Punxsutawney Phil Declares 2016…

Get Ready Folks…Spring is almost here… and we have proof right from Punxsutawney Phil!

Punxsutawney Phil Video

Here are some answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Groundhog Day:

  • Yes! Punxsutawney Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just impostors.
  • How often is Phil’s prediction correct? 100% of the time, of course!
  • How many “Phils” have there been over the years? There has only been one Punxsutawney Phil. He has been making predictions for over 125 years!
  • Punxsutawney Phil gets his longevity from drinking the “elixir of life,” a secret recipe. Phil takes one sip every summer at the Groundhog Picnic and it magically gives him seven more years of life.
  • On February 2, Phil comes out of his burrow on Gobbler’s Knob – in front of thousands of followers from all over the world – to predict the weather for the rest of winter.
  • According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring.
  • No! Phil’s forecasts are not made in advance by the Inner Circle. After Phil emerges from his burrow on February 2, he speaks to the Groundhog Club president in “Groundhogese”(a language only understood by the current president of the Inner Circle). His proclamation is then translated for the world.
  • The celebration of Groundhog Day began with Pennsylvania’s earliest settlers. They brought with them the legend of Candlemas Day, which states, “For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl in May…”
  • Punxsutawney held its first Groundhog Day in the 1800s. The first official trek to Gobbler’s Knob was made on February 2, 1887.
  • So the story goes, Punxsutawney Phil was named after King Phillip. Prior to being called Phil, he was called Br’er Groundhog.

Reprinted from The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club website; Click here for more.

Country Springs Community Outreach Program

Country Springs Wholesale Nursery is grateful to have an opportunity to be involved in our Community with our Community Outreach Program. Giving back to our community provides an examKO Rosesple for business and individuals and always improves our lives and the lives of those around us.

Woodbine Community Outreach

In 2013 we were contacted by a prospective Eagle Scout for his scouting project. The scope of his project included the beautification of Calvary Lutheran Church, a local church in Woodbine, MD. Upon receipt of the request for materials, we were able to fulfill the request as a donation. It was a complete success as can be seen in the picture.

Arbutus Community Outreach

This year once again our community outreach team was made aware of an Eagle Scout Project in Arbutus, MD. Along with our friends from Techo Bloc, we were able to deliver another donation to assist in the completion of a sidewalk and landscaping at the Arbutus Santa’s House. More information about this community outreach project is below and the story of the Santa House can be found by clicking Santa’s picture.

Community Outreach - Santa House

Recognition at our Turkey Cook-off

Our friends from the Arbutus Santa’s House surprised us by showing up at our recent event and presented Country Springs & Techo Bloc with commendations for the donations to their community outreach program. We are thankful for the support of our community and wish everyone a joyous Holiday Season.

5 Summer Landscape Care Tips

For most landscapers, summer means heat, drought and watering needs. This can be especially difficult for landscapers that need to rely on home owners without irrigation systems.

The good news is that there are ways to assist plants and allow them to thrive despite these seasonal challenges. Adjusting summer landscape care accordingly during the hot months can not only provide relief for lawns and gardens, but also for the landscaper.

General Summer Landscape CareSummer Landscape Care - Country Springs Wholesale Nursery

1. Monitor soil moisture. Provide supplemental watering and/or increase watering times on your drip irrigation system during hot, dry periods. Watch for pests and manage them accordingly. Many insects will attack plants when they are under stress from drought.

2. Assess which of your plants are under stress from the heat. Consider moving plants that prefer more moisture and shade to a different, more shady location so they will grow better next year. However, don’t do any transplanting now, wait until late August at the earliest.

Perennials & Grasses Summer Landscape Care

3. Staking gladiolus, dahlias, crocosmia, and other lanky perennials is important to prevent stem breakage and enhance the flower display. The choices of staking materials run the gamut, from bamboo stakes and tobacco sticks to hardware cloth and rebar. Rebar, commonly used in home construction, can be a useful material to create sturdy forms for tall perennials and supporting annual vines. Use heavy gauge wire to form a teepee-like trellis. Garden twist-ties and cable ties attach well to wires. Deadhead (remove spent flower heads) perennial flowers to keep their energy in flower production, not seed development. Pinch out the top buds of dahlias, phlox, and garden mums for bushier plants and more flowers later in the season.

4. Ornamental grasses do not need much care during this period. Most of them should be thriving right now, they should be providing beauty, movement, and texture right now.
Watch soil moisture closely, and add additional mulch around the base of plants if mulch has thinned out. This keeps the roots cool and helps preserve soil moisture.

Trees & Shrubs Summer Landscape Care

5. Early July is the last call for pruning ornamental shrubs, such as azaleas and spring flowering bushes. It is important to water shrubs that are pruned for normal recovery. Evergreen hedges are hand pruned or sheared as needed during the summer months. Boxwoods are best pruned in early spring. Prune to remove faded blooms of Knockout roses. Fertilize roses monthly until September with fertilizers such as: 10-10-10; one gallon of liquid fertilizer dilution; or fish emulsion.PageLines- TeaserInfoGuideButton.png

Following these summer landscape care tips will help to keep your landscapes looking great throughout the summer and into the fall. Get more seasonal information by downloading the Country Springs Wholesale Nursery Information Guide. Click on the ebook image NOW! >

Have a Landscaping Equipment Plan

Landscaping equipment is almost as important as your personnel. Winter is obviously a good time to upgrade equipment if it is in the business plan. Just like the search for new employees, this process usually starts well in advance of your pre-season.

Landscaping Equipment and 4 Off Season Ideas

  1. An end of year review that assesses each piece of landscaping equipment’s service history will determine if replacement, a major overhaul or just routine preventive maintenance is necessary. If something needs to be replaced, it should be placed on a list for upgrades. Major purchases made in early spring Landscaping Equipment - Country Springs Wholesale Nurserycould be advantageous with various suppliers that may be offering rebates and financing.
  2. End of year landscaping equipment audits are also a good idea. Schedule basic end of year maintenance like draining gas out of equipment, clean up, and wear assessment. When final maintenance is complete, leaving a little gas mixed with stabilizer will allow your landscaping equipment to be in a ready to go state come spring. Checking things over one more time at the start of the season is important and having a mechanic or an equipment foreman on staff is also a must. It should be this individual’s responsibility to stay on top of maintenance needs and to be sure the owner’s manuals are accessible.
  3. When it comes to trucks and vans, depending on the company size, it might be advantageous to have a vendor partner. Having an auto shop to handle the service needs makes it easier to track expenses. Many use software programs that track entire fleets and often have an online computer dashboard to access current & upcoming needs. Automatic maintenance notification could be part of the package. This could also include construction equipment.
  4. Developing relationships with vendors is important. No matter how much preparation, something will eventually go down. Relationships with dealers often have benefits, for example if one of our larger pieces goes down, our vendor will drop off another one that we can use until ours is fixed. These relationships need to be nurtured, and the winter months are a great time to focus on that.

Keeping your landscaping equipment in tip top shape will set an example for your employees and clients. It will let everyone know you care about the quality of your work and business, and will help to spread the word of your organization.