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Fall2013 HOME

IMPROVEMENT

Fall Home Improvement | Morning Star Publications 20132

HOME

IMPROVEMENT

IMPROVEMENTFall

Dramatic, affordable changes for kitchens

Six steps to a beautiful land-scape

Beware of tree trimming near wires

Create a great-looking lawn

Protect children from house-hold hazards

Transforming look of vent-free fire-places

Eliminate this deadly hazard from your home

Warm up those cool fall eveningswith some mint

Take time to make your home clutter free

Hearty Meals for Chilly Evenings

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Fall Home Improvement | Morning Star Publications 2013 3

Our design professionals can help you create that special Wood Mode or Brookhaven look for your kitchen,

bath or any room in your home.

Call Mike Griffith today302629-3166

Corner of Arch & State Sts., Seaford, DE

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Dramatic, affordable changes for kitchensYou can make a dramatic change

to an outdated kitchen without a huge investment. Create new excitement by simply replacing your countertop.

Have you looked lately at the design possibilities available today? An increas-ing number of color and texture choices makes it easy to satisfy every taste.

As today’s kitchens have become more sophisticated with the use of high-drama materials such as stainless steel, chrome, copper, and black glass, the adjoining countertop surfaces should complement these colors.

Here are some other improvements that have high impact without requiring a big financial investment:

• Lighting can dramatically make over a room. Consider installing small task lights under cabinets to shed more light on countertop areas. Replace dated ceiling fixtures with new.

• If you’re replacing countertops, why not install a new sink as well?

Consult a local professional with the years of experience to guide you and help you bring new life to your kitchen, and enjoy a fresh look.


Transform The Yard You Have Into The Yard You’ve Always Wanted! Transform The Yard You Have Into The Yard You’ve Always Wanted! Transform The Yard You Have Into The Yard You’ve Always Wanted! For a free consultation and estimate, contact us today.

Accepting Lawn Maintenance And Fertilization Contracts for 2014

Zach Schofer [email protected]

Harry Mulrine [email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@gmail.com

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Irrigation Installation and Maintenance

LEAF REMOVALSOD & OVER SEEDINGSOD & OVER SEEDINGSOD & OVER SEEDINGSOD & OVER SEEDINGSOD & OVER SEEDINGSOD & OVER SEEDING

PAVERS & RETAINING WALLSLANDSCAPE LIGHTING

FCC Landscape SolutionsBy Carol Kinsley

What better steps to improve your home than to tackle those outdoor chores? Leaves will be falling soon. Are you ready with a rake, or would you like someone to remove them for you?

Rather than struggle with fertilizer and chemicals for a beautiful lawn, why not leave it to a landscaper?

Harry Mulrine of FCC Landscape Solu-tions in Seaford is a full-service landscape company and then some. He is signing up customers now for annual 2014 mowing and/or fertilizer contracts. “We also do hardscapes — pavers, patios, retaining walls — and land-scape lighting,” Mulrine said.

Need irrigation? An engineer will come check the size

and pressure of your well or your water sup-ply, then design a layout just for you. FCC Landscape Solutions uses a trenchless vibra-tory plow to install poly pipe, which is more flexible than PVC and easier to work with in areas where there are roots.

“We also do fall winterization and spring start ups for irrigation,” Mulrine added.

Mulrine has been in the landscape business since 2005. He enjoys helping people out, and will take on anything to do with property maintenance, from asphalt sealing to trim-ming hedges to cleaning out gutters, and if there’s something he doesn’t do himself, such as removing large trees, he knows the right people to call.

Check out the photos on Facebook, then call FCC Landscape Solutions at 302-745-3127. You’ll talk to the boss every time.


By Lynn R. Parks

Michael Layton, owner of H.C. Layton and Son Hardware in downtown Bridgeville, is quick to say what it is that differentiates his store from box stores.

“Personal service and product knowledge,” he says. “We know what we are selling and we are able to help you figure out what you need.”

In addition, “we carry a lot of stuff that a lot of other, bigger stores don’t carry,” he says. That inven-tory includes specialized tools — “things that you only sell one of in 10 years,” Layton says.

Layton Hardware was opened 115 years ago, in 1898. On a recent sunny fall day, customers came and went, looking for the exactly right nut and bolt com-bination or some advice on how to hang a picture.

In addition to a full line of hardware, the store

carries electrical equipment, including switches, wire and receptacles, Valspar paint, stains and varnishes and lawn and garden supplies. It sells window glass, cut to size, and has a line of Stihl chainsaws, grass trimmers and leaf blowers.

For about 10 years, Layton says, his store has sold bicycles — the cruising kind, with one gear and coaster brakes. In the summertime, the bicycles sit outside the front door on the sidewalks. In the winter-time, they are replaced with sleds.

In addition to sales, Layton Hardware can help homeowners out with small repairs. Employees are certified to repair Stihl equipment. And they will fix broken lamps and replace torn screen with new.

“We will help you however we can,” Layton says.

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H.C. Layton and Son Hardware started in 1898

Continued to page nine


Service Today, an employee owned com-pany, is the area’s largest employee owned heating, air conditioning, plumbing and elec-trical home services company.

As owners, our people are empowered to make decisions, and do whatever is right to best serve our customers. Employee own-ership helps to eliminate the “9 to 5” and “not my job” mentalities.

How does employee ownership benefit customers?

• Customers always speak to an employ-ee owner with decision-making power every time they call.

• Customers receive service from em-ployee owners who have a vested interest in their success.

• Customers can rely on a “customer for life” mentality with the customers’ best inter-est always put at the top of the list.

