Ground Effects Newsletter

Give a singing telegram to your Valentine!

2010-02-05T08:37:00.000-06:00

Dear Viewer,

Valentine's Day

This Valentine's
we are providing you with four different
sized arrangements. You may also give us any suggestions
as to flowers and colors that you know your loved ones would enjoy. Valentine's is a great time to show appreciation for the people that have been placed in our lives. We are especially excited to offer
you singing telegrams this year to accompany your flowers
or other Ground Effect's gifts. If you want to get a jump
start on the day, the telegrams are free Monday
through Wednesday. Then we are
charging $5 Thursday
and Friday.

Everyone loves a little extra attention (or embarrassment) to feel special.

Sizes of Arrangements

Hug Size Kiss Size Ooh La La Size

And.....
Size
The name of this arrangement cannot be revealed unless you call to purchase it.

Call today 722-4600.

Metal Garden Art is HERE
We are excited to introduce you to our latest find for landscape design. It is yet another unique way for us to help you to liven up your landscape. To truly visualize the coolness of this metal garden art you will have to come in and check out our display. All the images below are at least 4 feet tall in real life.

Hanging Basket Workshop

Spring may feel like an eternity away but here is your chance to experience it a little early. Plant your own hanging

basket in the comfort of our warm,

sunny greenhouse and let us grow them for you. The choices will be only be

limited to your creativity! So join us Saturday, March 13 from 9-12am and get a jump start on spring. Remember space will be limited so please sign up before Friday, March 12 @ noon.

New Plant: Hydrangea Incrediball

We are excited about this new hydrangea. It not only has strong stems, it also has massive blooms. We have even heard that it has been producing 4 times as many flowers as the old hydrangea. The blooms emerge an attractive lime green, change to white and age to green. The leaves are big, dark green, and very healthy. This is a must have hydrangea. Everyone is talking about it.

FYI: Pantone declared the color of the year to be turquoise

Your first question, like my wife's, may be "what is Pantone?" Well, Pantone is the "world-renowned authority on color" according to their website. I am sure you are all jumping out of your chair to paint that old bench or fence. In all seriousness though, this will be a fun color to add to your interior decor. According to their site "Turquoise inspires thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a comforting escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing." Doesn't that sound good in comparison to this Iowa winter weather. Don't forget to "THINK SPRING." Call in if you would like to schedule an appointment for a design make your home and yard a "comforting escape."

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

Open House Nov. 27-28. Blow out Poinsettia price!

2009-11-18T17:41:00.001-06:00

Dear Viewer,

Get your Fresh Evergreen. It has arrived!!

Four things you should know about Fresh Evergreen.

A Great Holiday Gift Idea!! Many mothers and daughters have given each other a fresh evergreen container arranged for a Christmas gift. Call Katie and she can come right to your house and create it. What an easy gift that you can give every year that lasts all winter long.
You can choose from many different evergreen branches, stems & other ad ins for your containers we have not had in the past. Bert says this is the freshest evergreen he has ever seen. That is saying something!! Stop in now and to see and smell it all.
Want to have the Christmas tree smell without the hassle of a real Christmas tree? Starting now you can have fresh evergreen put in your fresh flower arrangements. The smell will fill your whole house. Or pick up a sleeved bouquet of fresh evergreen to set around.
Want your containers done by Thanksgiving?? You need to call or stop in soon!! Katie is going to be busy creating containers trying to beat the Thanksgiving rush.

Click Here to see the different fresh evergreen we have. The pictures don't do this product justice. You need to stop in and see it for yourself.

Why Stop At Our Christmas Open House?
November 27 & 28. (Black Friday & Saturday)

Best poinsettia prices of the year!! Our beautiful 6.5" poinsettia's will be at the best prices ever!! Get here early on Friday to make sure you get some. Check the shopper for the blowout price next week.
Great Snacks, Cider, & Coffee. Val Hulleman of Dinner Destinations will be here providing snacks for you to try. They are awesome!! She will also have some on hand that you could purchase for the Christmas season.
KSOU will be here! Cami and KSOU will be here live on Friday from 10 until 12. It is sure to be a fun event.
Beautiful Flip Flops, decorated trees, and other new ideas for Christmas!
Open House hours are 7-5 on Friday and 8-3 on Saturday.

What have you missed on our blog?

To see KSOU winners, new paintings, & awesome new candles click HERE.

Poinsettia's Do's & Don'ts

DO place your plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sun can't be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain.
DO provide room temperatures between 68 - 70° F. Generally speaking, if you are comfortable, so is your poinsettia.
DO water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch.

DON'T place plants near cold drafts or excessive heat. Avoid placing plants near appliances, fireplaces or ventilating ducts.
DON'T expose plants to temperatures below 50° F. Poinsettias are sensitive to cold, so avoid placing them outside during the winter months.
DON'T overwater your plant, or allow it to sit in standing water. Always remove a plant from any decorative container before watering, and allow the water to drain completely.
DON'T expose your plant to chilling winds when transporting it.
DON'T fertilize your plant when it is in bloom.

History of Poinsettia's

The plant we know today as the poinsettia has a long and interesting history. The fact is, that lovely plant you place in your home during the holidays was once used as a fever medicine! Native to Central America, the plant flourished in an area of Southern Mexico known as Taxco del Alarcon. The ancient Aztecs had a name for this plant found blooming in the tropical highlands during the short days of winter:cuetlaxochitl. Not merely decorative, the Aztecs put the plant to practical use. From its bracts they extracted a purplish dye for use in textiles and cosmetics. The milky white sap, today called latex, was made into a preparation to treat fevers.

The poinsettia may have remained a regional plant for many years to come had it not been for the efforts of Joel Roberts Poinsett (1779 - 1851). The son of a French physician, Poinsett was appointed as the first United States Ambassador to Mexico (1825 - 1829) by President Madison. Poinsett had attended medical school himself, but his real love in the scientific field was botany. (Mr. Poinsett later founded the institution which we know today as the Smithsonian Institution). Poinsett maintained his own hothouses on his Greenville, South Carolina plantations, and while visiting the Taxco area in 1828, he became enchanted by the brilliant red blooms he saw there. He immediately sent some of the plants back to South Carolina, where he began propagating the plants and sending them to friends and botanical gardens.

