Get Ready For Plants!

Our greenhouse is open and full of annuals, hanging baskets, tropicals, vegetables, ferns, Bud ’N’ Bloom, and more! Come in and see our incredible selection for all of your planting needs! We also have a full stock of beautiful trees, shrubs, and perennials!

Mother’s Day – Sunday, May 12

Brighten Mom’s day and let her know you are thinking of her with a Crabapple tree, blooming shrub, flowering perennial, hanging basket, floral arrangement, garden art, windchime, or colorful houseplant! Stop in and see what’s in store to make Mom’s day special!

Bud ‘N’ Bloom

The Bud ‘N’ Bloom program features hardy perennials and shrubs in full-bloom! 6 varieties of stunning clematis and the show-stopper “Summer Crush” Hydrangea are ready-to-go!

Open House – Sat. May 25

Join us Sat. May 25 from 11am to 2pm for a Customer Appreciation Day! Enjoy food, fun, and sales!

Now that we can finally see our lawns beneath the mountains of snow, it’s time to think about lawn care! Late-April to Early-May is the best time to fertilize your lawn to promote growth and the only time to apply pre-emergent Crabgrass Preventer! In this issue, learn the many ways lawns are beneficial while learning the ways you can provide early care for a healthier, grassier, greener lawn.

Healthy lawns are vital to local ecosystems and provide essential benefits to the environment. According to National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), just one acre of grass produces more oxygen than 1 acre of rainforest. Grassed areas are also up to 30 degrees cooler than blacktop (NALP). Healthier lawns improve larger issues such as climate change and pollution by reducing erosion, trapping carbon dioxide, cleaning the air, improving the soil, and reducing temperatures.

Here are a few tips from loveyourlandscape.org (the official consumer website for NALP) regarding early-Spring lawn care to create a healthy space for your lawn to grow:

1. Check your lawn for seasonal damage. Once winter releases its grip, get outside and inspect your lawn. Besides the snow and ice, the biggest culprits of the winter months are a group of very specialized pests and de-icing salts, all of which can damage trees, grass, and shrubs. As the weather begins to warm, it’s important to take stock of what damage has been done and develop a plan to get your yard ready for spring enjoyment. 

2.  De-icing salt used to clear streets and walkways can wreak havoc on grass and plants. Salt will draw moisture from the plant cells causing desiccation. If your lawn is exposed to too much salt, it can cause it to wilt and die. To restore the health of your soil, flush the salt in the soil by giving your lawn a deep watering once the weather warms. If necessary, remove the brown grass and a few inches of the damaged soil. 

3. Check for brown patches in your lawn.Excessive snow, particularly areas that have been covered with large piles of shoveled snow, will kill grass. To see if your brown grass is just dormant or is dead, rake away some of the brown so that you can see the lawn surface. Check to see if there is any green tissue beginning to emerge. If so, the area will likely recover with time. If not, and other areas of the lawn are greening up, it’s time to make plans for some renovation of the areas. To repair, rake up as much of the dead tissue as you can. Adding a light topdressing of topsoil will increase your chances of success with seeding. Use a good quality grass seed that is appropriate for the area you live in. Rake the seed lightly into your new topsoil, tamp lightly with your feet. Keep the area moist, water daily if necessary, to prevent the seedlings from drying out.

4. Lingering snow can also cause snow mold, a disease that is mainly confined to the leaves of the turf. It presents as a circular pattern of grey or pink grass. The disease may go away on its own; but if it doesn’t, the affected grass should be firmly raked, top-dressed with soil, and over-seeded. Most often, only a raking is necessary to alleviate the damage.

5. Help prevent weeds before they start with Pre-Emergent! Early spring is THE ONLY TIME to apply pre-emergent Crabgrass Preventer. Crabgrass is a very hardy weed that aggressively spreads and restricts lawn growth in otherwise healthy lawns. Pre-emergents help prevent weeds from growing at the start. Think of pre-emergent control products as the equivalent to landscape fabric. They create a barrier across the surface of the soil that the seedlings of targeted weeds are unable to penetrate. Unfortunately, these controls will have no effect on perennial weeds that re-sprout from underground root systems.

6. Weeds are not just unsightly; they can indicate serious issues with your lawn. Weeds compete for space and nutrients that grass would otherwise utilize, limiting the ability for grass to provide oxygen, protect waterways and remove pollutants from the air. Weeds such as crabgrass grow in lawns that are stressed or weakened and can have a detrimental effect on the health of a lawn. A properly managed lawn is the best defense for these weeds and diseases. Healthy, well-groomed lawns leave little space for weeds. Occasional overseeding, especially in thinner lawns, also contributes to weed prevention. A persistent weed problem will require extra attention.

