Set in Royal Parkland at Richmond-upon-Thames and adjacent to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, the golf course’s location meant that traditional chemical spraying of the knotweed was not an environmentally acceptable option.
Reviewing alternative treatment methods whilst attending the IOG SALTEX exhibition, golf club general manager, Marc Newey and course manager, Gavin Kinsella were impressed with Japanese Knotweed Control and in particular its new stem injection system.
The stem injection method enables localised treatment specific only to those weeds that need removing and has been used on two large problem areas on the RMS course. Knotweed was becoming increasingly prevalent on a car park area that borders the edge of the 18th fairway, as well as on proposed new teeing ground at the 9th.
A completely new environmental approach, the stem injection system works by delivering a measured dose of herbicide into the centre of the plant rather than just to the surface. This means it targets only the plants injected and there is no environmental risk of spray drift, run-off or contamination of watercourses and other sensitive vegetation.
Within a couple of weeks of meeting at the show, Japanese Knotweed Control had visited the golf course, surveyed the extent of the problem and made recommendations. A cost-effective solution with minimum disruption to the course and all risk factors taken into consideration was agreed before work began.
The golf club’s response was indicative of the enormous interest shown in the new stem injection system at IOG SALTEX. Japanese Knotweed Control’s stand attracted visitors from a large number of local authorities as well as groundsmen from some of the country’s leading public parks, stately homes and even a premiership football club, fully justifying the company’s debut attendance at the show.
“Given the huge scale of the event we were delighted with the number of visitors that said they’d specifically sought us out to discuss their Japanese knotweed problems,” said joint managing director, David Layland.
“Not only did we actually secure sales of the new stem injection system on the stand but we generated some excellent new business leads from organisations and groundsmen interested in us carrying out treatment programmes at affected sites.”
One of those, Royal Mid-Surrey’s Gavin Kinsella confirmed: “Japanese Knotweed Control offered a first class service, impressing us with the efficiency and accuracy of its stem injection system. We were able to see immediate results as the knotweed began to die back and the main benefit has been that no other vegetation or animal life on the course has been affected by the treatment.
“The team are professional, personable and highly knowledgeable about the treatment required. Following IOG SALTEX it was able to quickly and efficiently overcome a knotweed problem which, if left untreated, could have escalated into a major costly issue,” he said.
- IOG SALTEX 2008 will be held on 2-4 September at Windsor Racecourse, Berks, and will embrace fine turf and sports surfaces, turf maintenance equipment, children’s outdoor play and safety surfacing, landscaping, contractors, commercial vehicles, outdoor leisure and facilities management, as well as software and security equipment. The show is attended by open space management professionals and contractors – from groundsmen and greenkeepers through to play officers, architects, designers and surveyors as well as local authority and outdoor leisure facility managers.
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