FSM
Round-Up
Headland Amenity regine makes for improved conditions at Durham County Cricket Club
In a year of ‘interesting’ weather conditions around the country, the challenge of knowing what, and when, to apply in terms of a nutritional programme has been just one of the many struggles for Greenkeepers and Groundsman alike. For Vic Demain, Head Groundsman of Durham County Cricket Club that task has been made a little easier with trusted advice from Alex Hawkes of Headland Amenity. Through a tried and tested combination of granular and soluble fertilisers, Vic has sustained a strong, vibrant and healthy plant throughout the season. “We’ve not had a year quite like this
before. In April we were completely flooded out, then in the following two months we had hardly any rain at all” explains Vic who has been at Durham CCC for four years. Vic was previously at Trent Bridge, which is where he first met Alex. “This was my first experience with Headland Amenity products and it was evident very quickly that they performed well and helped to deliver an immaculate field. When I was appointed at Durham, I asked Alex to come in and assess, which he did on my very first day in the position!”
to work within budget constraints, so we tweaked around to get a programme that suited both the nutritional requirements and budget.” On the outfields Vic applies Multigreen®
temperature-controlled release granular fertiliser in March and September and during the playing season they switch to a tank mix of Elevate Fe® and Xtend® soluble fertilisers. The most recent addition to the programme is Clipless NT® plant growth regulator to control the growth and reduce the requirement for daily cutting. On the square, again it’s a combination of Multigreen® Mini and C-Complex® granular fertilisers applied twice a year, with ProTec® and N-Sure™ liquid fertilisers delivering micronutrients throughout the summer period. “When we started the new Headland
“It was very different – coverage wasn’t
particularly strong, and the ground looked a bit tired and run down.” Following the results of soil samples, Alex created a nutritional programme. “As with most places, I had
regime, you could see the difference within a couple of months – the colour was better and the grass was much stronger. The results are then backed up with fantastic advice and support from Alex and it’s these two factors combined that means I swear by the Headland products.”
Rugby
Cub Cadet INFINICUT® mowers make it a ‘first’ for Emerald Headingley Stadium in Leeds. Home to both Rugby Union and Rugby League, the club is currently in the midst of a £41m redevelopment and the INFINICUT® purchase is a ‘first’ for a rugby club in the UK. However, these aren’t the only new additions for Head Groundsman Ryan Golding to contend with as the redevelopment includes two new stands.
4 FSM “Myself, and my team of three, have our
work cut out with a busy schedule of play as we’re home to both Leeds Rhinos rugby league, and Yorkshire Carnegie rugby union clubs. On top of multi-use rugby, we also host academy games, externals events, training and more” explains Ryan, who has been at Headingley for 15 years. While the facility is happy to invest where it’s considered to be required, when it comes to new machinery, Ryan must justify a solid business case. “Our previous mowers were starting to
A first for
cause us a lot of problems, so we looked at some alternatives. I’ve demonstrated the INFINICUT® previously and had been impressed with it, and after a few conversations with Vinny Tarbox of MTD, it was evident the mowers could make a big difference to the quality of our playing surface. The fact the INFINICUT®’s can be powered electrically went a long way in making a viable case. The reduced noise, as well as emissions, it produces have meant that despite our inner-city location, we have been able to mow earlier in the mornings and therefore cope better with the recent hot conditions.” Following their delivery in June 2018, the mowers are in use three
to four times a week, including in the build-up to games, thanks to the cleanliness of cut and quality of finish they produce. With the work ongoing and play continuing throughout, Ryan’s favourite feature however, is something else! “It’s the simplest of things but the Cub Cadets have quick-release, demountable wheels which are a god send when transporting the mowers 300yards from our stores to the pitch. Now, even navigating through a building site, has not been a problem.”
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