole course in Worcestershire.
Karl Williams
Redditch Golf Club is a 72 par course which provides a true test of golf. The part parkland and part woodland golf course is universally acclaimed for both its topography and the quality of its playing surfaces. In particular, the course is perhaps most famous for its last six holes, which are formed and cut out of dense woodland.
The greens are particularly outstanding, all 18 having been re-laid during 1995 and 1996 to USGA specification. The work was carried out due to their former foundations consisting of red marl clay which proved to be extremely problematic in wet winters. However, those days are firmly in the past and Karl Williams is the man tasked with ensuring that the greens remain at a consistently high standard.
Karl started his role as course manager at Redditch in 2014 and now oversees a team of eight full-time greenkeepers. The team has doubled in size since Karl arrived and marks just one of a number of ongoing improvements as the club continues to signal its ambitions. Karl, himself, was also keen to play his part and this started with ensuring that he had the correct seed mixtures in place.
“I’ve been using Limagrain’s MM seed mixtures right back to when I started out as an apprentice - so probably for about 18 years now. When I first came here they were using a different brand of seed but I wanted to use Limagrain because in my opinion it is an all-round package - I’ve had big success from the mixtures in terms of quality, results and the support you get from the company,” he said.
Karl says he has seen great results from applying MM22, which is described a practical solution for those who are seeking a mixture for their tees that is great for divotting, repairing and overseeding.
“As a rule of thumb we normally do the tees renovation at the end of March and we apply MM22 at a rate of 30g/m2. So we apply that quite heavily and then it is just a case of topping it up by overseeding throughout the year.
“We get a lot of play here at Redditch and we don’t come off the tees all year, so I need a mixture which is going to give me a strong sward. Fortunately, MM22 gives me what I need – you always get a fast establishment and you get a great percentage of seeding from it. I also rarely suffer from disease so I don’t see any reason to come away from it.”
When it comes to his greens, Karl claims that he has never needed to overseed - which is perhaps testament to the quality of them. However, on one occasion there was a problematic green which needed a fast solution - so he turned to Limagrain’s MM7 mixture.
“It was a shaded green that had a lot of trees around it so it suffered with a lack of light and air – even in the summer. From 12pm, it would have been completely in the shade. In the first instance we tried to repair it but unfortunately it didn’t really work. So, we removed a couple of trees and MM7 was recommended to me. The difference was unbelievable - I wish I would have taken a before and after photo.”
A modern mixture for quick renovations of worn and damaged areas of fine turf, MM7 is suitable for emergency repair work. Containing Cyrena and Venice (both perennial ryegrasses), Caldris (chewings fescue) and Sefton (browntop bent), these top rated cultivars together produce a hard wearing sward that recovers from scarring.
The division was attending the show to encourage a career in sports turf maintenance.
The Playing Field Maintenance Sports division of States Of Jersey say they been so impressed with their new Toro ProCore 648 aerator that they made the machine the star of their stand at the Jersey Skills Show at Fort Regent in October.
Current apprentice at States Of Jersey Peter Ahier with the Toro ProCore 648 aerator at the Jersey Skills Show
The division was attending the show to encourage a career in sports turf maintenance, says Steve Landick, playing fields manager of the division of States Of Jersey and used the machine to visually represent the work the division does.
“We work closely with sports organisations, clubs and schools to grow sport in Jersey and we’re working on developing an integrated system that supports grass roots sports and its development to provide a pathway for performance athletes to go on and represent us in events such as the Island Games and the Commonwealth Games. Having a talented sports turf maintenance team is essential in achieving that.”
Steve, who attended the show with the division’s current apprentice Peter Ahier, said,“The ProCore is a new addition to our fleet of machines and has debuted on the Island’s cricket squares and bowling greens. The whole division has been very pleased with the way it has performed, it’s a great purchase.”
“There’s a fantastic opportunity in sports turf maintenance for school leavers, people wishing to change career or re-entering the workplace,” concludes Steve. “To have the opportunity to reach these people and explain that at the Skills Show has been fantastic and the ProCore did as good a job for us there as it has been doing out in the field!”
Eight UK places are going head-to-head to be named the nation’s favorite country house garden.
Eight UK places are going head-to-head to be named the nation’s favorite country house garden.
Belvoir Castle is in the running
The horticultural contenders will be revealed by James Birch, President of Historic Houses, at the association’s annual conference in central London. The organisation, which represents more than 1600 historic homes and gardens, has been recognising its members and their creations since 1984. Previous winners include Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, Dalemain in the Lake District and this year’s champion, Miserden in the Cotswolds.
