How does the Turf survive in hot weather? ??
George Davies Turf & Stone
There's more to us than just turf #TheLandscapersChoice.
A note from?George Davies:
The holiday season is well and truly upon us! While the weather was disappointing through early July, the temperatures have certainly ramped up over recent weeks, with the 13th?of August seeing record temperatures of 34.8 degrees!
Thankfully, the extreme heat did not last and soon dropped 10 degrees. It’s not always easy for humans to constantly adapt and change to these extremes (and we will be subject to more of them going forward), but neither is it for our environment.
The natural world has no air conditioning or fans and must brace itself for ever-changing conditions. It does?its best in extreme situations, but how does turf cope in the hot weather?
How Turf Adapts and Thrives in Extreme Summer Conditions
Like everything, when stress comes along, it manifests itself differently depending on the circumstances surrounding that individual, plant, or sward. So, if the turf is in a healthy place, the possibility of having an excellent root structure in place is highly likely (which will absorb every ounce of water out of the ground where available).
A healthy plant will have little disease pressure and be ready to withstand the extremes, unlike a turf sward being attacked by various pathogens. The soil type with a high percentage of organic matter will act as a sponge and retain more moisture than soil where organic matter is non-existent. ?
Furthermore, the sward length is critical, needing to be cut at a height where it is maintained and not reduced at a time of immense stress. Our arch enemy in the turf world – Poa Annua, has very shallow roots and is the first grass type to struggle in extreme conditions due to the lack of moisture in can extract. So, if the stress continues for?a prolonged period, it really does do us all a big favour.
In the end, turf is extremely hard to kill and will bounce back very quickly indeed, but the healthier the turf is to start with, the faster it will bounce back. Nature is a wonderful thing; at times, we take how well it adapts and survives for granted.
What's happening at GDT?
Ashka (aka Joanna Zawislak ) has been with us for an incredible five years. Her husband, our very own Valdeck, said on numerous accounts she would be no good in the office…how wrong he was!
Ashka has been a star from the very first day she turned up; she has progressed through the business over the last five years and now covers our Operations Manager when he is away – a very big pair of boots to fill, indeed!
She also feeds the whole team whenever she can with her enormous ‘Breakfast Rolls’. Joanna Zawislak is a true legend of GDT!
With Futurescapes only six weeks away, we have been working hard to prepare for the show and give our stand a facelift – ready for everyone to come and see us at the Excel on October 15th?and 16th.
领英推荐
We exhibited two years ago and are looking forward to returning in a matter of weeks! While we have chosen FutureScape Event this year, we will still be attending GroundsFest as we thoroughly enjoyed it last year, and we hope to see as many of you as we can in Stoneleigh on the 10th?and 11th?of September.
Lastly, I’m proud to share a video that made my heart melt. We have been supporting?Empowering Kids in Kenya?for over two years now – an organisation dedicated to providing education and resources to children in need. This initiative is close to our hearts, and we’re proud to contribute to a cause that makes a real difference in the lives of young people.
Customer Project Spotlight
Hitchin Garden Transformation ??
We’re delighted to showcase the completion of a stunning garden redesign in Hitchin, beautifully designed by Rebecca Morgan and brought to life by the talented team at R Ground Landscapes. This project features our premium Trident Turf, along with carefully chosen materials to create a cohesive and inviting outdoor space. The transformation involved a major clearance and reshaping, merging two separate plots into one seamless landscape.
Next steps include planting bare-root hedging this winter and adding garden lighting to perfect the atmosphere. We’re proud to have been part of this incredible transformation!