Ownership at Service Today means tak-ing on complete end-to-end responsibility

for a customers’ well-being and complete satisfaction. Ownership is not about a “job” it is about taking things on as a “mission,” being responsible, accountable, and, at all times, “owning up.”

The dedicated team of “Owner Profes-sionals” provide:

• 24/7 service (we’re never closed) • Unmatched customer service • Highly trained/factory trained techni-

cians • Same day replacement systems, guar-

anteed • Unparalleled honesty and integrity • 100% satisfaction guaranteeWe named our company “Service Today”

because when a problem arises with your heating, air conditioning, plumbing or elec-trical systems, you need service today - not in a few days or weeks.

Call Service Today at 800-659-2273 and experience the difference.

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Six steps to a beautiful landscapeBy Melinda MyersGardening Expert

Don’t let a busy schedule stop you from creating a beautiful landscape. Incorporate a few of these changes in your fall landscape care. You’ll create beautiful results with a limited investment of time and effort.

• Cut the grass, recycle fall leaves, and improve the soil with a pass of the lawn mower. Shred leaves and leave them on the lawn as you mow this fall. As long as you can see the grass through the leaf pieces, the lawn will be fine. As the leaves break down they add organic matter to the soil, improving drainage in clay soil and water holding ability in sandy soils.

Or, as an alternative, use excess leaves as a soil mulch. Shred the leaves with your mower and spread a layer over the soil to conserve moisture and insulate the roots of pe-rennials. Fall mulching gives you a jump on next spring’s landscape chores.

• Improve your lawn’s health by fertilizing this fall with a low nitrogen slow release fertilizer, like Milorgan-ite. You’ll reduce the risk of disease problems and with slower weed growth in fall, your lawn, not the weeds, will benefit from the nutrients. Fall fertilization also helps lawns recover from the stresses of summer by encourag-ing deep roots and denser growth that can better compete with weeds and tolerate disease and insects.

Northern gardeners can follow the holiday schedule and fertilize Labor Day and Halloween. Southern garden-ers should make their last fall fertilization at least 30 days before the lawn goes dormant or the average first killing frost to avoid winter kill.

• Do a bit of planting. Cool season annuals brighten up the fall garden and, for those in warmer regions, the winter garden. Consider adding cold hardy pansies. They provide color in the fall garden, survive most winters, and are back blooming in the spring just as the snow melts.

Fall is also a good time to plant perennials, trees and shrubs. The soil is warm and the air cooler, so the plants are less stressed and establish more quickly. Select plants suited to the growing conditions and be sure to give them plenty of room to reach their mature size.

• Plant daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and other bulbs in fall for extra color next spring. Set the bulbs at a depth of two to three times their height deep. Then cover them with soil and sprinkle on a low nitrogen slow release fertilizer. This type of fertilizer promotes rooting without stimulating fall growth subject to winter kill.

Base your bulb planting time on the weather not the calendar. Start planting after the night-time temperatures hover between 40 and 50 degrees. Be patient, waiting until the soil cools reduces the risk of early sprouting that often occurs during a warm fall.

Those gardening in the far south and along the gulf coast can purchase pre-cooled bulbs to compensate for the warm winters. Or the chilling can be done at home by

storing the bulbs in a 35 to 45 degree location for at least 14 weeks before planting.

• Leave healthy perennials stand for winter. This in-creases hardiness and adds beauty to the winter landscape with their seed heads, dried foliage and the birds they at-tract. Plus, it will delay cleanup until spring when garden-ers are anxious to get outdoors and start gardening.

However, be sure to remove any diseased or insect-infested plants to reduce the source of pest problems in next year’s garden.

• Start composting or add shredded leaves and other plant debris to an existing compost pile. Combine fall leaves with other plant waste, a bit of soil or compost, and sprinkle with fertilizer to create compost. Recycling yard waste saves time bagging, hauling and disposing of green debris. You also reduce or eliminate the need to buy soil amendments to improve your existing garden soil.

Incorporate one or all six of these practices to increase the health and beauty of your landscape now and for years to come.

Gardening expert, TV/radio host, author and columnist Melinda Myers has more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written over 20 gardening books, including Can’t Miss Small Space Gardening. She hosts the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment seg-ments and is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Myers’ website, www.melindamyers.com, offers gardening videos and tips.


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H.C. Layton, the founder of the store and Michael Layton’s grandfather, was born in Bridgeville in 1868. He graduated from Wilmington Commercial College and in 1897, went to work for a hardware store on the east end of Market Street of his home town.

In 1898, just a year later, he bought an old basket factory on the west end of town and set up his own business. Three years later, his was the only hardware store in town.

H.C. also purchased a garage across the street from his store and began selling Model T Fords.

“He sold one car the first year,” Layton says. “Then he sold two the second year. The third year, the Ford company gave him a quota of four cars. He said he couldn’t do it, so he gave up the auto business.”

Michael Layton’s father, Mike, was born in 1904 and graduated from Brown University, Providence, R.I., in 1928 with a degree in philosophy. After living in Philadelphia for a few months, he returned to Brid-geville and on June 2, 1929, became an equal partner in his father’s store. In 1957, he bought the remaining half from his father.

After a stint in the Air Force, Michael went to Colorado in 1962 to work on a dude ranch. But when his mother wrote to him to tell him that if he did not come home to help with the store, his father was going to sell it, he returned to Bridgeville. He began work as a clerk that same year, earning $35 a week, and 20 years later, bought half of the store from his father. He inherited the other half when his father died in 1993.

Layton says that his store has seen ups and downs. He is glad that it is one of the very few local hard-ware stores remaining. And he encourages citizens of western Sussex County to visit the store and acquaint themselves with the items that it sells.