Among the recipients of Poinsett's work was John Bartram of Philadelphia, who in turn gave the plant over to another friend, Robert Buist, a Pennsylvania nurseryman. Mr. Buist is thought to be the first person to have sold the plant under its botanical name, Euphorbia pulcherrima (literally, "the most beautiful Euphorbia"). Though it is thought to have become known by its more popular name of poinsettia around 1836, the origin of the name is certainly clear!

© Paul Ecke Ranch All Rights Reserved

Become a Fan on Facebook
Check out our new facebook page HERE.
And while you are there become a Fan!!

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

How to get your plants ready for winter.

2009-10-29T21:20:00.001-05:00

Dear Viewer,

Repainted, Redecorated, & Ready for the Holiday Season

Our showroom has had some improvements and changes done and it looks awesome! Make sure to shop by and see the cool new faux painting done on our walls. (My favorite is the one with the brick, shown above.) Also all of our holiday containers and Flip Flops are being set out right now for the Christmas Season.

Want to Use Your Outdoor Containers Year Round?

Our shipment of beautiful fresh evergreen, pine cones, berries, curly willow & dogwood will be here the week of the 16th. Click Here to get a sneak peak of some of the items we are getting in. Get some ideas of how your containers could look this winter HERE.

Let Katie create a beautiful container for you that will bring life to your front door all winter long. Or if you want to do it yourself we will gladly help you.

Have Questions? Give Katie a call at 722-4600 or send her an email at katie@scgroundeffects.com

Fall To Do Checklist

Pull up all of your annuals.
Cut back frost damaged perennials, but you can leave the ones with interesting seedheads or shapes, especially ornamental grasses and sedums. You can cut back perennials in early spring also it is just nice sometimes to have it done.
Make sure to keep weeding! Get the weeds now and you will save yourself a lot of work in the spring.
Get your trees wrapped with a protective tree wrap now. It prevents sun scald and also prevents rabbit and rodent damage over the winter. Remove again in spring when plants send out new growth.
Avoid cutting Roses back to far. Don't use the white rose cones -- they can actually cause more damage. If there are long shoots cut them back a little. For some extra winter protection put a little mulch around the base of the rose.
Make sure your evergreens, trees, and shrubs go into winter with enough moisture. That shouldn't be a problem this fall. But if we suddenly get a couple weeks of dry weather you might want to give these plants a drink.
To provide a little more protection for your evergreens spray wilt proof on them after the ground is frozen but the temp is above freezing. This will help prevent winterburn.
Detach your garden hoses to prevent your outdoor faucets from bursting.
After the frost give your lawn one final mowing.

Upcoming Events

Christmas Open House: November 27-28
Poinsettias at unbeatable prices!!
Christmas Seminar: December 5
The only one of the year to gather valuable insight on what's new!

Need Your Landscape Cleaned up this Fall?
Let us come to your place and make sure your landscape is ready for winter. Give us a call and let Ron take care of your place. 722-4600 or email him at ron@scgroundeffects.com

Become a Fan on Facebook
Check out our new facebook page HERE.
And while you are there become a Fan!!

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

P.S. If you are thinking of doing some landscaping next spring give us a call this fall as our schedule for spring is starting to fill up.

We Have Pumpkins!!

2009-10-01T13:23:00.001-05:00

Dear Michael,

We Have Pumpkins!!

Stop in now to pick up some pumpkins for decorating for fall. We have a wide array. From the normal to the very unusual, there are many to choose from. Check out more pictures HERE.

Become a Fan on Facebook
Check out our new facebook page HERE.
And while you are there become a Fan!!

Free Flowers Given away Daily!!

Listen to Cami on KSOU (93.9) daily from 10 til 2. Email her that you listen to the show for a chance to win free flowers. Tuesday through Friday winners will receive a flower in a bubble vase. Monday winners will receive a beautiful bouquet delivered to you by Cami herself!!

Get your Hydrangea's Blue

I just returned from a trip to Ohio to visit a nursery and saw some beautiful new plants! They found out an interesting fact out about Endless Summer Hydrangea. The best time to add Aluminum Sulphate to your Hydrangeas are Sept 15 and Oct 1. This will get your hydrangeas to be more blue next year. If you want your hydrangea's more blue, stop in and we can help you out.

Coming The Week of November 16th

Stop in and check out our striking variety of fresh evergreen, pine cones, and berries available for your outdoor containers. Choose from our many unique containers or bring in your own. Pick out what you want yourself, or let us custom design it for you.

Upcoming Events

Christmas Open House: November 27-28
Poinsettias at unbeatable prices!!
Christmas Seminar: December 5
The only one of the year to learn about home decor!!

Need Help Maintaining your Landscape?
Don't know what to trim or don't have time to do it? We are now offering a year long landscape maintenance plan. We can show up as often as weekly or as little as once a year. Ron Reinders will be heading up this department for us and is very excited about helping beautify their landscapes. If you are interested or have any questions call us at 722-4600.

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

P.S. We still have some beautiful fall flip flops and the Christmas ones are just beginning to show up in the flower shop!!

Cash For Clunkers at Ground Effects

2009-08-05T10:27:00.000-05:00

Dear Viewer,

This has been the most pleasant summer in a long time. I am thoroughly enjoying it and so are all of our plants. They are looking awesome.

"Cash For Silk Clunkers"

Everyone has heard of the Cash for Clunkers program that the government is doing for the car industry. Since the government is not doing the same program for the interior of peoples houses we are going to have our own program for you. Are you sick and tired of that old silk arrangement or have one that isn't getting it's use? Bring it in to the Flower Shop and get 30% off a Flip Flop or Silk Arrangement in the Showroom. For more details stop in.

We are still doing weekly specials.

You won't want to miss next weeks special of the week in the Garden Center. Be sure to check out the special next Monday. Just click HERE.

