Monthly practical training at Pierces Farm

Integrated Weed Management Workshop

Learn how to read a surface, select the appropriate method and build a practical preventative weed-management programme, then put the machinery to work on real demonstration areas.

Led by Sean Faulkner, author of The Weeds Are Not the Problem and developer of Lantra-certified Integrated Weed Management training.

  • Maximum 10 attendees
  • Hands-on machine sessions
  • £150 + VAT per person
  • First Wednesday of each month
Choose a Workshop Date Discover the Book
01

Understand the surface

Learn what detritus, silt and plant growth reveal about maintenance conditions.

02

Choose the method

Compare mechanical, thermal, electric and cultural weed-control methods in practical terms.

03

Operate the machinery

Get hands-on time with brushes, sweepers, path renovators, hot-air, hot-water and electric equipment.

04

Build the business case

Take away a framework for budgets, specifications and preventative programmes.

Why the workshop exists

Move beyond treating weeds as an isolated problem

Most weed-control programmes treat the visible symptom. The weed is sprayed, brushed or burnt, but it returns because the detritus, silt and organic matter supporting it remain on the surface.

Meanwhile, pesticide-reduction policies, public pressure and changing expectations are pushing councils, contractors and facilities teams towards methods they may never have been trained to plan or use.

This workshop combines the diagnostic thinking behind The Weeds Are Not the Problem with practical sessions covering brushing, sweeping, path renovation, hot air, hot water and electric weed control.

You will leave better able to read a surface, choose a method for the correct stage of growth and explain the financial case for preventative maintenance.

Path edging with a Kersten UBS and WKB 60 weed brush
Redressing an overgrown path edge: the type of surface diagnosis and machine selection covered during the workshop.

Who should attend

Designed for the people who plan, specify and deliver maintenance

The workshop is useful both for operators who will use the equipment and managers responsible for policy, budgets, tenders and site outcomes.

Local authorities

Parks, highways, open-space and street-cleansing teams developing pesticide-reduced maintenance programmes.

Contractors

Grounds and landscape contractors seeking better method selection, productivity and tender differentiation.

Facilities teams

Estates, campuses, housing sites and commercial facilities responsible for presentation, safety and compliance.

Heritage and cemeteries

Managers looking after sensitive surfaces where appearance, access and plant protection must be balanced carefully.

Sports and leisure

Teams maintaining paths, surrounds, artificial surfaces and high-footfall public areas.

Procurement and specifiers

Anyone writing specifications, evaluating machinery or preparing the internal case for a new maintenance approach.

The day at a glance

One day of diagnosis, planning and practical machinery experience

The programme combines classroom discussion with outdoor, hands-on demonstrations at Pierces Farm.

09:30
Arrival and refreshments Registration, introductions and an overview of the day.
10:00
The weeds are not the problem Detritus, pavement succession, reactive maintenance and what plant growth tells you about a surface.
11:00
The rules of the game Policy expectations, surface cleanliness, operator risk and the principles of a defensible reduced-pesticide programme.
12:00
Method selection Mechanical, thermal, electric and cultural control: what each method does, where it works and how the methods can be sequenced across a maintenance programme.
12:45
Lunch Lunch and refreshments are provided.
13:30
Hands-on: mechanical methods Weed brushing, sweeping and path renovation, including setup, technique, brush selection and debris collection.
14:30
Hands-on: thermal and electric methods Hot-air, hot-water and Zasso electric weed-control systems, including treatment timing, safe operation, method selection and realistic expectations for repeat cycles.
15:15
Building the business case Cost comparisons, the reactive maintenance loop and how to structure a budget proposal or tender specification.
16:00
Questions, resources and close Final discussion, certificate of attendance and take-away workshop resources.

Hands-on machinery

Compare different methods with the equipment in front of you

The precise demonstration fleet may change with availability and season, but a typical workshop includes mechanical weed removal, sweeping, path renovation, hot-air, hot-water and Zasso electric weed-control equipment.

Kersten Weedo II mechanical weed brush

Mechanical weed removal

Explore brush selection, machine setup, working technique and the importance of collecting loosened debris from the surface.

Ripagreen thermal hot-air weed-control system

Thermal hot air

Understand heat application, operator technique, treatment timing and where targeted hot-air systems fit within a wider programme.

Eco Weedkiller SP3 hot-water weed-control system

Thermal hot water

Compare hot-water treatment with mechanical and hot-air methods and discuss logistics, productivity and repeat treatment expectations.

Zasso Zap Weeder electric weed-control machine

Zasso electric weed control

See how high-voltage electricity generates heat within the plant, treating weeds through to the roots while supporting targeted work on hard surfaces.

View the Zasso Zap Weeder →

Choose a workshop

Select a preferred date and number of attendees

Workshop enquiries do not constitute a confirmed booking. We will check capacity and contact you to confirm availability and payment.

Workshop price

£150 + VAT

Per person, per workshop. Sessions are limited to ten attendees so everyone has time with the equipment and an opportunity to discuss their own sites.

  • Full-day workshop
  • Hands-on machine sessions
  • Lunch and refreshments
  • Certificate of attendance
  • Take-away resource pack
  • Free on-site parking

Workshop booking enquiry

Select your preferred monthly session. You can add details about your organisation or particular maintenance challenges before opening the enquiry form.

Estimated workshop fee £150 + VAT

Your selected details will be transferred into a pre-filled Kersten contact-form message. Availability remains subject to confirmation.

Where and when

Monthly workshops at Kersten UK, Pierces Farm

Workshops are planned for the first Wednesday of each month from October 2026, subject to capacity and confirmation.

Location

Kersten UK
Pierces Farm
Good Boys Lane
Mortimer

Workshop hours

Arrival from 09:30, with the main programme running from 10:00 until approximately 16:00.

What to bring

Wear sturdy footwear and weather-appropriate outdoor clothing. Required demonstration PPE will be provided.

Cannot make one of the monthly workshops?

Ask about a private session for your organisation, explore machinery available to hire and trial on your own site, or contact Kersten about a specific weed-management challenge.