“A lot of times, people come in here and tell us that they’ve been everyplace else to look for what they wanted, and didn’t find it until them came in here,” he says. “I would encourage people to turn to us first.”

For your information:H.C. Layton and Son Hardware is located at 406

Market St., Bridgeville. The store is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. For details, call 337-8540.

H.C. Layton and Son HardwareContinued from page five


Sherman Heating Oilswelcomes Dallas Bryan

• FIREPLACES • PLUMBING • HEATING • PROPANE • HEATING OILS • GENERATORS

Did you know Sherman sells, installs & services ALL types

of Hearth Products?

302-645-5267www.georgeshermancorp.com

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Sherman Heating Oils welcomes Dallas Bryan as operation manager.

Dallas Bryan grew up in Delmar and grad-uated from Delmar High School 1980. He then furthered his education at Edinboro Uni-versity of Pennsylvania. He returned to Dela-ware in the mid-’80s and decided to work for a friend that owned an HVAC business where Dallas was trained to install HVAC equip-ment.

He was introduced to the propane industry in 1987 as a service technician setting pro-pane tanks, running gas lines and servicing appliances. He then took up residence in Sea-ford in 1988.

Bryan has received his certification for gas piping and Rinnai tankless hot water heaters.

In addition he also completed a Certified Em-ployee Training Program (CETP). Used by propane marketers nationwide, PERC’s Certi-fied Employee Training Program (CETP) has become the industry’s flagship curriculum in workforce training and certification.

In 2005 Bryan was promoted to propane service manager. His duties included schedul-ing of propane service calls, tank installations, installation of hearth products and appliances. He also developed a keen sense on how best to handle customer relations.

To prevent costly repairs, during the heat-ing season, Bryan suggests a scheduled yearly maintenance of your equipment.

To reach Bryan, call the Milton office at 302-684-4008.


Slide-Lok gives your garagea makeoverBy Carol Kinsley

Does your garage need a make-over? Can you even fit the car in? Slide-Lok of the Eastern Shore can help you achieve your garage storage goals with stackable units that come in a variety of sizes and colors. You can create your own layout, depending on the amount of storage you need.

Dave Mooney Jr. is owner of family-run Slide-Lok of the Eastern Shore, which has been in business for more than nine years and serves all of Delaware as well as most of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Operating out of Har-beson, Del., Mooney himself will attend to your project with the assistance of his crew.

Mooney specializes in garage interiors and concrete coatings by Slide-Lok, an industry leader in the fast-growing garage and home organization market. Slide-Lok completes its 26th year in business this October, mak-ing it the oldest and longest continuing garage interiors brand in North America. Slide-Lok offers a wide array of options from garage cabinets to overhead storage and Slat-Wall. Slide-Lok cabinets are made of plywood, not particle board, using dovetail construction.

Slide-Lok Garage Floor Coating Technologies are a liquid coating applied with a brush and roller, explained Adria Kimmey, the office manager. “The product we use is called polyaspartic. It comes in six standard colors, but we are able to do custom colors as well. When coating a garage, we also will coat the foundation block which seals the seam between the floor and the wall.

“Polyaspartic creates a vapor barrier which prevents mold and mildew from forming and creating a musty smell. The product can be used indoors or outdoors and is chemical resistant,” Kimmey said. “It works well on patios, porches, balconies, basement floors and other ar-eas. Slide-Lok’s Garage Floor Coating carries a manufac-turer’s lifetime warranty not to chalk, fade or turn yellow, and a 15-year warranty not to peel.”

Slide-Lok of the Eastern Shore has completed commercial jobs for McGee Motors in Georgetown, Kent County Motors in Dover, Sea Colony in Bethany Beach and Vanderwende’s Ice Cream Shop in Brid-geville. “We have also completed garages in Heritage Shores, Independence, and Nassau Grove in Lewes,” Kimmey noted.

“Upgrade your garage floor. We can install it today and you can drive on it tomorrow,” Kimmey said.

Slide-Lok also makes accessories including floor mats and car pads, which can be sized to fit your vehicle and color-coordinated to fit the decor of your garage or workshop.

To see what Mooney can do for you, visit slide-lo-koftheeasternshore.com, find it on Facebook or call (302) 945-2200.

Slide-Lok Floor Coatings feature rich colors with high gloss retention.

Coating technologies are both UV resistant and abrasion resistant.Color will not chalk or yellow.

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Beware of tree trimming near wiresIt’s disturbing how many homeowners are injured try-

ing to trim trees near overhead electrical wires.Do-it-yourself satisfaction! Successfully tackling a

project on your own that may otherwise cost a lot cer-tainly can be gratifying.

But do-it-yourselfers who attempt to work with trees near overhead electrical wires often underestimate the danger potential. Terrible accidents can happen when a homeowner uses pole-mounted cutting tools and/or metal ladders to trim backyard trees and shrubs. Too often, an energized overhead wire is not noticed and is touched by pruning tools, causing injury or death. Two recent ex-amples include:

• A Florida resident was hospitalized after attempting to cut palm branches while standing on a ladder. One of the branches made contact with a power line and severe-ly shocked the man. The local fire department responded to four similar incidents during the previous year.

• A homeowner climbed a ladder to trim a tree branch that was dropping leaves into his above-ground swim-ming pool and causing a nuisance. A branch came in contact with the power line, shocking the man with a jolt of electricity and sending him into cardiac arrest. He fell 20 feet to the ground, but was revived by medics at the scene.

These are not freak accidents, they are preventable.Tree limbs can conduct electricity. When trees grow

near overhead electrical wires, they can contact the wires and become energized. Trees and wires are dangerous, full of electrical power that can injure or kill humans.