We Have Everything You Need For Landscaping

We have had lots of people call in the last couple of weeks wondering if we have Rock or Mulch. Not only do we have rock and mulch but we have all of these landscape supplies:

Landscape Rock: Our landscape rock is top quality. It is washed and doesn't have any gravel in it. It is the cleanest landscape rock around.
Hardwood Mulch: Is a mix of different hardwood trees. It is a darker brown color and is shredded. It is perfect for your landscape and lays down very nice.
Recycled Mulch: A lighter chipped up mulch that works great for groves and other large areas because it is a little less expensive.
Edging: We have bullet edgers(concrete interlocking edgers) and vinyl edging to make the border of your landscape. We have at least 6 different colors of bullet edgers all on hand.
Retaining Wall Block: We have at least 7 different styles of block in more than 6 different colors. We have all of this on hand so you can pick it up right away. If we don't have it (Which doesn't happen very often) we can usually get it within a week.
Plastic & Fabric: We can cut off any size you would like for any project.
Class A: A crushed rock that is used as the base for your paver patios or sidewalks.
Granite Dust: A pink dust that is used for the top layer of your paver patio or for the base of your retaining wall to help make it more level.

How to Make Designing Your Landscape Easy!!

I have seen it many times. People come in look around for awhile and then get this panicked look. "Where do I start. What am I going to do. How am I supposed to do it." Is this you or someone you know? If it is let me(Justin), Katie, or Ryan help you out. We can make putting plants around your house an utter joy.

Here are the 5 steps to a Beautiful Landscape.

Take pictures and/or measurements of the area you would like to put plants in.
Bring pictures and/or measurements in and talk to one of us.
Walk around and point out which plants or colors of plants you like. We can give you suggestions of plants we think would work well. We can take note or pick them out to set out.
We can set it out at Ground Effects to see what it would look like at your house. And when we are done take a picture to send home with you. Like the picture below so you know where to plant them. or we can bring the plants to your house and set them out.
Whalla!! You have a spruced up landscape ready to be planted. You can plant them yourselves or we can send out our planting professionals to plant them for you.

Tomatoes: The fungus among us!

We have had a lot of questions about yellowing, dead or dying foliage on the bottom halves of tomato plants in the last few weeks. The weather this summer has been a perfect breeding ground for all types of fungus.
Here are a few tips to help you get the best out of your tomato plants.

Water in the morning, this lets the foliage dry out before the night when fungus is the most active.
Make sure your plants have good air circulation, get rid of any other foliage that is crowding out the bottom of your tomato plants.
Mulch around the bottom of your plants with wood chips or even grass clippings, this helps keep in moisture and also prevents soil and water splash back on to the foliage.
Crop rotation, move your tomatoes to a different spot in your garden every year, this prevents exposing your plants to soil borne fungus that you may have encountered the year before.

If you have done all of these and are still having problems, we recommend spraying your tomatoes with copper fungicide. This spray is approved for organic gardening and there is little to no harvest limitations after spraying. Even though it is an organic product, we still advise using with caution, avoid spraying the fruit if possible and wash fruit very well before eating. If you have any questions about your tomatoes or any other pest or disease questions feel free to call Ground Effects. Happy Gardening!

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

Don't miss the deals of the week!

2009-07-16T08:07:00.000-05:00

Dear Viewer,

Summer is half over already. Can you believe it? Hopefully this cool weather stays around for awhile! It is great weather to plant some things around the house to add some beauty to enjoy.

Be sure to Check out The NEWSLETTER ONLY coupon on the bottom of the page!!!

June is Cool

Weekly Specials

Beautiful Plants Everywhere

Get Em' Done

This Weeks Special will give you beautiful blooms the rest of the summer into fall.

Can you guess what weekly special is? These plants are starting to bloom around town right now. They bloom in white mainly but there are some new varieties that bloom in blue or pink based on soil acidity. They also come in tree form. Make a guess of what you think it is. To see if you were right click HERE.

New plants have arrived!!

In the last week 4 truckloads of plants have arrived!! Make sure to stop in and see all of the new beautiful plants. Our selection is still awesome and we are getting more trucks in weekly. Everything is looking fresh and springlike, especially after all of the rain we just had.

Myth of The Summer:
You can only plant in Spring or Fall.

I have heard this said a lot in my 10 plus years working at Ground Effects. However this is something that is not true. You can plant throughout the whole year. We plant spring, summer, and fall until the ground freezes. If you plant in the summer you just will have to water your plants a little more. My theory is to get the plants in the ground soon so they can so they can develop a good root system and thrive. The plants are already "planted" in pots and they will love being out of the hot black plastic pots and in the ground.

What's Wrong with My Plant?

Many people have been coming in wondering what is happening with their rose bushes. Some have had bugs eating their leaves and others have had some fungus or other problems. If any of these things are happening to your roses stop in and pick up some Rose spray. It is easy to apply and works for a wide variety of problems.

Things to Get Done Soon or to Think About Doing:

Get out in your landscape and weed! After all of this rain weeds are starting to thrive. Go out in your landscape and pull the weed while it is nice and wet. It makes it a lot easier for you to pull them.
Deadhead or snip off any spent blooms on annuals, and geraniums. Fill in with new annuals if some have died or aren't up to snuff.
If any of your plants are still not coming out of their spring funk. Tear them out and replace them with something new.
Trim back spent blooms off your Salvia, Coreopsis, Nepeta, and old stocks on your daylilies.
Don't be afraid to trim back any overgrown perennials. They often look better after being cut back.
Trim and reshape flowering shrubs after they are done blooming.
Look around your landscape and see if you have anything that will bloom come fall. If not stop in and pick up some asters or in a month we will have some beautiful mums.

Hydrangea's on Special this week: 25% off

Hydrangea Twist N Shout

Hydrangea Endless Summer

Hydrangea Limelight

Above are our 3 most popular Hydrangeas. Twist N Shout is new this year and is the first lacecap that is hardy for this area. Endless Summer is the first Hyrdrangea developed in our climate that blooms on first year growth. Limelight is one of my favorite hydrangea's and is filled with white cone shaped blooms for long periods of time.

