Christmas, oh boy, Christmas,........after the brilliant autumn leaves, the wild lights of Christmas are my next favorite set of colors. I have wondered, considering how much I like color, why everything I grow is plain old green. (I did grow 2 acres of peppers once, and only once, but that is another story.)

As always, we will have restricted hours from the middle of December to the middle of January. Weather permitting, sod will be available at least once a week, usually Wednesdays, 12/23, 12/30, 1/6, and 1/13. Call the office when you need something and we will work it out.

Sod maintenance is done for the year, unless there is another mowing. Fertilizer is on, leaves are up, and the sprinklers are dry. Winter has started out with decent moisture although the temp's have been erratic. The long range forecast is for colder and wetter than normal and there is nothing wrong with that as long as the snow isn't too deep in the valleys. (I haven't checked with Al Gore yet.)

Our website has some very good instructions on how to read a fertilizer label and calculate application rates. If you can teach people to understand fertilizer, you can increase profit by using less product for better results. Also, that would cut down on runoff that creates environmental problems.

Speaking of that, the EPA is getting ready to mandate what yards are going to be like based on water rates. How much grass, what kinds of plants, what kinds of sprinklers, etc. I have mentioned before that poor usage of water will lead to government intervention and here they come. Some laws would eliminate a lot of the junk that the White Pickup Brigade puts out and could help on the low bidders "cost saving techniques', which would be good. Unfortunately, the gov't. is very limited in common sense, (one step above a rock), and will treat Tri-Cities the same as Atlanta and Spokane the same as Phoenix. It will take several years and many, many studies before they quit trying saguaro cactus in Seattle and sugar cane in Spokane.

One thing for sure, grass areas in the landscape will be smaller. This isn't real good news for a sod farm. On the other hand, seeding yards to turfgrass should come to a complete halt since it takes 40% more water to establish seed than sod. If a yard was seeded in the spring, the water allotment would be used up around the first of August and the water would be turned off. Bad timing, huh?

Another group of folks that won't be happy are the ones who like clean air. A 50x50 patch of grass produces enough oxygen for a family of 4. Can you imagine how many yards it takes to offset a Wal-Mart parking lot............or the city of New York?! Even the gov't. will have trouble producing a study showing that bark or plastic mulch produces any oxygen. (A lobbyist might be able to convince a politician or two, though.) Ironic isn't it, on one hand the gov't wants Cap and Trade and on the other they are pushing plastic dirt.

Anyway, a word to the wise, the new program is called "Water Sense" and is supposed to be happening next year. (Although President Carter, over 30 years ago, had a law passed that said cars were to get 24 miles/per/gallon or we would be held hostage by the big oil suppliers. How did that one work out?)

Well, no matter, life is still grand and I am glad to be around for it.

To all of you, my treasured customers, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and let's plan on many more.