You need to plan for a profitable spring NOW! (+ how) (SFFF60)
If you’re sweating it out in the height of summer, spring might feel like a distant dream. But when you run a flower farm, everything you do is forward-facing. The truth is, your most profitable spring flowers are already on the line based on the decisions you’re making today.
Think of your spring season like a domino effect. One late plug order or one missed tunnel planting window and suddenly, you're chasing your tail. Trust me—I’ve been there. I used to be a good planner, but I didn’t always understand how critical timing was until I’d been farming for a few years. Now I know: profitable farms aren’t reactive. They plan ahead.
The Power of Fall Planting
Some of the best spring flowers start their journey in late summer and fall. Around this time, I’m ordering plugs for crops that will overwinter in our high tunnels—things like snapdragons, campanula, dianthus, and sometimes delphinium. These are cool-loving crops that thrive when given a head start in the fall and proper protection through winter.
It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of summer and think “I’ll deal with that later,” but the window for these decisions is tight. Plugs need to be ordered in July or August. Plant too early and you’ll deal with frost damage and disease. Plant too late and the roots won’t establish before winter sets in. That sweet spot in timing is where quality and profitability live.
Why Ranunculus is My Spring MVP
Ranunculus is hands-down one of the most profitable flowers on our farm. It brings in roughly 25% of our total revenue—and it does so early in the season, when customers are craving color and beauty after a long winter. But again, timing is everything. Spring-planted ranunculus often gives short stems and weak yields. Fall-planted, protected ranunculus? That’s where the magic happens.
We start prepping beds for these plantings now, pulling out spent crops and flipping tunnels so everything’s ready when the plugs and corms arrive. Even small-scale growers can see big improvements by using caterpillar tunnels and a bit of frost cloth. You don’t need fancy infrastructure—just smart planning and a willingness to start before the season feels close.
Want to see exactly how we grow our ranunculus on the farm? Check out our online workshop.
Aligning Your Production With Your Sales Plan
One of the biggest mistakes I see flower farmers make is planting now and hoping to sell it later. That’s a recipe for burnout and waste. When you know your sales channels—whether it’s CSA, florist orders, or farmers markets—you can make smarter choices about quantities and varieties. Your crop plan should always connect directly to your sales plan.
I always ask myself: where are these flowers going? What are florists asking for? Do I have the varieties to meet that need? If everyone’s asking for blue and I don’t grow delphinium, I either need to pivot or set boundaries. This year, we added delphinium back into our lineup because of the sheer demand for blue blooms.
The Best Investment You Can Make on Your Farm
If you’re on the fence about high tunnels, consider this your nudge. Growing spring flowers with protection gives you earlier harvests, better stem quality, and stronger yields. You control water, temperature, weeds, and even pests more easily. That one layer of plastic can completely change your farm’s trajectory.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. We’re still pulling out plants by hand and using a tilther to work in compost. What matters most is that we’re making room for the crops that matter—and doing it before we’re scrambling. Profitable farms are built in the off-season.
Want to know my EXACT step-by-step process for a Profitable Spring?
Come join my Profitable Spring Flowers workshop on August 12th. We’ll cover everything from ranunculus successions to plug timing, crop planning, and tunnel growing—plus you’ll get a downloadable workbook full of crop sheets + more, and lifetime access to the full recording.
Get all the details and save your seat at trademarkfarmer.com/spring.