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

Double Punches	Bring this coupon in to receive double punches on your Ground Effects Loyalty Card for the rest of the week on plants and fresh flowers.
Offer Expires: July 23, 2009: Not valid on block, rock, pavers, edging, or other hard goods.

Weekly Specials at Ground Effects

2009-06-12T17:10:00.001-05:00

Dear Viewer,

When is it going to be summer? We are close to halfway through June and it still seems like spring. I don't know about you but I am ready for some warmer weather to come. Remember if it is too cool or too hot you can always look for some ideas on our website with our plant finder from the comforts of your own home.

June: It can only get warmer.

Weekly Specials

Check our Website for Weekly Specials.

Each week we will be having a different weekly special. Be sure to check our blog to see what the weekly special this week and every other week. This week's plant has around 30 buds on it right now! Next weeks plant blooms all summer long.

Give Your Plants a boost

Are your plants looking a little sad or don't look as vibrant as they should?
Let us help!!
Stop in and pick up some slow release fertilizer. Instead of using Miracle Gro whenever you fertilize we can make it easier. Just sprinkle the slow release fertilizer around the base of your plant and every time you water or it rains nutrients will be released to the plant. This will work for perennials, annuals, trees, and shrubs. I know how easy it is to forget about your plants so I give my plants at home a little boost with it this time of year.

Pruning Tips for this Time of Year:
Your spirea and weigela are probably just starting to bloom. Make sure to trim your spirea and weigela in a round mound when they are done blooming. By doing this they will bloom again this summer. With the spirea you might even be able to get a third round of blooms.

Our roses are starting to bloom beautifully right now. Yes, you don't have to trim most of our roses for them to keep blooming. But if you want your roses to bloom more throughout the summer trim back the bloomed out branchs just above the next leaf. This helps to promote new growth and to keep your rose bush blooming as much as possible. Right now I trim my rose bushes into a nice small mound even if I sacrifice some buds that are about to bloom. That way my roses will look more full throughout the year. If you need us to show you how to trim them, everyone in the Garden Center learned how to trim them last week. Also if you are looking for a certain color or height be sure to ask. Anyone around here should be able to point you in the right direction.

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

P.S. Everything at our place is looking great. Come on in and walk around and enjoy the scenery.

We are Open Memorial Day!!

2009-05-20T16:33:00.001-05:00

Dear Viewer,

I figured this would be a great day to get the newsletter done since you almost get blown over by the wind outside. Hopefully the wind subsides soon and we can enjoy some beautiful spring weather again.
Now is the time of year to look for some beautiful trees or plants for your yard. To get some ideas be sure to check out our plant finder.

Memorial Day Weeend

Memorial Weekend Hours

Pruning Tips

Evergreens

Pictures of the Week

Our Memorial Weekend Hours

We will be open this Memorial Day from 8am until 1 pm. Most of you have the day off to relax, or do some things around the house. So we are trying to make it easier for you to get some work done over the weekend. Stop in Saturday or Monday and we can help you with your Memorial Weekend Projects:

Memorial Weekend Hours:

Saturday 8am - 2pm
Monday 8am - 1pm

Save Your Plants While You Are Gone!!

Keep Plants Happy When You Are Away.

Going on vacation? Give your plants a Vacation too! Vacation is a new all-natural, anti-drought plant treatment perfectly suited to take care of your plants while you are away. Simply mix a small amount of Vacation with water and pour onto your plants. Your plants will remain in a state of hibernation for up to two weeks or until normal watering cycles continue. Vacation is an effective tool to protect against drought and plant transplant shock. Safe & non-toxic for people and pets.

So if you are going away for the weekend, spray this on your plants so you don't have to worry about them drying out while you are gone.

For more info check out the vacation brochure

Pruning Tips for this Time of Year:
Get ready to start seeing the lilacs bloom! Most of the ones here are budding and some like the one pictured are already blooming. They look and smell awesome. Make sure to be ready to trim your lilacs when they are done blooming. After your lilacs are done blooming (especially your dwarf korean lilac trees) make sure to give them a good trimming. You want to trim them back quite a bit because the only time you should trim lilacs is early summer after they are done blooming. If you trim them late summer or fall you will trim off the buds that are forming for their flowers for next year.

Also make sure to trim your mugo pines and any pines that are poodled or pom pom form evergreen trees (some have called them Dr. Seuss trees). You want to make sure you either pull out the candles by hand or trim them off. You don't need to trim the whole candle off. Just so you trim them all fairly equal heights. Be careful only to trim the candles and not the needles. Cutting the needles will cause them to burn and may not look very nice for awhile. If you have any questions feel free to email us at info@scgroundeffects.com or call us at 712-722-4600.

Rough Winter For Evergreens

We have received a lot of calls from people asking about what is wrong with their evergreens. Many of the evergreens around have dead or damaged needles on the outside. This last winter was a very rough winter on a lot of plants. I have talked to a couple of the places where I buy plants from and they are telling me it was the worst winter in 10 years! Because of this there has been a lot of winter die-back.
If your boxwood or holly has some die back you can cut the dead parts out and the plant will grow back.
Other types of evergreens don't grow back from the inside like your spruce, fir, or pine. Their new growth comes from the outside. In the next couple of weeks their dead or dying needles will fall off and be replaced with new growth on the outer tips. If you trim the outside you will lose that new growth. Your evergreens might still be looking a little tough but wait a few weeks. It could make a huge difference. Look at all the fresh new growth on this concolor fir above.

Pictures of the week

A wall cloud on the way to work the other week.

Some baby birds at Ground Effects.

My daughter cheering after spitting up on me the other morning.

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

P.S. Our Garden Center is overflowing with beautiful looking plants. Make sure to come, walk through, and enjoy. I will try to keep you informed of anything else on the blog.

