When George Mills stepped into the role of Head Groundsman at Bedford School just over a year ago, he brought with him a wealth of experience, a passion for turf excellence, and a sharp eye for smart investment.
Now, with the help of Agrovista Amenity and the innovative plant growth regulator Attraxor®, George has been astonished by the transformation on his pitches – particularly the school’s first team rugby pitch.
Coming from a family deeply rooted in the industry, George’s career has seen him lead groundcare operations since the age of 18.
His arrival at Bedford School signalled a fresh chapter for the historic site, with George quickly implementing a more efficient, proactive approach to pitch management.
Part of that shift involved forging a close working relationship with Agrovista Amenity and Area Sales Manager Charlie Seager.
“Their customer service is second to none,” said George. “Charlie’s support has been brilliant – he’s always there when I need advice, and everything we’ve put down this year has worked well.
“I’d say he’s as ambitious about turf as I am and that is why we see good results.”
That shared ambition led to a breakthrough this season. I
nitially cautious due to budget constraints, George trialled Attraxor, supplied by Agrovista Amenity and developed by BASF, on the school’s first team rugby pitch with the primary goal of increasing sward density and improving uniformity by regulating growth evenly and suppressing Poa annua seedhead production.
The results, he says, were nothing short of remarkable.
“To be honest, it took a bit of convincing,” George admitted. “Given our limited budget and the size of the site, I was focusing on wetting agents and nutrition.
“But we agreed to give it a go on just one pitch. We applied it at a relatively low rate – 0.375g, tank-mixed with the fertiliser NovaTec® Solub – and within days, you could see a difference.”
Following the second application in early May, the impact became crystal clear.
After a spell of rainfall, the rest of the school’s playing fields began to show Poa seedhead development, while the trial area treated with Attraxor remained visibly cleaner and greener.
He went on to apply Attraxor four times overall.
“You could literally see a darker rectangle on the pitch where we’d applied it,” George said.
“The difference in seedhead suppression was huge – probably 70 to 80% better compared to untreated areas. I’d never used Attraxor for this purpose before, and the contrast really shocked me.”
Unlike his previous use of the product purely as a time-saving PGR, George now sees Attraxor as a key tool for long-term surface improvement.
“It’s not just about slowing growth anymore. At Bedford, we’re using it for the quality benefits – and they’re real.”
In fact, George is already planning to extend the use of Attraxor next season to two historically troublesome pitches on site.
“Those pitches have really struggled with Poa ingress since they were built in 2015. I think using a slightly higher rate of Attraxor there could be a game changer.”
For George, the ability to tank mix the product has been another major plus. “It’s ideal for a large site like ours where timing is everything.
“We just don’t have the luxury of revisiting areas frequently. The fact that we can apply it alongside other inputs really helps us stay efficient.”
Beyond the technical performance, George is quick to praise the support behind the scenes.
“You can have the best product in the world, but if you don’t trust the people you’re getting it from or have that backup, it doesn’t matter.
“For me, the service from Agrovista – and from Charlie – is a huge part of why I choose to work with them.”
With stronger turf, smarter applications, and a clear vision for continual improvement, Bedford School’s grounds are in safe hands and Attraxor is now firmly part of that journey.
For more information about Agrovista UK, visit https://amenity.agrovista.co.uk/
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