There are several things that can go wrong for do-it-yourselfers trying to trim tree branches.

For example, if proper tree cutting techniques are not understood, the cut branch can swing in unpredictable di-rections as it falls and could easily land on an energized wire.

Don’t be fooled by the voltage of the lines. You may think that working on the trees or shrubs near your home’s service line is safer than working near the high voltage secondary distribution lines on the pole by the street, but that’s simply not true.

There are three-wire (called “triplex”) lines connect-ing the power lines on the pole to your house (meter). Service wires leading from the pole to the house can pack a punch. The type of shock you might have re-ceived (and survived) when changing a household light switch is not the same type of shock you will receive if you contact a low-voltage utility wire.

A common house switch carries 120 volts but the electric flow is usually limited to 10, 15 or 20 amps. A common “house drop” (service wire) contains 240 volts and up to 20 amps or more.

Given the right set of circumstances, even the shock a person gets from a common light switch can kill, but at the same time, it is easier to break electrical contact

while standing inside a house. If a person is climbing a ladder or is in the tree, it may be more difficult to break contact with the energized wire. This means that the ser-vice line over a typical yard could easily kill a person.

Here are a few tips to avoid trees in wires:• Look for power lines before pruning trees and large

shrubs. If lines are anywhere near the tree, don’t attempt any tree work. Professional tree climbers have the train-ing and equipment needed to perform these tasks safely.

• Never climb a tree in order to prune it. Even if the wires aren’t currently touching the tree, remember that the trees branches will shift once you begin climbing or removing limbs.

• Wearing rubber-soled shoes or rubber gloves while tree pruning will not protect from a fatal shock.

• Never extend long-handled saws or pruners into a tree without checking for power lines. Electricity is always trying to go somewhere, and it will easily travel through metal, water, trees, and/or the ground.

• Don’t move ladders or long-handled pruning tools around the yard without first looking up. Always read and heed ladder-use safety labels.

More importantly, hire an insured, tree care profes-sional with the experience, expertise and equipment to safely take down or prune trees in wires. Require proof of liability insurance, and check to see if the cost of the work is covered by your insurance company.

J ohn’s TREE & LANDSCAPE SERVICE, LLC

E mergency N umber 875-5776

C ommercial • I ndustrial • R esidential J ohn L iammayty

LICENSED & INSURED

Firewood Delivered

Snow Removal Custom Tree Maintenance,

Trimming, Removal

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FREE ESTIMATES A l l W ork G uaranteed Design * Development *Installation

Given the right set of circumstances, even the shock a person gets from a common light switch can kill...


By Carol Kinsley

Brian Papp Sr. has been involved in construction since he was a teenager, working for his grandfather. After years of experience working with others building homes from the footers to the ridge cap, in 1993 Papp moved his family to southern Delaware and began what eventually became K and B Construction Inc. The busi-ness is named for his chil-dren, Katherine and Brian Jr.

Papp is a residential building and remodeling contractor, licensed and insured, lead-safe certified and accredited by the Bet-

ter Business Bureau. K&B is also an Energy Star ap-proved builder.

Most of Papp’s work has been in Sussex County, but with an MHIC license (#130580), he now offers service in Caroline, Dorches-ter, Wicomico and Worcester counties in Maryland.

Based in Bridgeville, K&B specializes in additions, decks, porches, garages, roofing, siding and window and door replacements. The website, www.kandbcon-struction.co (not .com), fea-tures several homes “stick-built” by K&B, one at a time.

Papp explained, “Long ago I decided to keep the

business small, doing one job at time. I’m on the job every day with a helper. That way I keep customer satisfaction high, quality high and costs down. For larger jobs, I hire more help.”

He added, “We are con-fident that we can build any size or style house in a timely and professional man-ner at a fair price. We can build on your lot or we can build your new home on one of ours.”

K&B offers free estimates and senior discounts.

Call on a firm where cus-tomer satisfaction is the top priority. Call K & B Construc-tion at 302-337-8186.

K and B Construction

More Than a Contractor.We’re Your Neighbor.

We’ve built our reputation on more than just quality construction. The great relationships we’ve built with our customers are the true foundation of our continued success.

Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.

custom homes • additions • garagesdecks • roofing • siding • window and door replacement

kitchen and bath remodeling

302-337-8186 • 302-519-8393 cellBrian Papp, owner

[email protected] www.kandbconstruction.co

Licensed & Insured

Lead-SafeCertified


By Ralph PalmerSoil Service

A beautiful lawn adds pleasure to your life and value to your home. It’s surprising how little time and ef-fort it actually takes to create a great lawn. And now is the best time to get started.

The warm days and cooler nights of September and October are per-fect weather for our lawns. To start a new lawn or rejuvenate an old one it’s always good to have a soil test. Walk your yard and take a slice of soil from the top down six inches in about a dozen random spots, mix them together, and send them to a reputable lab through your lawn care center. The results will tell you how much lime and fertilizer you will need. The lime and fertilizer can be applied ahead of seeding, or all three can be done the same day. Liming is usually done at 50 lbs. per thousand square feet once every three to five years while fertilizer is applied each spring and fall. A good “slow re-lease” nitrogen fertilizer is best for a lawn, but a general purpose fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 14-7-14 can add more plant food at a lower price than the slow release products, if needed. Our soils typically do well with 2 lbs. of nitrogen per thousand each application. Fertilizer numbers are expressed as percentages of nitrogen-phosphorous-potassium so a 10% ni-trogen fertilizer times a 20 lbs./1000 rate gives 2 lbs. nitrogen.

