Turf stays fresher for longer with ProFresh®
The shelf life of Hallstone turf is extended via a system called ProFresh. This unique, patented and trademarked technology removes gases and cools the turf to help it retain its ‘just harvested’ freshness for up to three times longer the shelf-life of untreated turf.
The treatment reduces deterioration during transportation and extends the sales window, reducing stock wastage and associated costs.
Sod heating and turf perishability
Once harvested, turf is highly perishable and needs careful treatment to ensure it reaches you and your customers in prime condition.
Turf rolls consist of actively growing grass plants, which continue to emit heat and respiration gases when harvested. The heat and gases are prevented from escaping by the layer of soil which surrounds and insulates each roll.
The deterioration rate of turf can also be affected by air temperature, the time of year and the time between harvesting and laying. Within hours, extreme conditions can increase the temperature at the centre of a pallet to almost 70 oC, causing the plants to perish.
This increase in temperature is known as ‘sod heating’ and can lead to quality issues and waste if the turf is not laid soon enough after harvest.
How ProFresh technology keeps turf fresher for longer
Immediately after harvest, pallets of turf enter an air-tight vessel, from which air is slowly extracted. Lowering the pressure cools the turf and removes harmful respiration gases.
To ensure the turf has optimum respiration conditions, the pressurised vessel is refilled with filtered air, which is is drawn into the centre of each pallet of turf, via a vacuum which has been created.
Once the core of the pallet has been cooled and the gases modified, the internal conditions will remain that way for a period of time, because a pallet of turf is a very solid, dense mass.
Harvesting techniques have also been adapted to ensure maximum benefit is achieved from the ProFresh system.
This one-minute clip shows how it works:
Independently assessed by the Sports Turf Research Institute
The Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI), the UK’s leading independent authority in turfgrass research agronomy, conducted independent tests on the ProFresh system. They confirmed that the system significantly extends the shelf life of turf, keeping it greener and fresher for longer, even in warm conditions.
Intellectual Property
ProFresh is trademarked and its associated logos are protected. Components of the machinery also have registered design rights. The ProFresh system is also fully patented in a number of international markets.