Matt Parry, Head
Groundsman at Kingston Grammar School has praised mixtures from DLF for
delivering great results at a great price, all backed up with great support
from his local Technical Manager Craig Spooner.
With the whole
22-acre site sown with seed from across the DLF portfolio, this season the
focus has been on the outfields and four cricket squares, where a combination
of ProMaster 79, ProMaster 80 and ProMaster 36 from the Masterline range has
delivered a first-class finish.
DLF seed has been Matt’s choice for
the last five years, creating the perfect playing surfaces for winter sports,
tennis and cricket – used by pupils alongside teams from the local community.
“Over time, we’ve sown mixtures from both the Johnsons Sports Seed and Masterline
ranges, with an unwavering confidence that whatever we use is going to perform”
explains Matt, who heads up a team of three.
“We conduct a full renovation on
the football surfaces in spring to prepare for the cricket season, with
overseeding roughly every six weeks throughout the season where it’s needed.
For this we selected ProMaster 80
Renovator, purchased from Core
Amenity, which gives us strong, equal establishment and a resistant and
hard-wearing sward to cope with the pressures of a high wear season.”
As
the name suggests, PM80 Renovator is ideal for the renovation of worn playing
surfaces – featuring 25% Tetragame 4turf tetraploid and 75% diploid perennial
ryegrass for a disease resistant, drought tolerant and nitrogen efficient mix.
As the temperatures cool, Matt then
switches to ProMaster 79 as a 50% tetraploid mixture for more effective
autumn/winter overseeding. “PM79 has proven to deliver great colour and great
recovery on our outfields through the colder months. Completing the programme
is ProMaster 36 Wicket which establishes quickly and gives us a dense,
resistant sward on our squares.”
“The service we get is as equally
important as the quality of the product for me” Matt adds. “I speak regularly
to our DLF Regional Technical Manager Craig Spooner, who will update me on what
research is taking place and what’s new and upcoming in regard to mixtures.
This means I am always able to make an informed choice and gives us the
confidence and trust to trial new formulations.”