The eight in line for the 2019 crown are:
Belvoir Castle, ancestral home of the Dukes of Rutland, in Leicestershire;
Cambo House in Fife, home to the Erskine family since the 1670s;
Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire, seat of the Marquesses of Cholmondeley;
Forde Abbey, a former Cistercian monastery in Dorset;
Great Dixter, once home to renowned gardening writer Christopher Lloyd;
Kiftsgate Court in Gloucestershire, the creation of three generations of women gardeners since the start of the twentieth century;
Newby Hall, home of the Compton family, in North Yorkshire;
Plas Cadnant, recently restored ‘hidden gardens’, on Anglesey.
Ursula Cholmeley, gardening editor of Historic House magazine, said, “This competition isn’t about gardens frozen in time, however beautiful and impressive. What makes the gardens of Historic Houses special is the people who live in them, and we want to see their ideas and passion coming through in the way the garden is evolving. Our great country houses are rightly protected from much significant physical change, so it’s often only in the garden that a new generation of inhabitants of these much-loved family homes can really make their mark, leaving their own legacy for future generations. These shortlisted gardens are all ones where we can see that personal imprint.”
James Birch, President of Historic Houses, said, “It’s almost impossible to pick just eight gardens from the hundreds of fabulous places that make up our membership in a way that does justice to them all. But these potential winners are terrific ambassadors for the three hundred or so more that, like them, are thrown open every year for members of the public to explore and enjoy. Every one of these shortlisted gardens, like all those in our member-access scheme, is free for our members to visit. We need the public’s help to choose the eventual winner for 2019. We’re calling on people who love gardens to spend the next twelve months getting out to see our finalists, and then casting their vote online to decide the winner.”
Members of the public can vote for their favourite garden by visiting historichouses.org from early next year. The winner of the 2019 award, sponsored by Christie’s auction house, will be announced at the Historic Houses AGM in November 2019.
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SANDS OF TIME Sand-based pitches are now the norm in professional sports by Laurence Gale
Myself and Twickenham's head groundsman, Keith Kent, recently toured the Mansfield Sand Company to catch up with recent developments, following a successful opening of their brand-new quarry facility at Two Oaks Farm.
Having a sand-based pitch is now very much the norm in top professional sport, particularly football and rugby - whilst USGA sand-based golf greens have been around for 30 plus years.
The methodology advances in rootzone products has also grown with demand. We now see a range of reinforced rootzone options for natural turf pitches that include fibresand and fibre reinforced rootzones.
The common denominator in all these systems is sand - a very free draining medium that enables water to percolate through the profile of the rootzone very rapidly, generally specified to cope with between 25-40mm of rain per hour.
One company that has been instrumental in the development of these modern sand products is Mansfield Sand Company. A recent conversation with their golf and football sales manager Sharon Morris, gave me the opportunity to arrange a visit for both myself and Keith Kent, Twickenham’s head groundsman and Ted Mitchell the RFU facilities manager to see their headquarters and the new Two Oaks Quarry that replaced their Ratcher Hill quarry in October 2014.
Ted and Keith who are part of the RFU new Groundsmen Connect programme were keen to learn more about the sports turf products that can be used to help maintain and improve both natural and artificial rugby playing surfaces.
We could not have picked a better October day, the sun was shining, and we were met by Sharon and Gary Cunningham who introduced us to some of the company’s team, before taking us into the new quarry.
Keith Kent, Ted Mitchell and Laurence Gale
Mansfield Sand Company have been producing a range of sand-based products for the sports turf industry for many years. Operating from its long-established base in North Nottinghamshire, it has built up a solid, countrywide reputation as a specialist supplier of a comprehensive range of materials for the construction and maintenance of top-class sports and landscape surfaces.
Their core products include fibre reinforced rootzones (USGA rootzone and sand compost), top dressings, equestrian surfaces including Equs Elite and fibre sand equestrian, a wide range of silica sands, both dried and moist, industrial, pavior and foundry sands, asphalt sand, play pit sands, gravel and concrete brick and block products.
The aim of the tour was to catch up with the recent developments at the company following a successful opening of their brand-new quarry facility at Two Oaks Farm.
It took the company several years to find and carry out feasibility studies and gain planning permission for this new quarry. The permission includes planning conditions intended to control all aspects of the design, operation and restoration of the new quarry.
Mansfield Sand Company have invested several million pounds in the new quarry, making sure it has the latest washing and drying plants, machinery and conveyor systems to extract and process well over 300,000 tonnes of sand each year.
The new quarry is set in an area of around 100 hectares of agricultural land and the extraction area will be confined to 95 hectares. Progressive extraction of some 12million tonnes of saleable silica sand will take place in 4 phases over approximately 40 years. The sand will be excavated and transferred to the processing plant via a conveyor system. The unworked areas of the site will remain in agricultural use until required for mineral extraction.