7. Fertilization is an important part of landscape maintenance! Proper fertilization is one of the most important things that can be done to ensure grass is healthy and strong enough to fight off threats posed by weeds, pests, and disease. With the vital role fertilizer plays in the health of your lawn, it’s important to minimize guess work and ensure the right fertilizer is applied at the right time, in the right amounts.

Our Balsam Lake Pro-Lawn experts provide a number of care lawn services to improve your lawn, landscape, and home. We will help to extend the enjoyment of your home right into the outdoors, protect your family from health concerns and even increase the value of your home. We see your lawn as outdoor living space, a playground, an investment.

Call us at 715-485-3131 for all of your lawn care needs or visit our website at www.balsamlakeprolawn.com to learn more about our services! Whether you need a spring clean-up, a lawn care assessment, or to be on a regular pre-emergent and fertilization program, our professional lawn care team is here for you!

Join us Saturday, February 23, 2019 for our 8th annual 5K trail race! 

Plan to join us this coming Saturday for a fun winter activity for all ages! This is a family-friendly, dog-friendly event for everyone who enjoys the outdoors and winter hikes! The Northern Lites Snowshoe Company has sponsored 10 sets of snowshoes for the day of the event – so bring a friend or yourself, even if you don’t own a pair of snowshoes!  If there are enough demo pairs left and you have your own- but would like to demo their race style snowshoe you certainly can!

Check-in begins Saturday, February 23, 2019 at 9am at the American Legion in Pine Park located at 311 Tuttle Street, Balsam Lake, WI. The registration fee is $20 for both walkers and runners. All proceeds go toward the improvement of Pine Park. Click here to download and print your registration form. Please bring your registration form and race fees on the day of the event. 

Each participant receives a goodie bag on race day at registration. The race begins at Pine Park, follows a designated trail route through the beautiful wooded areas surrounding Balsam Lake, and ends on the Mill Pond. Water will be provided before and after the race.

Prizes will be given to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners for the women’s, men’s, and kid’s division. Door prizes will also be given! 

Visit our website at https://balsamlakesnowshoerace.com/ for more event details and our sponsor list!

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and our floral shop is overflowing with fresh flowers, arrangements, and gifts galore! If you can’t decide what to give, or what to get for this holiday full of love, here’s a few of our staff’s favorites!

Amanda: With her cheerful and sunny disposition, it is only fitting that our favorite floral shop owner chose yellow roses as her Valentine’s Day favorite. “Roses don’t always have to be red,” Amanda said with a grin. “Yellow roses can brighten anyone’s day!” She also loves the new Staghorn Fern houseplants we just got in! Perfect for tight spaces and medium- light locations, these easy-care houseplants in a coconut shell will make your house feel like a tropical jungle!

LuAnn: Our tenderhearted co-worker loves blooming houseplants, and she thinks azaleas are just the thing! In a variety of pinks, coral, and fuchsia, these long-lasting flowering plants make a great gift for that special someone. She also loves stuffed animals, but the soft grey elephant with pink feet is her favorite!

Summer: This gardening girl loves plants, nature, and especially frogs! “Will You Be My Prince” fairy garden is her Valentine’s Day gift of choice! With silk succulents, this no-care fairy garden will last in your heart forever! Add a box of chocolates (and Skid’s the Kitty), and you’ll make her day!

Cassie: Our on-trend friend Cassie likes red roses and tropical flowers best! A big bouquet of deep red, heart-shaped roses are a great way to say “I love you” this Valentine’s Day! For a dramatic and exotic look, add orchids to a mixed flower arrangement, or make a bold statement with a vase of just a few orchid stems! 

Find your Valentine that perfect gift at Balsam Lake Pro-Lawn! We hope everyone has a safe and a very Happy Valentine’s Day!

Welcome to the new year! As a full-service florist, retail center, and lawn/landscape company, we are open year round providing a variety of services! 

One of the latest trends in 2019: Get Your Planning Done Early! Whether you’re looking for gifts for your friends and family for a special occasion, or you would like to get a landscape project done this year, don’t procrastinate! Call or stop in to speak with a specialist about your needs today! 

Retail Trends

Floral Flower Trends: Custom Designs! This year, customers have been looking for unique, heartfelt designs with custom touches to show their loved ones just how much they care! Our professional floral designers can work within your budget to create a beautiful arrangement that will brighten any one’s day! Stick with the trend, and don’t delay! Visit us today to find that special Valentine’s Day, birthday, anniversary, or just because gift!

Valentine’s Day: Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and we are ready! Are you? If you need some gift ideas, we can help! We have a variety of unique gifts, fairy garden items, fun bird planters, blooming houseplants, stuffed animals, gift baskets, flower arrangements, and more! Be prepared for Valentine’s Day and get your gift early this year!

