Our 2026 Tulip Crop at a Glance

We planted 1,000 tulip bulbs in the fall of 2025 with high hopes, a planting plan, and absolutely no intention of losing money.

Our farm operates on a primarily wholesale sales model, which means we grow for florists first. That also means stem length, timing, and consistency matter just as much as color and beauty. A gorgeous flower with a short stem can quickly become a budget flower.

Varieties Included

Limousine, La Belle Epoque, Fringed Double Snow Crystal, Mount Tacoma, Beachberry, Fringed Huis Ten Bosch, Amazing Parrot (a standout), Savannah Romance, Moonlight Mimosa, Medley Funky Fuzion

Our harvest window ran from March 19 through April 20, making tulips one of our earliest income-producing crops of the year. That timing is valuable because florists are hungry for fresh, local flowers after winter, and early-season sales help kickstart spring cash flow.

The Numbers

This is where the story gets less romantic.

What We Sold

• 600 usable stems
• 400 stems were not viable

Of the usable stems:

• 90 premium stems sold at $1.80 each wholesale
• Approximately 510 short stems sold at $1.00 each

Total Revenue

• Premium stems: $162
• Shorts: $510

Total Tulip Revenue: $672

Forecasted Revenue

Projected: ~$1,600
Actual: $672

That gap is the difference between a crop helping carry spring… and a crop teaching a lesson instead.

What It Cost

Hard Costs

• Bulbs: $745
• Compost: $120

Total Hard Cost: $865

Gross Profit Before Labor & Overhead

-$193

And just for extra fun, that number does not include labor.

Labor

We estimate 10–15 hours between harvesting, processing, and delivering stems. That does not include bed prep or planting. Add labor in, and the margin drops further.

So, Final Verdict… Were Tulips Profitable?

For us, this year: No.

Tulips were beautiful. Tulips were exciting. Tulips were requested by florists.

Tulips were not profitable.

And yet, that still isn’t the whole story.

What Happened?

This season was unusually hot and dry, and the crop felt stunted.

Stem length was the biggest factor in profitability. Only 90 stems were long enough to command our full wholesale price. The rest had to be sold as shorts.

We added shade cloth midway through the season to encourage stretch on later varieties, but next year we’ll install it earlier. Lesson learned.

It was also difficult to tell whether weather or disease played the larger role in reduced viability. We had many short stems with tiny blooms or no blooms at all, but not many distorted or twisted leaves and blooms.

Sometimes farming gives you clear answers. Sometimes it gives you theories and a mild identity crisis.

Why We’re Growing Them Again

If tulips lost money, why plant them again?

Because farms are built on more than one harvest, and one season is not the whole story.

We plan to grow 1,000–1,500 tulips again next year for a few strategic reasons:

1. They’re Early

Tulips are one of the first crops of the season, which means early cash flow and early customer excitement.

2. Florists Want Them

Local florists are actively looking for tulips when little else is blooming. They also line up beautifully with Easter and the Keeneland Spring Meet.

3. We’re Adjusting the System

Next year’s plan includes:

• Shade cloth installed earlier
• Tulip trials in the hoop house
• Continued variety evaluation
• Better systems for premium stem production

Sometimes profitability comes from iteration, not quitting.

Final Thoughts

Would we call tulips a profitable crop this year? No.

Would we call them a mistake? Also no.

They taught us about timing, stem quality, crop planning, and how quickly weather can change the outcome of a season. They reminded us that forecasts are helpful, but flowers do not read spreadsheets.

And honestly? We still loved them.

Even if our spreadsheet didn’t.