Arbor Day Tree Sale at Ground Effects

2009-04-13T16:22:00.001-05:00

Dear Viewer,

Spring is HERE!! I just looked at the 15 day forecast and it is not predicted to freeze, (as of right now). But we all know how the weather people can change their mind and be wrong. I am still hoping we have seen our last frost.
I will try to keep all of you posted on what is happening as we get more busy with spring. For more info on things that are happening be sure to check out our blog on the main page of our website.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Tree Sale

Seeds

Get a Head Start

Large Trees

Our First Ever Arbor Day Tree Sale!!
Next Wednesday through Saturday

We would like to celebrate Arbor Day with a tree sale. April 22-25 we are offering 20% off all of our potted shade and ornamental trees!! So come on in and pick out a tree from our large selection.

Our Seeds Are In

Our seeds have arrived for all of you vegetable gardeners out there. Come and choose from our selection.

Get a head start on Spring!!

Bring your containers in soon and let Katie design and plant for you. We have many already growing in our greenhouse as you can see here.

Our Large B&B Trees have arrived!!

Stop in and see what we have available in LARGE trees.

Just wanted to also remind you of Mother's Day coming up in less than a month. Last year we had kids come in and pot a container for Mom for Mother's Day. Then they took the potted plant home along with a picture of them with the container in a card. This year we are doing it again on May 6&7. Mark your calendars and forward this to someone as a reminder to do something unique for Mother's Day.
Do it here:

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

P.S. Don't Forget to Check out all of the Garden Center pages on the website. We have been working on updating them.

Get your containers planted early!!

2009-03-25T18:17:00.001-05:00

Dear Viewer,

Looks like we averted much of the snow talk for the weekend. Hopefully we don't see it again until next winter.

To Find out more events as they happen check out the Ground Effects website. We will be having a blog on the main page to keep you updated as things happen.

End O' March News

Home Show

Open House Potting Workshop

Vegetable Gardening

St. Patrick's Day

Come and Visit us at Sioux Center's Home Show
This Wednesday and Thursday March 25 &26

The annual Sioux Center Home Show is happening this week. Stop by our booth at the home show and we would love to talk to you. Come and check out what is new this year and let us know what you think. The show is this Wednesday and Thursday from 3pm-9pm at the All Seasons Center in Sioux Center.

Container Workshop / Open House

Stop in Next Friday and Saturday with your containers and let Katie help you plant your containers. We also have a wide selection of new ones that are arriving soon. You can then let them grow in our greenhouse until the beginning of May.

Container Workshop Hours
April 3: 12-5:30pm
April 4: 9am -12pm

While you are in you can get a sneak peak of all the new plants for the spring and see our rebuilt greenhouse after the fire last spring. So whether you want to plant something for spring or just check out what's new, stop in next Friday or Saturday.

Vegetable Gardening Facts

Thinking about planting a garden this spring?? We will have seeds coming in next week! Also we are growing some tomato, pepper, cucumbers, broccoli, lettuce, and herb plants. Stop by this spring and we can help you get you a head start on your garden.

"A single tomato plant will, over the course of the summer, yield up to 40 medium to large fruits. Your local supermarket is now selling tomatoes for 75 cents to a dollar each. So figure your single tomato plant's yield is $30 to $40 per season.

"A seed packet contains, say, 25 guaranteed seeds out of 30 total. Put the average plant's yield at $35, multiply it by 25, and you get $875 worth of store-bought tomatoes from a seed packet that retails for $3 to $4.

"Your return on investment? Better than 200 to 1, or 20,000 percent."

Happy St. Patrick's Day a week late.

Who is St. Patrick????

Lost in the midst of shamrocks, green-clad partygoers, and leprechauns there is a story of a tremendous leader - Saint Patrick. That we celebrate a holiday bearing his name 1,500 years after his death attests to the greatness of Ireland's patron saint. Saint Patrick's life teaches valuable lessons about the power of forgiveness.

THE LIFE OF SAINT PATRICK: A STORY OF FORGIVENESS

Born to a wealthy British-Roman family, Patrick was kidnapped by a band of Irish marauders as a teenager. The raiders carried him off to Ireland where they pressed him into servitude, tending their flocks and fields. Isolated and alone, Patrick clung to his faith to endure the cruelty of his masters.
After six years in captivity, Patrick summoned the courage to risk escape. He ran away from his captors, surviving a 200-mile trek across Ireland to the sea. Upon arrival to the coast, he talked his way onto a shipping vessel bound for his homeland.

For More on St. Patrick Check out this article
brought to you by Giant Impact and Leadership Wired.

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

Check out What's New. Spring is Coming!!

2009-03-06T01:02:00.000-06:00

Dear Viewer,

Spring is in the air. Hopefully the old "March comes in like a lamb out like a lion" doesn't come true. I know I am hoping for a lamb of a month.

Beginning O' March News

Plant Search

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner

New Baby

Happenings

New this Year: Ground Effects Plant Search!!
Check out every plant we will carry this spring!!!

I am really excited about our NEW Plant Search on our website!!The last month we have been putting together a list of all the plants we will be carrying this year. We have put pictures and descriptions on our website so you can search for what you want. They are separated into shade trees, ornamental trees, grasses, roses, shrubs, perennials, evergreens, fruit trees, and vines. So whether you are searching for a perennial or a shade tree, you can see what we have.

Destination Sioux Center: Valentines Winners!

Here are our three winners for the Destination Sioux Center Valentine Date Packages. They were drawn from everyone who purchased flowers valentines week. Top Left is Steve Oswald, Top Right is Doug Broek, and Bottom Left is Carl Boersma (sorry the picture is blurry, if you squint it makes it not quite as blurry). Congratulations guys and have a great time with your spouses.

Announcing Bailey Marie Schuiteman

Just letting you see the new addition to my family. I am now a dad!!! Bailey was born on Wednesday, February 25 at 4:22am. She weighed 7lbs 10oz and was 21" long. She also has at least twice as much hair as her dad already. Just thought I would share this pic of the new little cutie in my house. So if you come in to Ground Effects in the next while and see me a little sleepy, you will know why.

