LANDSCAPING SERVICES
THE TURF INDUSTRY HAS
TRANSFORMED
NOW IT FACES A CHALLENGE EFFICIENCY ALONE CAN’ T SOLVE
The turf industry of today is unrecognisable from the one operating at the turn of the century.
Turf harvesting is highly automated. Modern machinery operates with precision. Irrigation is informed by real-time weather data, while soil testing and variable-rate spreading allow fertiliser to match crop requirements.
For 25 years, turf growers have invested and innovated.
But 2026 has exposed an uncomfortable reality: there are some challenges that greater efficiency alone cannot solve.
25 years of increasing efficiency At Harrowden, Raindancer technology controls the timing and application of water, while Sencrop weather stations and soil-moisture probes support irrigation. Soil testing and variable-rate spreading determine efficient fertiliser use.
But modern turf production cannot simply respond to more challenging conditions by applying more. Growers have a responsibility to farm efficiently and responsibly.
That means the challenge facing the industry is no longer how to produce more with less. It is how to remain productive when natural resources become less predictable.
When efficiency meets its limits Turf farms can irrigate large growing areas. Water and equipment can be moved between fields.
But in extreme heat the frequency with which crops require water can increase dramatically. A system capable of working across a farm on a ten-day cycle may face conditions in which turf requires water every few days
Building the infrastructure to meet that level of demand requires investment for conditions that may only occur for part of the year. Even with additional capacity, growers cannot apply water that simply isn’ t available.
On farms which use ditch networks to move water, falling water levels can make it more difficult to get water to fields. So hot temperatures can increase water demand as evaporation increases and water resources come under greater pressure.
Efficiency alone cannot create more resources.
2026 – an exceptional year, or a sign of what’ s ahead? The dry conditions experienced this summer placed significant pressure on turf production, but longer-term climate data suggests growers must think beyond one difficult summer.
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