With knowledge, care, proper horticultural technique and rigorous product selection, impressive results can be achieved in the fields of Turf Management and Lawn Treatment. But the world changes fast with products constantly being removed from sale and others introduced to ensure they meet ever more demanding environmental considerations.
Weed Control
Herbicides have recently been through a large set of regulation changes. These have had widespread effects on the products available, the rates at which they may be applied and the frequency at which they may be used.
Getting good weed control results within the confines of the new regulations is increasingly complex and has been the focus of considerable effort and investment on our part. We expect this to be an ongoing challenge and have the systems in place to ensure we continue to deliver the best results to our customers.
Grass health and nutrition
Through our memberships of various professional bodies, we go to several conferences each year. It is apparent that the turf management industry, like many others, is very aware of its responsibility to promote and adopt working practices that are increasingly driven by: Accountability, Traceability, Sustainability, and Stewardship.
We have always been very proud of our sound horticultural practices and lawn fertiliser programmes. We have continuously spent a far higher percentage of our revenue, than the market average on the nutrition of our client’s lawns. Rather unusually, we have always been entirely open about exactly what ingredients our fertilisers contain.
We embrace the industry wide moves toward a more horticulturally sympathetic set of working practices because they will energise manufacturers to provide increased choice in their product ranges. The day when we can offer clients a completely organic lawn treatment programme that is truly effective and affordable, is starting to get closer.
Trends
We think the development of products and methods which derive their origins from the age-old traditions of soil stewardship will gather pace.
In recent years there has been a noticeable increase in demand from customers who wish to maximise the benefits that can be gained from cultural improvements to their grass through mechanical treatments such as Scarification and Aeration. We think this trend will continue to build.
We believe that potential restrictions on chemical inputs will encourage the industry to evolve toward increased organic and mineral based treatment inputs. We intend to be at the forefront of that evolution.