What I Would Do Differently If I Were Starting a Flower Farm From Scratch
I would prioritize my email list from day one.
I didn’t set up email marketing until the last week of my second year, and I really wish I had done it sooner.
Your email list is one of the few ways you can communicate directly with people who have actually asked to hear from you, instead of hoping a social media algorithm decides to show them your post!
I would send a weekly newsletter like it was my job. All season long.
Farm updates, photos, what’s blooming, what’s happening behind the scenes, upcoming sales.. Whatever you have going on… The point is to stay connected.
I use Flodesk for my emails, and if you want to try it, I have a 25% off link for your first year.
I would treat Facebook and Instagram differently.
Instagram, is more about connecting with people who love flowers and want to follow along with what you're doing. If you want to meet other flower famers in your area Instagram is a great place to start…
Facebook is the place to connect with the local customers!
I wish someone had told me this from the beginning because I spent a lot of time trying to make Instagram work like a local advertising platform when Facebook was useful for reaching people who were actually going to buy from me.
Either pick event flowers OR pick a few other ways to sell… Don’t try to do everything.
You really should be harvesting twice a week to keep your flowers fresh- I liked to harvest on Tuesdays and Fridays, which means you need more than one place to sell your flowers..
A CSA/bouquet club or roadside stand
A farmers market
Or maybe you decide to focus only on event flowers.
Event flowers are a HUGE undertaking. It isn't just growing, harvesting and arranging flowers. You're also dealing with consultations, emails, quotes, invoices, changes, logistics, deliveries, setup….
If I were doing event flowers, I would get experience before taking on events..
I would take floral design courses and work with a local florist if you can.
There is a big difference between knowing how to grow beautiful flowers and knowing how to turn those flowers into arrangements for someone's event…
Getting some hands-on experience will give you a lot more confidence and show you how to work the a strict deadline.
I would also make sure I had help with harvesting and putting together the arrangements. You can totally do a lot yourself, but event work can become overwhelming very quickly.
And always have a backup flower plan.
Get to know the other flower farmers in your area and find out if you can purchase flowers from them if you need to... I would also set up a wholesale account with a flower company.
If you have a roadside stand, put a camera on it.
I know. It's awful to think that someone might steal the flowers you worked your ass off to grow.
But just do it. Because if you don’t they will steal them….
I once had $80 worth stolen in day.
I would be much more strategic about what I grow from seed vs. buying as plugs.
For lisianthus and eucalyptus, I would buy plugs. They have poor germination when starting from seed and both take eight to nine months of growing before they are ready to harvest..
Buying plugs is expensive, but if your goal is to grow big, beautiful eucalyptus or a lot of lisianthus, I think the time you save can make it completely worth it…
If you're selling at a farmers market, ask some questions BEFORE you sign up.
Specifically, ask whether you will be the ONLY one selling flowers… Not if you are the only flower farm..
I say this because I learned this one the hard way.
One year, a vegetable grower started selling flowers at the market for less than wholesale while I was selling at retail prices…
My sales dropped by 45% that season.
Competition isn't a bad thing, but you want to know what you're walking into before committing your time, flowers and market fees!!
And if you want to know what farmers market supplies I actually use, I've put together a list of those here.
Okay, I know that is a lot of info..
That’s all for today.
Best, Rachel
Written by Rachel Wilson
Rachel is a flower farmer and seasonal living writer on the New England Shoreline. She writes about gardening, gathering around the table, and finding a little more magic in everyday life.
