A Family Business Made Strong Through Family Ties

We were honored recently to be nominated and awarded the ‘Family Business of the Year’ by the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce. The yearly Small Business awards banquet was held on April 3rd. At this event, various awards were presented to other individuals and businesses.

John Caramanico Sr. had an opportunity to address his peers gathered at the Drexelbrook Corporate Events Center. He emphasized how his grandfather, father, and uncle demonstrated a strong work ethic and a sense of cooperation among family members. With one truck working from the Overbrook section of West Philadelphia, that father and sons team demonstrated how a family business can grow and prosper. This example is followed today and is exemplified not only with those family members who chose to stay with the business, but by the success of those who pursued other careers. Today’s third (Mike, John Sr., and Dave) and fourth (John Jr., Bill, Dan, Davis, and Cory) generations continue the tradition of hard work, good business, attention to detail, and commitment to family.

John’s message was not just about Caramanico’s as a family business but rather a family business of and for all families. In fact, John noted that the success of the Caramanico landscaping enterprise is due to the dedication of many employees and their families, including Matt Tansey and his nephew Zach, brothers Joe and Dennis White and Joe’s son Joseph, the husband/wife team of Chris and Tracy Rodia, three Ayala brothers, three Najera brothers and their uncle, four Tema brothers, four Lopez brothers, two Galvan brothers, two Agustin brothers, two Cisneros brothers, two Gonzales brothers, and Jose Martinez and his two sons.

As we look through the years, we see a clear tradition of family. We feel that we have been very fortunate to have the dedication, loyalty and service of our employees - many of whom have been with the company for more than twenty years.

We thank the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce for this honor and commend all other nominees and awardees. Refer to this DelcoTimes article for more details.

Expanding Your Summer Color

Many of our gardens start strong with crocuses, daffodils, and tulips. But once these early bloomers have faded, you don’t need to depend on just annuals to continue the show. Many wonderful summer-flowering bulbs can fill in your “garden gaps” from early summer through the fall.

Some of the more stunning summer bulbs include:

• Gladiolus, or “glads,” for their tall, multicolored garden display and superiority as cut flowers.

• Dahlias for their beautiful, abundant flowers and very long blooming season.

• Begonias for their shade tolerance and use in the garden or hanging planters.

• Lilium, or lilies, for their hardiness and beauty in mass plantings.

The hardy varieties, or those that can be left in the ground over the winter, are usually planted in the fall along with spring-flowering bulbs. More tender varieties are planted in the spring and need to be dug up in the fall and stored indoors.

Bulbs will adjust to most soils, but good drainage is essential. Add organic amendments like compost or peat moss to beds before planting.

Get Ready for the Dog Days of Summer

Even though many of us look forward to summer, the unbearable heat of some days can still chase us inside to hide with the comfort of our air conditioners. But before the dog days of summer really start howling, you can take steps to prepare the lawns at your property for the hot days ahead.

Everything needs water

Most lawns need an average of 1" of water per week during the growing season. Grass suffering from a lack of moisture will have a bluish cast, and will not spring back after being stepped on. Severe water deprivation will eventually lead to dormancy and a brown lawn. Light sprinklings can actually do more harm than good. Make sure you water your lawn to a depth of 6" and make the most of every drop, too, by watering during the cooler parts of the day to avoid loss through evaporation.

Sun-worshipping weeds

Weed activity increases with the temperature. These hardy villains can survive with less water than grass. By watering deeply, you can support a thick lawn that will crowd out many weeds. It will also help to mow your lawn higher. Taller blades of grass keep the sun from reaching weed seeds and small plants. A longer blade also provides more food for the grass plant.

When disease strikes

Disease organisms lie dormant in many soils, until conditions are just right for them to flourish. Periods of hot, humid weather are one of the highest risk times for disease outbreaks. The symptoms of lawn disease can be mistaken for heat stress. Upon closer inspection though, some sort of spotting or banding on the grass blades can be seen. Also, disease will often start in one area and then spread, instead of affecting the entire lawn all at once. So, before the sun starts beating down and you sneak inside for some relief, make sure the lawns at your property are ready for the heat. A healthy lawn is always the best defense against the stresses of summer.

If you are in need of our support with sprinkler implementation or protection from diseases or weeds, please contact us for support. We are here to provide the solutions you need both in the dog days of summer and all year through!