A
Foamstream L12 system is delivering effective non-herbicidal weed control and labour savings too, for
the team at Floors Castle.
Tasked
with keeping on top of a variety of weed species within the picturesque grounds
and gardens, Head Gardener Simon McManus explains how together with
significantly reducing the time spent hand-weeding, the L12 has also been
utilised as a cleaning system to give the Castle a perfect photo finish.
Described as ‘The Gem of the
Scottish Borders’, Floors Castle is the centrepiece of the beautiful Roxburghe
Estate, built in 1721 and today welcoming visitors from far and wide to explore
and enjoy its scenic surroundings – including approximately four acres of
ornamental grounds and gardens. “The walled garden comprises four big
herbaceous borders and we also have a small vegetable garden as well as private
gardens which aren’t open to the public – all needing to look good year-round”
explains Simon, who has been at Floors Castle for almost twenty years.
With just a team of three, plus
himself, the facility were in need of both a quicker and more
environmentally-friendly weed control method to traditional treatments with
chemicals and labour-intensive hand-weeding. “We took delivery of our L12 unit
from Weedingtech last year after an impressive demonstration. As a new
technology I have to admit there was some initial scepticism but the results of
the trial spoke for themselves and since our purchase, we have only discovered
more and more benefits!”
The active ingredient in
Foamstream is hot water, insulated by a 100% organic, plant-based foam which
keeps the water in the kill-zone for long enough to effectively eliminate a
range of weeds and other unwanted vegetation. The ‘plug and play’ L12 delivery
system is compact and portable, with a range of wand options making it ideal
for all areas and applications.
“It’s used regularly throughout
the spring and summer. We went out one day in April to treat a border thick
with weeds which would have previously taken the four of us a day to clear. One
two-hour treatment with Foamstream and by the next morning it’s all dead. It’s
also fantastic at killing moss and algae which were becoming a problem to treat
around the site with the ongoing withdrawal of chemical solutions.”
Simon continues, “Over the winter
when the weeds are less of an issue, we found we could use the L12 as a
pressure washer to clean the roof of the glasshouses - and it did another
brilliant job! It’s clear this machine is going to become a key part of our
overall maintenance programme.”
