Possible Unsafe Product Alert: what are you putting on your lawn?

This spring, Scotts Miracle-Gro Company has shown its hand, and for once, they have a brown thumb.

In case you haven't already heard, last week, the Associated Pres reported that the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) told nine companies -- including Wal-Mart and Home Depot -- to stop selling three products made by the company, well known for making food that plants seem to really, really enjoy: "Miracle-Gro Shake 'n Feed All Purpose Plant Food plus Weed Preventer," as well as "Bonus S Max," which is used on St. Augustine grass in the southwest, and "Turf Builder Plus 2 Max."

According to the EPA, the products, of several gazillion that they carry, had invalid registration numbers. And while that sounds harmless at first, the federal agency never had a chance to properly review the products, which they tend to like doing, in case there are any chemicals involved that could hurt people or the environment. It's not so stunning that this happened, but that it happened at such a well-known company. A Scotts representative told the press that a former employee didn't follow product registration rules.

Methinks that's why he -- or she -- is a former employee. If still on the job when this was discovered, it's not surprising he was canned. But if he was fired long ago for ineptness, then clearly the employee is still haunting Scotts.

If anyone out there has any of these products and have questions, you can go to this web site of FAQ posted by the EPA. As they say at the site, "EPA has not reviewed any information about the safety of these products. Pesticide products must be registered with the EPA to protect public health and the environment."