The best grasses for our area are tall fescues. The basic choices are Kentucky 31, an old standard,

and the many varieties of turf type tall fescues. Kentucky 31 is a wide bladed coarser grass that does well in difficult growing conditions and with limited water. The turf types, such as Guardian 21 and Winning Colors, require more care to look best. Irri-gation is a huge help. The turf types are much greener, fine bladed, softer and generally prettier that Kentucky 31. Disease and insect resistance and shade tolerance are similar for all tall fescues. It takes at least a minimum

of three to four hours of sunlight for these grasses to thrive. To plant seed it’s always best to use a seeder, aerator, or thatcher to get the seed to contact the soil rather than simply throwing it on top of undisturbed ground. Seed should be applied at 5 lbs./1000 for over-seeding an es-tablished lawn or 10 lbs./1000 for bare ground. After seeding it’s best to water lightly several times a day if possible to keep the soil surface damp. This time of year seed should

Create a great-looking lawn

A beautiful lawn adds value to your home.

RODENTS - ROACHES - ANTS - FLEAS CRICKETS - SPIDERS - BED BUGS

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germinate in five to seven days. By late October into November

it may take up to two weeks as soil temperatures cool. Once the seed begins to grow resume normal water-ing if necessary. When the new grass reaches mowing height of 3-3 ½ inches, cut it. The mower will make marks in the tender new lawn but they will disappear in a few days.

Once your grass is up and look-ing good you’ll want to maintain it. Crabgrass and broadleaf weeds are best controlled in the spring. Crab-grass is an annual that dies each fall and grows from seed each spring. Crabgrass pre-emergence prevents the seed from growing for three to four months and should be applied by the end of March. Broadleaf weeds are killed by contact controls. The dry materials must stay on the weed leaf for one to two days for the best re-sults. Liquid controls need to dry for six hours on the leaf to work. Broad-leaf weeds can be treated anytime they are present and actively growing. It usually takes three weeks for weeds to die.

Although springtime seeding is not

recommended it may be necessary. Crabgrass pre-emergence treat-

ments prevent any seeding for up to four months and is not compatible with spring seeding. Broadleaf weed controls require a four-week delay between application and seeding. You often must choose between seeding or weeding.

Moles, watering, and mowing are other issues. Moles can quickly mess up a lawn with their tunnels. They are searching for beetle grubs, their favorite food. Grub controls once or twice a year often but not always control mole damage.

To keep a green lawn during the summer requires one-two inches of water per week, rainfall and watering combined.

It is best to water no more than two to three times a week. Watering every day promotes shallow roots and keeps the soil surface too wet. It is preferable to water early in the day to allow the lawn to dry.

Mowing our tall fescue at 3-3 ½ inches is best. Shorter cutting re-moves too much leaf surface, stress-ing the grass plant and allows sun-

light to reach the soil promoting weed growth. Cutting more than one-third of the grass height can create a thatch problem.

Our main disease problem is brown patch. It occurs during peri-ods of high nighttime temperatures. Excessive fertilization, moisture, and poor air circulation make it worse. The lawn rapidly begins to turn brown in ever-larger circular patterns until the weather changes. Regular fungicide applications can prevent it. Reseeding in the fall fixes the dead spots.

The final lawn challenge is wire-grass. If you have wiregrass (bermuda grass) and want to get rid of it, the only option is a total vegetation con-trol such as Roundup. Begin spraying in August, every two weeks until there is no more green wiregrass. You can then seed September and Octo-ber. You must, however, continue each year to look for and spray any recurring wiregrass.

So go ahead and spend the time this fall to spruce up your lawn. Your property will look better and you’ll be proud of the results.

FARM • HOME • GARDEN Serving the Area For Over 75 Years

FERTILIZER • GRASS SEED LIMESTONE • AG-CHEMICALS

302 629-7054 117 New Street • Seaford, Delaware

Located Next to Railroad Station


It is important to pay attention to your children’s wel-fare when you begin home improvement projects.

These simple steps, courtesy of the Environmental Protection Agency can help you save children from envi-ronmental hazards in and around the home.

• Always store pesticides and other household chemi-cals, including chlorine bleach, out of children’s reach, preferably in a locked cabinet.

• Always read directions carefully because pesticide products, household cleaning products, and pet products can be dangerous or ineffective if too much or too little is used.

• Before applying household chemicals, remove chil-dren and their toys, as well as pets, from the area. Keep children and pets away until the substance has dried or as long as is recommended on the label.

• If your use of pesticide or other household chemical is interrupted by a phone call or a knock at the door, re-close the container and remove it from children’s reach. Always use household products in child-resistant packag-ing.

• Never transfer pesticides to containers that children may associate with food or drink (like an empty juice container), and never place rodent or insect baits where small children can get to them.

• Wash children’s hands, bottles, pacifiers and toys

often, and regularly clean floors, window sills and other surfaces to reduce potential exposure to harmful contami-nants.

• Inquire about lead hazards. When buying or renting a home or apartment built before 1978, the seller or land-lord is now required to disclose known lead hazards.

• Keep power and other tools away from curious hands. Don’t allow children to play with tools.

• Inhaled dust and debris can be as hazardous as some chemicals, especially for young, developing children. Always keep children away from dusty areas, like where sanding is occurring. Use plastic to prevent dust from traveling to other rooms of the home.

Fall Home Improvement TipYour paint job looks great, but as time goes on dings

or chips can appear. However, dragging out an entire gallon of paint for small touch-ups is a hassle. Instead, purchase small plastic bottles with screw caps.

Ladle in some of the paint color you’ve used and label with the room or trim to which it is applicable (e.g. liv-ing room molding).

Should a touch-up be necessary, simply retrieve the small container and use an inexpensive art paintbrush to dab some concealing color.