As well as re-establishing high-quality agricultural land, progressive restoration will also create areas of lowland heathland, wet grassland - including reedbeds - and woodland, to increase the site biodiversity in line with the local Biodiversity Action Plan.
The Quarrying process will see four phases: -
Phase I: - Extraction will start next to the plant site working in a general northerly direction. Silt lagoons will be developed in the worked out areas. Progressive restoration will start on the upper parts of the Phase 1 faces.
Phase 2:- Extraction will move into Phase 2 in a generally southerly direction within the eastern section. Phase 2 will be subdivided into 3 working areas, moving generally southwards in the eastern sector and northwards next to the A61.
Phase 3:-Extraction will continue in a generally northerly direction and continue working through Phase 3. Partial restoration of Phase 2 will take place using soils from Phase 3.
Phase 4:-Soil stripped from Phase 4 will be used to complete the restoration of Phases 2 and 3, working in a generally southern/south easterly direction away from the processing plant.
Having donned the relevant PPE and been inducted to the site’s H&S policy, we were able to begin our quarry tour.
First port of call was the weighbridge where lorries are weighed both coming onto and going off the site, ensuring they are correctly loaded. Incoming unloaded lorries are also inspected by cameras for any signs of contamination and will not be filled until they are clean.
Next on the tour, was the chance to climb to the top of the drying plant’s six 200 tonne holding silos to get a bird’s eye view of the whole site. Here each of the sand quarrying processes could be both seen and explained.
The process starts with the Caterpillar Scraper which collects approximately 25 tonnes of the raw sand at a time. The Scraper then transports the sand to a hopper which feeds the conveyor belt system, taking the sand to the specialised hydro-classification washing plant (one of the most technically advanced in the industry). This complex washing process is designed to produce the tightly controlled specific grades of sand required and can cope with as much as 300 tonnes per hour.
Once washed the sand is moved about site by front end loaders to the next parts of the processes.
The washed sand can then be either delivered to the customer moist, fed into the sand drying plant or sent to the sports sands plant where it can be blended with any organics and fibres the customer may require. The plant has the ability to mix several different ratios of sand soil/compost rootzone products - 90/10, 85/15, 80/20, 75/25, 70/30, 60/40 and 50/50 and even sterilise sand/organic blends through another specialist rotary drier specifically designed to produce top dressing to a USGA standard.
Fibresand being loaded for a customer
In recent years, the company has also invested heavily in their sand bagging plant, which can bag products in various sizes, from 1 tonne bulk bags to 25kg to 12.5kg bagged sand products.
Sand and soil samples are tested daily for Particle Size Distribution (PSD), soil pH and organic matter (OM) content, with the aim of producing consistent materials for both the sports turf and landscaping industry. Every tonne of sand must be compatible and meet all the tolerances required for a sports sand specification.
Even in the supply of sands for top dressing of pitches, it is important that the products sold are tested. A robust testing procedure is in place with samples being taken at various times during the production process. These samples are then tested by the on-site laboratories, in order to meet any appropriate criteria.
Mansfield Sand is back in the game when it comes to the production and supply of Sterilised Top Dressings for mid-season fine turf application on rugby and football pitches, golf courses, bowling greens and domestic lawns. After a short absence from the market following relocation, production has now recommenced at the company’s flagship quarry at Two Oaks, Mansfield.
Easy to apply via any standard top-dressing spreading equipment, this quality-controlled mix is free draining and can be tailored to meet customers’ specific sporting surface requirements.
Delivery can be arranged via rigid bulk tippers of 10, 16 or 20-tonne net capacity; or 28/29 tonnes in articulated vehicles. Products are normally bagged in 1 tonne mini-bulk bags, palletised and shrink wrapped. Smaller 25kg bags are available to service the ad-hoc needs of smaller clubs and applications.
I would like to thank Mansfield Sand Company for allowing, myself, Keith and Ted the opportunity to see their facilities at first hand and giving a unique insight into how they produce such a fine range of sports sand materials that enable us to produce the fine playing surfaces we see today in professional and amateur sport.
It has taken years of planning and attention to detail for Mansfield to obtain a licence to extract these materials, and it is reassuring to know our industry now has a secured supply of quality materials for the next 40 years.
Personally, I would like to thank Mansfield sand for their invite and I know that both Keith and Ted enjoyed the opportunity to visit the quarry.
Keith Kent said, “I was most impressed with the whole environmental aspect. To have a 35 year plan for the site is simply amazing! The way that it was planned to work as an ongoing, moving quarry was amazing to hear.
“I was also impressed by the fact that no matter what question we asked it was answered straight away, no hesitation. John was so proud to tell us of how they had thought of everything we asked him. They know what they are doing and where they are going.
“The cleanliness of the whole site and the way that the H&S rules were implemented was outstanding. The technology used by the company was also very impressive.”