Here's what happening at Ground Effects:

The Flower Shop is busy making new "Flip Flops" for everyday and for spring. Stop by in a week or two and see the beautiful arrangements they are creating.

In the Garden Center Katie has been busy planting all of our hanging baskets and annuals in the greenhouse. They look awesome!! In the next couple of weeks we are getting more annuals and perennials. Just a walk through the greenhouse makes your realize Spring is right around the corner.

Our Landscaping Team is working on designs for the summer. They are also out trimming trees while the weather is decent. If you need your trees trimmed give them a call. Brent and Jon can take care of making sure your trees are trimmed correctly.

Hope you all are getting excited for spring. I know I am.

Sincerely,

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

Get Fabulous Flowers and a Chance to WIN!!!!!

2009-02-04T16:41:00.000-06:00

Dear Viewer,

Valentines Day is next Saturday already. Be listening on Wednesday's to KSOU for our new commercials played throughout the day. Our Destination Sioux Center package has EXPLODED from 1 to 3 packages this year. Check them out below.

Valentines News

Destination Sioux Center

More Chances to Win

What is Valentines Day??

Not 1 but 3 Destination Sioux Center Packages
More date packages, more chances to win!!!

This Valentines Week we are offering a chance to win one of THREE Destination Sioux Center Date packages. All you need to do is purchase a beautiful flower arrangement like the one pictured or on the website. Then you will be entered to win one of the following packages:

OOOH YEAH!!!! PACKAGE
Breakfast for 2 at the Family Table
Pedicures for 2 at Fine Design
Prime Rid Supper for 2 at Tofher's
Movie Tickets for 2

WOW!! PACKAGE
Breakfast for 2 at the Family Table
Massages for 2 at Renae's
Prime Rib Supper for 2 at Tofher's
Movie Tickets for 2.

RELAXATION PACKAGE
An overnight stay in the Honeymoon Suite at the Holiday Inn Express!!!
Lunch for 2 at Butler's
A Fresh Flower Bouquet on your sweeties birthday.

Be the First with Valentines Flowers

The earlier you get your Valentines Flowers delivered the more chances to win!!!

Get your Valentines flowers delivered on Wednesday to get your name in 3 times for the drawing. Delivery on Thursday gets your name in 2 times.

So order early and let your valentine enjoy her flowers all Valentines week. Who knows you could be a double winner on Valentines Day.

*****Ladies, Here is where you forward this to your husband to let him know what you would like for Valentines day.

Who is St. Valentine?

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. While in prison, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. It is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today.

from history.com

Hopefully you all have a great Valentines day with your special someone.

Sincerely,

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

Ground Effects Specials

2009-01-19T15:43:00.000-06:00

Dear Viewer,

With every new year comes changes. We have been working at changing some things lately at Ground Effects. First of all we are changing the look of the newsletter. The Newsletter now looks exactly like our website. Let me know what you think good bad or otherwise. The rest of the changes will be detailed in the rest of the newsletter.

January 19 News

Christmas Blowout

Landscaping

Our Largest Blowout Sale Ever
The Lowest prices ever!!!

    We are closing out all of our pre-made Christmas Trees. Not some of them. ALL OF THEM. They are at the lowest prices they have ever been and will be.
   ALL of our Ornaments are also on Sale for 50% off or more. Along with the ornaments and trees we are also closing out many other Christmas arrangements and other products. We need to make room for the exciting things we are going to be doing in the Flower Shop this coming year.
    We have emptied out the showroom. Almost everything that was in there is now in the greenhouse and prices are drastically reduced.
    Make sure to let your friends know:

Landscaping

Our Landscaping part of the website has just been updated!! Be sure to take a tour of it. We have added many features and descriptions along with a new and improved photo gallery. There is around 100 pictures of different landscapes we have done. Make sure to check them all out. In this cold and snowy winter they can give us hope again that spring is around the corner.

Before checking out the coupon on the bottom of the page read this article on the benefits of flowers in your house. It was very interesting and informative to me.

Sincerely,

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

Save 25%	Get over the winter blahs and get something in your house which is scientifically proven to improve your mood. We are offering 25% off of any 1 HOUSE PLANT you purchase from our Fresh Idea Flower Shop.
Offer Expires: January 31, 2009

We thought you would want to be the first to know.

2008-12-29T14:59:00.001-06:00

Ground Effects Rumblings & Ramblings

Volume 1, Issue 15

December 29, 2008

Dear Viewer,

Sale!!!!!!!!!

Just wanted to let you know we are having a Happy New Years Sale at Ground Effects. Many items are discounted up to 50% off. You are the first to know about the sale, so get here soon before everything is gone!

Store Hours
December 29 & 30 : 8am -5pm
December 31: 8am - 3pm
January 1-4: Closed

Starting January 5 regular winter hours
Monday - Friday: 8am -5pm
Saturday: 8am-12pm

www.scgroundeffects.com

Thanks for your time.

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

"The highest compliment we can receive is a referral of a friend or family member."

P.S. Hope you had a happy new year.

In This Issue

Merry Christmas From Ground Effects

2008-12-23T13:31:00.002-06:00

Ground Effects Rumblings & Ramblings

Volume 1, Issue 14

December 23, 2008

Dear Reader,
All of us at Ground Effects would like to wish you a Merry Christmas. We would like to Thank You for making our 10th year in business a success. We really enjoyed serving you throughout the year and enjoyed seeing many of you at our 10th Anniversary Celebration.
As Christmas approaches there are many distractions and busyness that comes with it. I hope that this Christmas you take time to think about Jesus Christ this Christmas season. I know that this time of year causes a lot of time for reflection and looking forward toward the new year. My prayer is that you take time to read the Christmas story and see what a precious gift God gave us.

Bringing Joy to 2 families in the area

Thanks to all of you who came to our Christmas seminar. The proceeds from that seminar allowed us to sponsor 2 families through Mid-Sioux Opportunity.
Thanks again for helping us share with others.

A Christmas Break at Ground Effects

So that everyone at Ground Effects can have time to relax, unwind, and spend time with family. We will be closing Christmas Eve at 2pm and won't be opening again until Monday, December 29. Hope you all have a great time this Christmas season.