Protect children from household hazards

Kiwanis Club of Seaford59th Annual Auction

Saturday, October 5, 2013Western Sussex Boys and Girls

Club in SeafordPreview at 9 a.m. Auction 9:30 a.m.

The auction is open to the public. Admission is free. Refreshments will be on sale. The auction will feature items such as toys, furni-ture, lawn care products and/or services, gift certificates and hun-dreds of articles for sale to the highest bidder. Also up for auction is a 1978 450 5L Mercedes convertible with hard top.


By Carol Kinsley

It’s more than just a slogan: “You’re in good hands with Allstate.” When Tony DeSanc-tis in the Seaford office is your agent, you’ll find the customer always comes first. “We do what’s right for the customer,” DeSanctis said. “We treat them professionally, honestly and with respect.”

The Seaford Allstate Insur-ance agency has been serving Sussex County for more than three decades; it’s the oldest Allstate agency in the county. DeSanctis, who purchased the agency three years ago, is the fourth agent in all those years. Already he is very involved in supporting the community,

especially Seaford and Laurel High Schools, and The Arc (the Association of Retarded Citi-zens).

“We are a family business,” DeSanctis said. His wife, Janet, is the office manager; his son, Tony, or LT, a recent business graduate from York College of Pennsylvania, is in sales and marketing. “We know our cus-tomers by name and they know us,” DeSanctis said.

Recognized as a Premier Service Agency by Allstate, the Seaford office is a full-service agency, selling auto, home. business and life insurance, and also offers financial and retire-ment planning.

“We have a very knowledge-able staff, with Sarah Backus,

a licensed sales producer, and Joyce Rosas, who works in cus-tomer service,” DeSanctis said.

To make sure customers’ needs are current, the staff makes every effort to conduct an annual insurance review.

“Customers’ situations change,” DeSanctis continued. “They get married, have a new baby or put on an addition to the house.... I love being an agent. It gives me a chance to help people. We want to make sure our customers are pro-tected.”

The Allstate office is con-veniently located in downtown Seaford, at 105 High Street.

For more information or an appointment, call 302-629-8841.

Seaford Allstate Insurance

105 High Street, Seaford, DE 19973

Fax: 302-629-9720

Tony DeSanctisAgency Principal

Proudly Serving Sussex County for Over 3 DecadesAUTO • HOME • LIFE

Should an accident or disaster ever strike in your life, it’s important to know that your assets will be well protected.We’re committed to offering our customers the lowest possible rates on the best possible insurance coverage. To find out how easy and affordable it is to protect your home and family, call me today to schedule your FREE Consultation.

302-629-8841

Email: [email protected]


Transforming look of vent-free fireplaces Many articles stress the impor-

tance of recovering renovation dol-lars when selling a home. Home-owners find that, by adding a gas fireplace to their home, they are adding value to the resale price.

Homeowners are discovering that one of today’s most economi-cal ways of transforming an un-used or unsightly space into the family’s favorite gathering spot is by installing a vent-free gas fire-place for supplemental heating.

Vent-free fireplaces come in a great variety of types, styles, and colors, ranging from traditional to contemporary. Whatever your home’s decor, you’ll have a choice of vent-free fireplaces to bring it to a stunning new level of elegance -- at a surprisingly affordable price to install and operate.

Vent-free gas fireplaces are economical because they provide 99.9 percent energy efficient heat with no need for a chimney or a hole in the wall. Over 20 million American homes have vent-free gas fireplaces, logs, inserts, and space heaters that operate on natu-ral gas or propane for supplemen-tary heating.

Vent-free gas fireplaces have an outstanding safety record. All U.S. gas code groups and 49 states

allow the sale and installation of vent-free appliances. Every vent-free gas product sold in the U.S. is equipped with a precision-engi-neered Oxygen Detection Safety-Pilot (ODS), which automatically shuts off the gas supply if the oxy-gen level in the room approaches a defined minimum set by American National Standard. Because of this and other vent-free safety features,

there is no need to open a window to ventilate a vent-free gas heating appliance.

Consult a local dealer when looking at the options for a vent-free installation. They know the local regulations and proper instal-lation methods to keep your home safe and comfortable during the heating season.

A vent-free gas fireplace adds warmth, beauty to any room.

Experts warn that miniblinds and corded shades purchased be-fore 2001 can pose a potential strangulation risk to young children. Inspect your home for outdated window cov-erings, and consider replacing them.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 175 infants and young children have died from accidental window-cord strangulation since 1991.

Corded window coverings made before 1995 often have a looped

pull cord that can serve as an unintend-ed noose when within reach of a child.

Eliminate Looped Pull Cords - For miniblinds and pleat-ed shades made be-fore 1995, consumers

should cut the looped pull cord just above the tassel and remove the equalizer buckle, if any. Thread replacement tassels onto the newly cut cords and knot into place. Parents should install cord-less window coverings in children’s bedrooms and play areas.

Make your home child safe $20 investment saves livesOne of the least expensive

improvements in which a home owner can invest can wind up saving not only his house, but his family as well. Smoke de-tectors, which cost as little as $20, are required by state law.

A smoke detector must be located on each level of a sin-gle-family home, including the basement. Sussex County re-quires that a mobile home have a smoke detector outside each sleeping area. Smoke detectors should also be cleaned regular-ly; a vacuum cleaner hose run over the surface removes dust that can interfere with its detec-tion device.


By Carol Kinsley

Tri Gas and Oil is cel-ebrating its 50th anniver-sary. The family business has been caring for the comforts of home since the days of founder Lee D. McMahan, who began McMahan Poultry.

