September 14th, 2018.


Local facilities management  company Burleys’ excellent turf care at a Seaford Bowls Club has earned it a place as a finalist in the prestigious National Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) Awards, due to be presented in October.

The company was shortlisted for its maintenance of The Crouch Bowling Green which is used by top-class players competing in competitions at a national level.

The green, owned by Seaford Town Council, has been in use since 1935 and its team play 70 games a year in national and county championships.

Burleys’ work has been praised by bowling club secretary Pat Purser who said: “Since Burleys took over the contract, the green has improved every year. In spite of the heatwave, our green has bowled superbly and has been envied by all the visiting clubs, as have the surrounding flower beds.”

As part of its ongoing maintenance, head of fine turf, Hadrian Lear and his team, also use a revolutionary sports turf aerification machine.

The Air2G2 Soil CPR machine, which won the 2015 Innovation Award from the Sports Turf Managers Association, is the only machine of its kind to use air injection technology to help oxygen circulate in compacted soil. The CPR element of the machine’s name stands for compaction relief, increased porosity, and enhanced respiration.

The end result is turf which can breathe, better root growth, and rapid drainage to prevent flooding – with the added benefit that as the surface of the turf isn’t disrupted the green can be used immediately after treatment.

Hadrian explained: “The presentation of our greens is paramount, and we do everything we can to ensure they are always in the best condition they could possibly be.

“We ensure that we mow the surrounds of the pitches, clip the edges and weed the paths. We also tend the shrubs and ensure all year round displays of bedding plants. We ensure nothing is left on site, all detritus is removed as well as cleaning all our machinery, to prevent any pest and diseases being transferred.

“We use garlic-based products to deter the worms, nematodes and our eco-friendly weedkiller Foamstream. Our fertiliser is seaweed based and we recycle everything. All our green waste is composted and reused.”

Burleys manages 16 greens throughout the South East.

Other clubs looking to get their greens up to competition standard can contact Burleys for a free site visit and advice.