Landscape & Urban Design Issue 39 2019 | Page 21

TURF MANAGEMENT Aware of the difficulties being experienced by landscapers in their quest to secure reliable turf supplies, Paynes Turf has adopted a number of special strategies in recent times that are designed to help meet current requirements, minimise immediate disappointment, and ensure that turf needs can be met in the future. For a start, the company has invested in further irrigation equipment in order to cope with extreme climate events, thus limiting the effects of any prolonged drought, such as the one experienced last year. Ultimately, the aim at Paynes Turf – as it is with many established turf growers – is to invest in products and processes that will future-proof our service and the supply of turf to the industry. A further initiative has been putting a lot more turf into production to cope with ongoing high demand. This year has also seen Paynes Turf take its recently introduced B2C e-commerce site offline, so it could focus on meeting the needs of trade customers. Replacing this website with an emphasis on trade has enabled Paynes Turf to continue serving long- standing clients such as landscapers, housing developers and local authorities, as well as distributors. Of course, the effects of extreme weather and all of the new measures turf growers are putting in place will have an impact on production costs. Some additional cost will be absorbed, but extra outlays in irrigation and other equipment are likely to impact overheads and prices. However, turf growers are committed to making turf an economically viable product. Although many landscapers will have felt frustration at disrupted turf supply, this difficult period is now largely behind us all. For example, turf stocks at Paynes Turf are getting back to normal, putting the company in a good position to meet customer demand for turf in 2020. www.paynesturf.co.uk