Back then, poultry houses were heated with coal, which was labor in-tensive. McMahan tried to find a means to heat the houses more efficiently. When he started using oil, neighbors wanted to try it, too. Soon McMahan and a friend, Gilbert Banning, started a business buying and delivering fuel for neighboring farmers.

The tradition continues today, supplying agricul-tural, residential and com-mercial customers with the best energy solutions available. Tri Gas & Oil provides propane, home heating oil, kerosene, un-derground tanks and high-quality appliances. Tri Gas is also very involved in biodiesel and alternative fuels.

Julie McMahan Thomas, granddaughter of the founder, focuses on customer service and marketing. Her father, Keith McMahan, is CEO. Her brother Nash is presi-dent, and younger brother, David, oversees all opera-tions.

There have been a lot of changes since 1963, Thomas noted. “Back in the ‘90s there was a short-

age of fuel on Delmarva. We had to go as far as Mississippi to get fuel, so we implemented a rail facility and now several of our competitors, along with our own drivers can benefit from this technol-ogy.

“We want to have the best products, means of transportation and effi-ciencies, while remaining

competitive with pricing,” Thomas said, “but there is one thing we don’t budge on: customer service.”

Thomas said 24-hour service is more than a promise. “We have some-one sitting in the main location 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. There’s always a live person to answer the phone and take care of an emergency.”

Three generations of a family-owned and oper-ated business, with a long-standing commitment to the communities served — that’s Tri Gas & Oil.

Find out about the Promise Plan: price protec-tion, automatic delivery and a never-run-out-of-fuel guarantee. Call 800-638-7802 or visit www.trigas-oil.com.

Tri Gas and Oil’s 50th anniversary


Cyndi Seidler, author, columnist and organizing expert, suggests that if there is chaos of clutter around us, we’ll feel cluttered in our mind, therefore overwhelmed.

“It is difficult to focus and get anything done in a chaotic environ-ment, so the first thing to do is to put order into it,” she says.

Seidler advises to set a goal of eliminating troublesome clutter ar-eas by a certain timeline. Then, do a little bit each day.

She offers these tips for dealing with clutter:

• Sort cluttered areas by using labeled categorized boxes. Sort items into these.

• Examine each item individually and determine its value. Do you re-ally need it? What would happen if you got rid of it? When was the last time it was useful to you?

• If you haven’t used something

in a year, it probably isn’t useful to you. Let it go. You probably won’t end up needing it someday.

• If it’s broken and hasn’t been fixed in months, chances are it never will be. Think of getting rid of it.

• Don’t keep more than what you

need or use. Free up your space. • Use decorative baskets to store

magazines, newspapers, or loose items in.

• Use plastic shoe-box containers or sliding drawers for under cabinet shelves. Categorize and store loose items into these.

• Use plastic stackable containers for dry goods in kitchen cabinets.

• Use organizing tools (storage products, files, etc.) to store items that are loose on the desk, shelves, or cabinets.

• Donate unwanted items to your favorite local charity within one week of decluttering.

When you consider that a dis-organized person spends about six weeks a year looking for things in his or her home or office, taking advantage of the chance to get better at being organized is a wise under-taking.

Take time to make your home clutter free

Cool autumn evenings call for something to warm the family up from the inside out. Rich ‘N Creamy Mint Cocoa is perfect for a cool afternoon or on an early weekend morning.

Rich ‘N Creamy Mint Cocoa Makes 10 1/2-cup servings

• 2 cans (12 fluid ounces each) Nestlé Carnation Evaporated Milk

• 1 2/3 cups (10-ounce package) Nestlé Toll House Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels

• 1 cup water • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • Topping suggestions: whipped cream and Nestlé

Toll House Baking Cocoa

HEAT evaporated milk, morsels and water in medium, heavy-duty saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring fre-quently, until hot (do not boil). Remove from heat. Stir in liqueur and vanilla extract.

POUR into ten 4-ounce demitasse cups or five mugs. Top with whipped cream and dusting of cocoa.

VARIATION: Substitute evaporated lowfat 2% milk for the regular evaporated milk.

Warm up those cool fall evenings


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Brisk autumn evenings call for warm, homemade meals that bring the family together around the din-ner table. Dishes that deliver savory flavors are sure to win over their hearts, as well as warm them.

If your taste buds call for a fall classic, cuddle up with a piping hot bowl of chili. The sweetness of brown sugar complements the blend of fresh garlic and Italian sausage in this recipe for Chiliville Chili. Because it’s made with Johnsonville Italian Ground Sausage, you can customize the robust flavor of this dinnertime staple by picking your favorite of the mild, sweet or hot varieties. The best part - it’s all natural with no fillers, artificial flavors or colors, so you know you’re feeding your family the best. For more recipes, visit www.johnsonvillekitchens.com.

Chiliville ChiliYield: 10 to 12 servings1 package (16 ounces) Johnsonville Ground Ital-

ian Sausage (Mild, Sweet or Hot) 1 pound ground beef1 medium onion, chopped3 celery ribs, chopped3 garlic cloves, minced3 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes with

green peppers and onions2 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and

drained1 can (14.5 ounces) beef broth

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste2 tablespoons brown sugar2 tablespoons chili powder1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce2 teaspoons ground cumin1/2 crushed red pepper flakesCheddar cheese, shredded (optional)

In large saucepan, cook sausage and ground beef over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add onion, celery and garlic. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in tomatoes, beans, broth, tomato paste, brown sugar, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, cumin and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese if you like and serve immediately.

Family Features

Hearty Meals for Chilly Evenings


SchagrinGas was founded in 1932 by Harry Scha-grin, grandfather of present company CEO Rick Levin-son. His grandfather had been in the carnival business, Levinson said, providing carnival setups for fire com-panies on the Delmarva Peninsula.