Thanks for your time.

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

"The highest compliment we can receive is a referral of a friend or family member."

P.S. I look forward to letting you know of all the fun things Ground Effects has in store for the new year.

In This Issue

Bringing Joy

Christmas Hours

Great Christmas Gift Ideas

2008-12-04T11:37:00.001-06:00

Ground Effects Rumblings & Ramblings

Volume 1, Issue 13

December 4, 2008

Dear Michael,
Christmas in only 21 days away, can you believe it? I haven't even started looking for gifts yet. My theory is that I do better getting gifts when there is a little pressure to get done, kind of like writing papers the night before they were due in college. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday now over it is time to start to think of gift ideas for yourself and for others. I will enlighten you on some of the great gifts we can help you with.

Top 5 Gift Ideas from Ground Effects

We have made a list of the top 5 gift ideas from Ground Effects on the front page of our website. Go ahead and check out the many ideas for gifts that we offer. I'm sure you're trying to think of creative gifts for others and even for yourself. Check out the list for some ideas.

One of the ideas on the list is Fresh Flowers for a year. You can give the gift of Fresh Flowers every month of the year. This has been very popular gift that keeps giving throughout the year.

Let The Fresh Christmas Arrangements Begin

Edie, Evie, and Bert just started making beautiful arrangements for the Christmas Season. You can see a sample of the beautiful arrangements they are making in the Christmas Photo Gallery. They are using many different types of fresh evergreen in them that smell awesome!!!!! The pictures on this newsletter and in the photo gallery don't do them justice. Stop in and see them for yourselves or just send one to yourself because you deserve it after getting all your Christmas decorations up.

Get Your Fresh Evergreen Pots Done Before Winter

This is one of the last weeks to get your fresh evergreen containers made. Be sure to call or stop in to get them done before the long cold winter. Check out all the creative container creations Katie has designed on our Container Gardening Page. We still have fresh garland, beautiful wreaths, and many different evergreen foliages to beautify your outside before winter.

Thanks for your time.

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

"The highest compliment we can receive is a referral of a friend or family member."

P.S. Don't forget to forward this to your friend or spouse to give them a hint of what you want for Christmas.

In This Issue

Top 5 Gift Ideas

Fresh Arrangements

Fresh Evergreen

Make sure to protect your plants from animal damage and spray them with some Repellant now and throughout the winter.

Get your daily dose of Vitamin F with Flowers, read this interesting article.

A Few of My Favorite
Quotes

"People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."
-Unknown

"Those who forget the ultimate are slave to the immediate."

- Unknown

Check out these Ground Effects Specials

2008-11-18T14:31:00.001-06:00

Ground Effects Rumblings & Ramblings

Volume 1, Issue 12

November 18, 2008

Dear Viewer,
Winter is fast approaching and there is only ONE LADIES NIGHT OUT left this Wednesday!!! Fresh Evergreen is in and looks fabulous. I am trying to update the website weekly with new features and news, so check it out periodically. If you have anything you would want me to write about or have any comments just send me an email.

Special on Poinsettia's and Fresh Garland

From now until next Saturday we are running specials on our 6.5" poinsettia for $9.99 to liven up your home for the Christmas season. To decorate the outside of your house pick up some Fresh Evergreen Garland for $.99/ foot. Don't miss these specials while they last.

6.5" Poinsettia = $9.99
Fresh Garland = $.99/ ft

The Final Ladies Night Out

The Final Ladies Night Out will be this Wednesday. You won't want to miss this opportunity to see some awesome gift ideas. Get some beautiful bows for your kids or grandkids from Simply Bow Beautiful, and some cards to give to others. Update your scrapbooking supplies with Creative Memories. Pick up some great food ideas from Tastefully Simple for the holidays. See what Herbalife has to offer with its vitamins and other healthy living products. Discover some unique purses from Fine Design purses. Our greenhouse will be packed with the most vendors we have had this season. Plan ahead and get some Christmas gifts for friends, family, or even yourself.

Our Fresh Evergreen Has Arrived

The Fresh Evergreen is finally here!!! Come and see the beautiful evergreen foliages, spruce tips, curly willow, dogwood, garland, wreaths, and berries sure to liven up any container. Create one yourself or let Katie create a beautiful container for you. Everything is on the front porch of the flower shop for you to check out. Make sure to keep checking the website for pictures of Katie's fresh evergreen container creations such as the ones below.

Thanks for your time.

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

"The highest compliment we can receive is a referral of a friend or family member."

P.S. Don't forget to share these exciting events with a friend just click on the link below.

In This Issue

Specials

Ladies Night Out

Fresh Evergreen

Check out our commercial on the website and let me know what you think.

With Poinsettia season fast approaching you might want to find out some fun facts and care instructions for your poinsettia's on this website.

Don't forget to protect your trees this winter from the weather and animal damage. Make sure to get tree guards for the trunks of your trees now before it gets cold. A little prevention goes a long ways. We do have them on hand. Put them on now but make sure to take them off right away in the spring.

Rose cones are probably the most common and most misused method of winter protection. This method often fails because the graft is not adequately protected. All of the shrub roses we sell at Ground Effects should not need rose cones. Just give them a small haircut this fall and put some mulch around the base of the rose to protect the crown. Then in the spring you can prune any winter kill and you are ready to go.

Fall cleanup will help minimize problems with pests. Rake and destroy fallen leaves. Remove any disease infected leaves. One avid rose grower removes all the foliage from his 200-plus rose collection prior to winterizing them. I guess raking is not that big of a deal after all!!

Don't want to slip and fall this winter. Come check out the "Salt Sticks" at Ground Effects.They work just like a salt shaker and make it easy to spread salt by your front door. They are only $9.99 while they last.

Don't miss the Christmas Preview Sale & Seminar

2008-10-29T01:11:00.001-05:00

Ground Effects Rumblings & Ramblings

Volume 1, Issue 11

October 29, 2008

Dear Viewer,
Our Ladies Night Out events have been a lot of fun and they only get better. The next couple of weeks is jam packed with fun at Ground Effects. We also have revamped the website. Let me know what you think.

