Drought Tolerance in Common Turf Grasses | Trial Data
Our research comparing the drought performance of common turf grass species across two separate years highlights significant differences in their ability to cope under moisture stress.
Our research comparing the drought performance of common turf grass species across two separate years highlights significant differences in their ability to cope under moisture stress.
When you've spent more than 25 years looking after some of the country's busiest school sports facilities, consistency becomes invaluable. For Adam King, Head of Grounds at Radley College, that's exactly why MM Seed has remained his first choice for more than two decades.
Perched on the Northumberland coastline, Alnmouth Golf Club offers members a challenging mix of seaside and parkland play in a designated area of outstanding natural beauty. Head Greenkeeper Jim Storey has spent the last 27 years finessing that natural beauty, employing maintenance that supports both the long-term course management and local wildlife. For the last decade this work has included establishing wildflower areas and, more recently with the help of DLF Seeds, he says these have delivered both visual impact and ecological value.
A thermal imaging comparison conducted in direct sunlight at an ambient temperature of approximately 29°C showed a clear difference between artificial turf and natural grass.
While stretching the true meaning of the saying, as we progress towards the end of summer, hay-cuts and autumn maintenance should be on our agenda.
One of the UK’s leading sporting educational institutions has explained how mixtures from DLF are delivering proven performance across their 15 hectare site. Having joined the University of Bath in July 2025, Sports Ground Manager Andy Boyce was quick to bring in tried and trusted formulations from the Masterline and Johnsons Sports Seed ranges which has seen their sports surfaces excel - gaining recognition not just from students but from some of the world’s most elite sporting teams.
DLF, the world’s largest grass seed breeder, is set to return to GroundsFest this September with a showcase of sustainable, resilient and high-performance seed solutions for turf and landscaping professionals. Alongside the opportunity to meet the DLF Technical Team, visitors to stand 30 will be able to explore the newest additions to the Masterline, MM and Johnsons Sports Seed ranges alongside discovering the biodiversity benefits offered by the company’s Pro Flora and Colour Boost wildflower collections.
More than two years after sowing, the transformation at DLF Inkberrow continues to showcase the long-term value of well-managed wildflower areas on golf courses. What began as a carefully planned Proflora golf rough project has now matured into a thriving, balanced habitat filled with diverse grasses and flourishing wildflowers. Wildflower Specialist Paul Hadley has closely monitored the development of the site since establishment, observing how the carefully selected 80/20 Proflora mix has naturally evolved over time.
Lees Hall Golf Club are celebrating the success of their growing wildflower initiative, developed in conjunction with DLF Seeds. Led by Head Greenkeeper Ian Whitehead and Assistant Greenkeeper Danny Tozzi, the club is now entering its third year of using mixtures from the Colour Boost range which has added areas of high visual impact and a real ‘boost’ to biodiversity around the course.
With the turn of a new year, comes the delivery of the new Johnsons Sports Seed brochure and two updated wildflower guides from DLF, packed with new formulations for the season ahead. The updated ranges showcase the latest advancements in seed breeding and mixture development, including ten new fine turf formulations from the industry-leading Johnsons range and a brand-new wildflower mixture designed for Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS) in Pro Flora 17.
As autumn turns to winter and the chill sets in, it’s easy to forget that pollinators are still hard at work, or in the case of honey bees, preparing to survive until spring. Ben Morgan BSc (Hons) MBPR FQA, DLF Technical Manager (& Bee Conservation Specialist) is passionate about helping golf courses play their part in bee conservation. DLF's work with wildflowers, pollinator habitats, and on-site hives demonstrates that even highly managed landscapes can support thriving bee populations.
Maintaining one of Essex’s most picturesque courses is no small task. As Head Greenkeeper, David Byron leads a skilled team that balances science, timing, and intuition to deliver exceptional playing surfaces in every season. From managing turf health to planning maintenance schedules, his role ensures that members and visitors alike experience Thorndon Park at its absolute best.
When the Women’s Rugby World Cup came to town, the pitches at Towcestrians Sports Club needed to perform at the highest level. Head Groundsman Tommy Waldock turned to a product he knew he could trust - MM Tetrasport - and the results spoke for themselves.
Despite a year of challenging weather, Bristol Golf Club has seen a remarkable improvement in its playing surfaces and overall visitor experience thanks to innovative seed solutions from DLF. The team, led by Course Manager Dave Taylor, introduced Johnsons J 4Turf 50 across all 27 tees in early 2025 which has gone on to demonstrate outstanding resilience and strong performance, coping with the pressures of a busy championship course.
As pesticide regulations tighten and climates shift, the need for disease-tolerant turf varieties has never been greater. Consequently, we rigorously test and select varieties with strong natural resilience. By continuously developing new tolerant grasses and tracking long-term disease trends through our annual surveys, we’re helping our customers stay one step ahead. We build strong turf for the future.
More than 80 bowling greenkeepers packed into Groundsfest’s inaugural Champion Greens: The Bowls Greenkeeper’s Masterclass — an information-packed day designed to support clubs from flat to crown green.
The spring of 2025 was the hottest and driest on record. Four heatwaves, rainfall 40% below the average and soaring evapotranspiration have left reservoirs low and much of England officially in drought. For turf managers, this isn’t a one-off challenge — it’s the new pattern. Fairways, in particular, have taken a hit with heavy traffic and hydrophobic ‘dry patch’ soils slowing recovery and reducing the overseeding window. Beneath the surface, next season’s outcomes are already being decided so what can you do create surfaces than not only survive, but thrive? Stuart Yarwood, Regional Technical Manager at DLF Seeds explores.
The world’s largest grass seed breeder, DLF, return to GroundsFest this September, with a renewed focus on resilient, sustainable and high performance seed solutions for the evolving demands of turf and landscaping professionals. The technical team will be on hand on stand 30 to showcase all of the developments across the Masterline, MM and Johnsons Sports Seed ranges, together with discussing the biodiversity benefits of their Pro Flora and Colour Boost wildflower collections.
The DLF stand at GroundsFest 2025 will showcase a wide range of sustainable solutions from the world's largest grass seed breeder, featuring products from MM, Johnsons Sports, Masterline and Designer Seed brands. Alongside leading cultivars for sports and amenity turf, stand 30 will also display an array of colour with demonstration planters from the popular Pro Flora and Colour Boost wildflower ranges.
It’s every greenkeeper’s worst nightmare – to receive a call informing them of vandalism on the course. That nightmare was the unfortunate reality for David Byron of Thorndon Park who returned from BTME 2025 to discover the ‘destruction’ of six greens, three tees and numerous fairways. With sheer determination, a concerted team effort and the outstanding recovery demonstrated by mixtures from across the Johnsons Sports Seed range, the surfaces were fit and ready for club championships just a few short months later.
For Adam Rowlands, owner of Turf Doctor Specialists Ltd, maintaining high-quality cricket surfaces is about using the right tools for the job - and when it comes to seed, MM50 from MM Seed is his go-to solution.