“One day he happened upon a hardware store where they had a new gas cooking stove. He brought the information back to his mother-in-law and eventually purchased one for her house,” Levinson continued. “My great-grandfather had a five and dime on a corner in Middletown. He started to sell the stoves there. He used to farm out the propane to a small company to hook up, but decided, ‘Why not get into the propane business ourselves and do the hookups?’ ”

Small 100-pound cylinders were the mainstay use for propane in the 1930s. SchagrinGas grew slowly over the next decade. Levinson’s father went to work there in 1946 after serving in the Air Force in World War II. “He was an on-the-road salesman, driving around the countryside. He picked up a lot of busi-ness,” Levinson said.

“Then the bulk business began, and larger tanks were used. Our first gas plant was opened in 1950. We had a 30,000 gallon tank. We brought in transport gas and redelivered it with trucks.

“I joined the company in 1973 out of college and worked with builders. That’s what spurted the business along — new home construction in the late 1970s to mid-’80s. Essentially SchagrinGas has grown to five different locations from the one Middletown main of-fice — Elkton has been operating for 55 years; West Grove, Pa., for 21 years. We opened an office in the Rehoboth/Georgetown area in 2000, and the retail store selling appliances in Hockessin opened in 1987.”

There have been challenges over the years. Levinson remembers the price controls in the mid- to late-’70s. “We were not allowed to increase the price of gas to the customers even though all fixed expenses, such as wages and insurance, kept increasing. It’s quite dif-ficult to do business in that situation. Fortunately, we held on, because we were large enough. When Presi-dent Ronald Reagan deregulated, things began to im-prove for the entire industry.”

Another big problem was shortage of product over the years because of refinery problems. “Winter was a challenge because of breakdowns. We were limited to 40 to 50 percent of what we were supposed to get. To overcome that problem, we put in our own rail sid-ing in 1992 in West Grove. That enabled us to bring in jumbo rail cars of 30,000 gallons from Canada or Texas. Having much more storage capacity gave us flexibility. Even when refineries were in bad straits, we had product when others did not,” Levinson explained.

One of the biggest things to happen to the propane industry is increased availability because of the frack-ing scenario, he continued.

“We’re getting two to three times as much propane out of the ground as we used to, all domestically pro-duced. We don’t have to import propane any more; all production is in North America.”

Looking back, Levinson always knew he would join the family business. “I used to go to work with my father on Saturday mornings when I was 7 or 8 years old.” His children have also joined the family business. Andrew, his son, has been with the business since 2002 and is company president. His daughter, Jill, joined in 2007 after college.

SchagrinGas not only provides propane but also designs, installs and services generator systems, as well as anything that uses propane gas, from heating to air conditioning and more. Emergency service is provided around the clock, every day of the year.

For more information, call 800-341-4022 or visit www.schagringas.com.

SchagrinGas was founded in ‘32 by grandfather of present CEO

At Merry Maids, we know precisely, meticulously, immediately, always the kind of clean you mean. You will receive the highest level of professional care. From the consultation to the expert cleaning and the follow-up, be completely satisfied every step of the way. Guaranteed.

Ready for a professional clean? Call us today.

merrymaids.com

Seaford/Bridgeville302-629-2600

Become a new weekly or bi-weekly customer at Merry Maids and receive $100 off. ($20 off of your first 5 cleanings). New customers only. Can’t be combined with any other offer or discount. Additional restrictions may apply. Offers are non-transferable. Cash value 1/100 of 1 cent. ©2010 Merry Maids L.P. All rights reserved.


YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR NURSERY AND OUTDOOR LIVING PRODUCTS

13418 SEASHORE HWY. 302-337-9833 GEORGETOWN, DE 19947

www.Plantretrievers.comemail: [email protected] fax: 302-337-9834

All Your Landscape & Hardscape Needs

WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OFTrees, Perrennials and Grasses

Knock Out Roses and Encore AzaleasWe can deliver everything we sell!

We sell OX Blades and Levels at our store.

Plant RetrieversFall is the perfect time for Outdoor home

improvement projects. The weather’s conducive to working outdoor, and fall is a better time to plant trees and shrubs than summer because it’s not so hot.

Whether you’re looking for top quality nursery stock in larger sizes to enhance your home’s curb appeal, create a privacy hedge or shade your home to cut energy bill, Plant Re-trievers in Georgetown is ready to serve you.

Maybe you’re thinking of putting in a walkway, sitting walls, a patio or to create an outdoor living area. Plant Retrievers carries Cambridge Paving stones with Armortec or Te-cho Bloc Paving stones as well as all the acces-sories. A display area is available to view 24/7 just off the highway. Stop in Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sorry, we are closed on Saturday and Sundays.

Plant Retrievers is one of the largest stock-ing dealers on the Delmarva peninsula. Plant Retrievers doesn’t grow it own plants, but

brings in top quality plant material to service the landscape trade in the local market.

Owner Mike Wick says: “We have a very nice mix of plant material so that landscapers and homeowners can come in and put together a nice plant package (trees, shrubs and peren-nials). We like to sell the bigger plant-shrubs, hollies, trees and especially evergreens for the instant gratification.”

Wick explained he doesn’t want to compete with “big box” stores’ garden departments or with landscapers whom are his customers.

Plant Retrievers is conveniently located at 13418 Seashore Highway between Georgetown and Bridgeville. Don’t let the “Wholesale Nurs-ery” sign fool you. Stop by and take a stroll around the yard.

“We pride ourselves in catering to the needs of all our customer weather contractors or homeowners alike needing between 1 and 100 plants,” Wick said.

For more information call (302) 337-9833.

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