Sign up for the one and only seminar this year

This Saturday, November 1 we are having our only seminar of the year. You won't want to miss it so sign up today. You can call or

SIGN UP here.
It is sure to be a fun event with Bert and Deb doing demonstrations. Admission is $5 and the proceeds go toward adopting a family for Christmas.

Ladies Night out

Next week Wednesday, November 5: Stamping Up!, Fine Design Purses, Lia Sophia Jewelry, & Pampered Chef will all be here. You are bound to find some great gift ideas for the holidays or for yourself.

NEXT LADIES NIGHT OUT

November 19: Creative Memories, Tastefully Simple, Simply Bow Beautiful

You don't want to miss this one stop shopping opportunity.

Don't Miss the Christmas Preview Sale: Nov 5-8

Our Christmas Preview Sale is right around the corner. Next week Wednesday to Saturday we are offering 20% off Flip-Flops, Containers, Ornaments, and Silk Foliage. You won't want to miss this chance to get a head start on Christmas.

Thanks for your time.

In This Issue

Seminar

Ladies Night Out

Christmas Preview Sale

Check out the new and improved website we have just finished redoing and let us know what you think.

Join us for the Christmas Open House November 5&6
Browse and enjoy some coffee, cider, and snacks.

"Even as an adult I find it difficult to sleep on Christmas Eve. Yuletide excitement is a potent caffeine, no matter your age." ~Carrie Latet

Don't forget you can always find out about upcoming events at
scgroundeffects.com

"My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?"
~ Bob Hope

20% off	Everyone who comes to the seminar gets 20% off for the day on wreaths, garlands, ornaments, flip-flops, containers, and silk stems.
Offer Expires: November 1, 2008

You won't want to miss these events!!!

2008-10-16T10:46:00.000-05:00

Ground Effects Rumblings & Ramblings

Volume 1, Issue 10

October 16, 2008

Dear Viewer,
Hopefully our winter coats can stay away for awhile and it warms up after this first frost. Although the landscaping season is winding down the inside at Ground Effects is heating up with Events and our Huge Christmas Preview Sale.

Ladies Night out

Next week Wednesday, October 22, Butter Cream Boutique is going to show you some of their fabulous furniture and Fine Design will have many diferent purses for you to choose from. There were many ladies who enjoyed the Ladies Night Out last week and got some great gifts and ideas.

October 22: Butter Cream Boutique, Fine Design(purses),
November 5: Stamping Up!, Fine Design(purses), Lia Sophia Jewelry, Pampered Chef
November 19: Creative Memories, Tastefully Simple, Simply Bow Beautiful

You don't want to miss this one stop shopping opportunity.

Don't Miss the Christmas Preview Sale: Nov 6-8

You won't want to miss our HUGE First Ever Christmas Preview Sale. November 6-8 we will be giving you a first look at Christmas at Ground Effects this year. For those three days you can get 20% off our Christmas Ornaments, Stems, Flip-Flops, and Containers. Make sure you get here to get first choice of the Christmas ideas for the year. You need to check out our first theme tree of the year it is fabuluous. There are more being done daily.

Thanks for your time.

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

"The highest compliment we can receive is a referral of a friend or family member."

P.S. Don't forget that there are plenty of beautiful fall flip-flops available to liven your home this fall.

In This Issue

Ladies Night Out

Showroom

Mark your calenders for November 1. We will be having our only Christmas seminar of the year. You won't want to miss this one.

October 22 there will be Nystrom Orchard apples for sale in the parking lot from 3-5pm.

Christmas
OPEN HOUSE

November
5 & 6

Don't forget you can always find out about upcoming events at
scgroundeffects.com

25% off	Last chance to save for all our loyal newsletter subscribers. 25% off trees, shrubs, evergreens, and perennials until October 31st.
Offer Expires: October 31, 2008. Cash & Carry only. Coupon must be present

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Ladies Night Out

2008-10-01T17:33:00.001-05:00

Ground Effects Rumblings & Ramblings

Volume 1, Issue 9

October 1, 2008

Dear Viewer,
Christmas is just around the corner and Ground Effects is getting ready. We are updating our website weekly so make sure to check it out.

Ladies Night out

Next week Wednesday, October 8, we are having our first annual Ladies Night Out. Take a friend to check out the gift ideas for others or even for yourself, you deserve it. The Schedule of the different gift ideas is below:

October 8: Pampered Chef, Usborne Books, Tupperware

October 22: Butter Cream Boutique, Fine Design(purses),

November 5: Stamping Up!, Fine Design(purses), Lia Sophia Jewelry

November 19: Creative Memories, Tastefully Simple, Simply Bow Beautiful

You don't want to miss this one stop shopping opportunity.

Our showroom is getting a makeover

The ladies are working dilligently on getting the showroom arranged and it is looking fabulous. We will begin setting up Christmas in the next couple of weeks, and Bert is still creating his custom trees. Check out the updated flip flops and custom trees web pages.

Fresh Evergreen Arriving this month

Don't put away your outdoor containers just yet! Fill them with fresh evergreen stems to enjoy all winter long. It is just a shame to only use your containers for half the year so liven up your winter with fresh evergreen. You can arrange yourself or let Katie do the arranging like the ones shown above.

Remember Fall is for Planting.

Thanks for your time.

Justin Schuiteman
Ground Effects
justin@scgroundeffects.com

"The highest compliment we can receive is a referral of a friend or family member."

In This Issue

Ladies Night Out

Showroom

October 8 there will be Nystrom Orchard apples for sale in the parking lot.

Mark your calenders for November 1. We will be having our only Christmas seminar of the year. You won't want to miss this one.

Christmas
OPEN HOUSE

November
5 & 6

25% off	Last chance to save for all our loyal newsletter subscribers. 25% off trees, shrubs, evergreens, and perennials until October 31st.
Offer Expires: October 31, 2008. Cash & Carry only. Coupon must be present