Weddings: The season for wedding planning is upon us! The latest trend in Wisconsin and Minnesota are Autumn weddings: Fall is becoming the new summer for weddings! Plan in advance and book ahead! Our professional florists have years of experience designing wedding arrangements – whether your wedding is very small or you expect 300+ attendees, we have the skills to create your dream day!

Perennial Trends

Pollinator Perennials: Each year, we see an increase demand for plants that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds! We offer a large selection of perennials for both sun and shade that attract our pollinators. A short list includes: Sedum, Liatris, Bleeding Heart, Monarda, Joe Pye Weed, Butterfly Weed, and Milkweed. In the spring, come in and talk to our garden specialists about options for your garden!

Perennials for Shade: Shade gardens can be troublesome, but they can be just as beautiful as gardens in full sun! Look for plants with colorful foliage and unique flowers! Ligularia, Coral Bells, Astilbe, Ferns, Brunnera, Pulmonaria, Aralia Sun King, and Polemonium offer beautiful leaves for a specatular display in your garden. Along with their flower interest, these plants will brighten any dark spot in your shade garden!

Landscape Trends

Landscaping for form and function: Whether you are looking to improve your curb appeal or create an entirely new landscape design, our professional landscape team can help. Come in and talk to us about your plan, budget, and ideas. Now is the time to build your plans and get scheduled for the season! We specialize in outdoor kitchens, patios, pathways, retaining walls, and master plan designs, and we can help you transform your outdoor living space to be an inviting extension of your home.

HOLIDAY GIFTS & HOURS

Looking for last-minute gift ideas? We can help! 

Stocking Stuffers: We have a huge selection of Fairy Garden items including winter themed fairies, dragons, gnomes, trolls, unicorns, frogs, dogs, fairy houses, and accessories! We also have candles, soaps, and gifts for the gardener in your life!

Ornaments: Come in and check out our fun and whimsical ornaments!  While they make great gifts by themselves, you can also include them as a stocking-stuffer or add one to adorn your winter floral arranement!

Poinsettias: We still have a variety of beautiful Poinsettias available to brighten up your home! Bring one as a holiday gift for the host, or have us deliver one to your friends and family to send a bit of holiday cheer!

Christmas Cactus: These incredible, long-blooming, easy-care houseplants will add color to a winter day and brighten that perfect spot on a sunny windowsill.

Wreaths, Patio Pots, and Winter Hanging Baskets: Need a gift for that person who already has everything they need? Make their entrances warm and welcoming with a holiday wreath, a decorative patio pot, or a winter hanging basket! Choose one already made up, or we can customize any of these items to create a special gift for those you love!

Floral Arrangements: Our professional floral designers make fresh bouquets daily! Surprise your favorite person with a beautiful winter bouquet, make your holiday feast festive with a table centerpiece, or send holiday cheer with a fun arrangement! Call 715-485-3131 or visit our website at https://www.balsamlakeflorist.com to see your options and order your arrangements for the holidays!

Other Gifts: Come in and see what else we may have for that special person on your list! We offer blooming and green houseplants, whimsical planters, cabin signs, birdbaths, bird feeders, windchimes, gazing globes, floor mats, hanging chairs, and so much more for your outdoorsy, nature-loving, gardening friends and family members!

Hours: We are open Monday thru Friday from 8:30am to 4pm, Saturdays 9am to 1pm, and closed on Sundays. We will be closed Sunday, December 23 thru Wednesday, December 26 for the Winter Holidays. We will re-open Thursday, December 27. 

From all of us at Balsam Lake Pro-Lawn, we wish you all warm and happy holidays!

Nothing beats the full, vibrant colors of a Poinsettia – the traditional plant of the winter holidays! The plant is known in Mexico and Guatemala as “”La Flor de la Nochebuena“, meaning Flower of the Holy Night, or Christmas Eve (University of Illinois Extension). These beautiful, brilliant, and affordable tropical plants are the perfect way to make your holidays bright! 

According to Tropical Rainforest Facts, Poinsettias are originally from Central America and southern Mexico where the climate is very hot. The plant is named after Joel Robert Poinsett, the man who brought the Poinsettia to the United States from Mexico in the 1820’s. December 12th is considered Poinsettia Day, in honor of the man who popularized the plant!

We offer a wide selection of Poinsettias in many colors and sizes! Visit us today to make your home festive, or call us at 715-485-3131 to send holiday cheer to your friends and family!

Happy Holidays!

We’re in the early stages of planning and preparing for the 8th Annual Balsam Lake Snowshoe 5K Trail Race! Put the date on your calendar for Saturday, February 23, 2019, and plan to join us for this fun winter activity for all ages! This is a family-friendly, dog-friendly event for everyone who enjoys the outdoors and winter hikes!