2024 turf growing challenges: navigating weather and market uncertainty
Insight
The turf industry has faced a year of significant hurdles in 2024, with adverse weather conditions and sluggish market demand shaping the production landscape. As growers reflect on the past year, the challenges, and opportunities for innovation, have become clear.
Weather: a persistent adversary
Unfavourable weather set the tone for the year, starting with a wet autumn in 2023. These conditions caused widespread delays in sowing, which were compounded by continued wet weather in spring 2024. The resulting disruptions limited the optimal planting window, directly impacting turf quality and yields.
Adding to these difficulties, some areas experienced intense heatwaves during the growing season. For growers without irrigation systems, this heat posed significant challenges, stressing crops and reducing the strength of turf rolls. The early autumn brought another wave of heavy rainfall in September, creating further barriers to successful sowing. These cumulative weather-related setbacks have required growers to adapt their strategies and rethink their production plans.
Turf trials in the Netherlands
Amid these challenges, growers in the Netherlands trialled Maxstim Turf and Cynosa™ complex biostimulants on spring-sown crops, yielding remarkable results.
Outstanding results in four months
By late August 2024, just four months after sowing, treated fields were ready for commercial harvest. One grower, Van de Wetering Graszoden, reported strong, cohesive sods in treated areas, while untreated sections lagged behind, producing turf unfit for viable rolls.
Paul, another grower, shared his satisfaction: “I wish I had treated the whole field. Now, I’ll have to wait until spring 2025 to harvest the remaining untreated area.” Recognising the benefits, he has since treated his September sowings, aiming for an April or May 2025 harvest.
A full-field success story
Johan from Bodenstaff Graszoden, who treated an entire field sown in May, managed to harvest a full pallet of 60m² without waste, ensuring a steady supply of turf for the rest of 2024 and into early 2025. “I now have turf supply through winter and into early 2025. The products have made a significant difference to sod strength,” Johan noted.
Planning for a productive 2025
Looking to 2025, these growers are committed to continuing the Maxstim Turf and Cynosa™ protocol, focusing on:
- Early sowing: Planting in March or April to ensure harvest-ready turf by late summer.
- Autumn sowing: Planting in September or October for a reliable spring harvest.
Growers adopting this approach have observed several key benefits, including:
- Double-cropping potential: Two harvests within a 14-month cycle.
- Reduced production costs: Lower input costs per cycle.
- Higher margins: Greater profitability per m².
- Enhanced land efficiency: Maximised productivity from each field.
- Minimised waste: Reduced waste during harvest, leading to greater sustainability.
Lessons and opportunities
The dual pressures of extreme weather and weak market demand continue to highlight the vulnerabilities in turf production. However, as the results from the Netherlands demonstrate, innovative solutions such as employing the use of biostimulants can help growers overcome these challenges.
By enhancing sod strength, reducing harvest waste, and enabling shorter crop cycles, Maxstim’s products represent a breakthrough for growers aiming to meet market demand efficiently and sustainably. These trials also emphasise the value of investing in flexible production systems that can withstand climate extremes while delivering high-quality turf.
The 2024 trials showcased innovative ways to tackle the challenges facing turf growers. From extreme weather to rising production costs, solutions like Maxstim Turf and Cynosa™ biostimulants are proving vital in helping growers adapt and thrive. With promising outcomes from these trials, growers across the UK and the Netherlands are paving the way for more sustainable, efficient, and profitable turf production in the years ahead.
As you plan for 2025, Maxstim can help you overcome challenges, boost profitability, and grow sustainably. Talk to one of our experts today.
Tim Cannon
Email: tim.cannon@maxstim.com
Mobile: 07884 586191
Phil Kingsmill
Email: phil.kingsmill@maxstim.com
Mobile: 07860 269996
Leanne Coleman
Email: leanne.coleman@maxstim.com
Mobile: 07552 097554
Tony Kelly
Email: tony.kelly@maxstim.com
Mobile: 07974 435417
