If you've ever felt like you're working around the clock and still not getting the results you want—you're not alone. Early in my flower farming journey, I did what many of us do: grew all the things, offered all the options, and tried to be everything to everyone.

There’s a common belief in this industry—especially among new growers—that you need to grow all the flowers, extend your season as long as possible, avoid gaps in production, and offer something for everyone. I believed it, too. But that belief led me to burnout, over-planting, and a business that was exhausting to sustain.

Eventually, I stumbled on a concept called Pareto’s Principle, also known as the 80/20 Rule. It’s the idea that roughly 80% of your results come from just 20% of your efforts.

And when I looked at my own business through that lens, it hit me: a small portion of what I was doing was driving nearly all of my progress. The rest? A whole lot of effort with very little payoff.

That realization completely reshaped my farm.

Here’s how the 80/20 rule shows up in flower farming—and the specific ways I leaned into it.

1. 80% of Your Revenue Comes From 20% of Your Products

Not all crops are created equal when it comes to profit. More often than not, just a few varieties are responsible for the majority of your income.

Over the years, I’ve grown a lot of flowers—but three crops consistently brought in the most revenue: spring bulbs, dahlias, and peonies. Those were my workhorses.

And then there was foliage.

A few years back, I cut it from the lineup. It took up lots of space and time, but no one ever asked for more of it. Not once. There were no lines at the flower stand for foliage. And no one ever said, “Please, fewer flowers and more foliage in my bouquet.”

For me, foliage just wasn’t a revenue generator—so I stopped growing it and made room for what was.

Once I saw which crops truly paid the bills, I doubled down on those—and cut the rest.

2. 80% of Your Sales Come From 20% of Your Customers

It’s easy to focus on getting more customers, but often, a small group of repeat buyers accounts for most of your revenue.

I have a small but mighty group of loyal customers who have become the backbone of my business. These are the people who supported nearly every part of my farm throughout the season. They joined my Muddy Farm Club, had weekly subscriptions, stopped by the flower stand for extra bouquets, bought bulbs and tubers in the fall, and brought their friends to u-picks in the summer.

A customer inside a hoop house full of blooming ranunculus.

They’re more than customers now. I have their numbers saved in my phone. They support nearly every piece of my business, and they prove that a small group of loyal customers can carry your business further than a crowd of casual ones.

3. 80% of Your Marketing Results Come From 20% of Your Efforts

You don’t have to be on every platform or do all the things. Most of your traction will come from one or two key channels.

I often see growers trying to juggle Facebook, Instagram, and even YouTube—posting in all the places without a clear strategy. My advice? Pick one channel and double down on it.

If you're selling fresh flowers locally, your ideal customer is likely scrolling Facebook—not TikTok or YouTube. Go where they already are.

A mixed bouquet of flowers with black Adirondack chairs in background.

4. 80% of Your Time Is Spent on 20% of Your Tasks

Not all work is equally valuable. (Read that again—we all need the reminder.) Just because something keeps you busy doesn’t mean it’s moving your business forward.

A common trap I see new growers fall into is spending hours on the comfortable stuff: weeding a flower bed instead of introducing themselves to a local florist. Checking their seedlings five times a day instead of posting in a local Facebook group to share about their farm.

We default to what feels safe and familiar—but those aren’t the tasks that grow your customer base or increase your revenue.

For me, it was mixed bouquets—the ultimate time suck. I used to spend hours making them. Sure, there are ways to speed things up, but even then, they drained my energy and took up far too much of my day.

Switching to straight bunches of peonies or dahlias was a game changer. They were quicker to harvest, bunch, and sell—cutting bouquet-making time drastically and giving me back hours every single week.

Bouquets of dahlias in a flower stand at Muddy Acres Flower Farm

The truth is, if you want your business to grow, you have to get honest about how you're spending your time—and whether it's actually moving the needle.

5. 80% of Waste Comes From 20% of Your Crops

There are always a few crops that create more problems than they solve—wasting your time, space, and energy.

You don’t have to grow it all. And while I’m not saying you shouldn’t try a tricky crop once or twice to see if you can get it right—at some point, you have to ask if it’s really worth it.

I tried ornamental kale several times. The bugs devoured it every single time and it always ended up going straight to the chickens. I attempted to get longer stems from Dusty Miller—twice. Still no luck. Eventually, I had to accept that it just wasn’t going to perform for me.

We’re not meant to grow every flower under the sun. We’re meant to grow what grows well—in our zone, with our systems, in our unique setup.

Lynsey Taulbee holding a harvest of spring flowers.

When you start focusing on what thrives—and cutting what doesn’t—you make space for crops that actually earn their keep.

Final Thoughts

Pareto’s Principle has shaped almost every decision I’ve made on this farm—from what I grow, to how I sell, to where I spend my time. It’s the reason I now focus solely on peonies. The reason my offerings are simpler, my systems more efficient, and my business more profitable.

A field of peonies at Muddy Acres Peony Farm

You don’t need to grow everything, serve everyone, or be everywhere.

You just need to find your 20%.

The crops that thrive.
The customers who come back.
The tasks that actually move the needle.

Then? Double down on them.

That’s where the growth is.
That’s where the profit is.
And that’s where you build a business you actually want to run.

If you’re ready to take the next step and start working smarter around your farm (not just harder), I created a free 3-part series that shares three powerful strategies to help you do exactly that.

Want more behind-the-scenes strategy like this? Come join me inside Behind Muddy Doors, where I share the real numbers, lessons, and decisions that run this farm.

The 80/20 Rule on the Flower Farm: How Pareto's Principle Shaped My Business