What We Learned from Our First Fall Sale (and What’s Coming Next)

Before I get into the rest of this update, I want to start with a quick thank you. Our first fall tuber sale just wrapped, and the amount of support that came through was genuinely awesome. Seeing so many orders roll in and watching familiar names pop up again made this whole thing feel real in a completely new way.

Whether you sent a message, checked in to see how things were going, or placed an order, it all meant a lot. You turned what could’ve been a stressful, messy project into something that was actually fun (and that’s saying something for a sale that involved SO much dirt and digging up dahlias in the rain/snow). We’re truly grateful for every single one of you.

Shoutout to the sweet postal worker who put these mail totes in my flower stand for me after I used a wood crate and bulb crate the first time lol

Now that the dust has settled, I wanted to share a few things from behind the scenes, both what’s coming up next at the farm and a handful of tips for anyone planning their own sale. We picked up some really useful lessons along the way, and if they can help make someone else’s process smoother, even better.

Tips for Fellow Flower Farmers

If you’re considering doing a fall sale, here are a few things I’d like to pass along, a mix of what worked, what didn’t, and what I’ll definitely be doing again.

1. Start organizing early. Way earlier than you think you need to. Labeling, inventory, photos, listings, all that stuff adds up fast. If you think it’ll take you a day, go ahead and block off the whole week.

2. Flag your dahlias before the dig and make a field map.Trust me, this is non-negotiable. Make your map as you plant in the spring, so if any plant labels fade or blow away (because they will), you’ll still know who’s who. When it’s time to dig, that map and those flags are the only thing standing between you and total chaos. Oh, and MAKE COPIES of your map! Trust me, you don't want to come out to a wet, unrecognizable map after you left it out all night and it rained.

3. Test your systems before launch. Double-check your website, your checkout process, and your shipping setup. A quick test run can save you a world of stress on sale day.

4. Order your USPS flat rate boxes early. I love USPS flat rate shipping for shipping tubers. It’s quick, easy, and simple. If you’re going that route, order your boxes ahead of time and have them shipped to your location, it’s completely free. You can order in different quantities, and I’d highly recommend getting more than you think you’ll need. You’ll thank yourself later when you’re knee-deep in packing tape and tubers, but you have ALL the boxes you need.

5. Figure out your label printing setup early. For this sale, I got a thermal label printer and it has been the best purchase of 2025. I got a Jadens brand printer (from Amazon) and it worked amazingly, now that I'm done with the sale, I'm excited to play around with making stickers with it! But I did have a heck of a time buying the large quantity of shipping labels. I should have had this sorted out sooner so I wasn’t scrambling, thanks to my best friend’s recommendation, Pirate Ship was a total lifesaver for loading and printing all those labels at once.

If you’ve been thinking about trying a fall sale, I say go for it! You dont have too but, I broke mine up into a part 1 and part 2 so I didn't have to dig and ship everything all at one time and that worked out super well. I think fall sales are a good way to connect with your customers, move some stock before winter, and start spring with a little more breathing room. Comment below or feel free to email me at leigh@onkenfarm.com if you have any specific questions, I'm happy to help!

What’s Coming Next

We’re going to slow down for the holidays but then we plan to get the momentum going again. We’ll be holding a Winter Seed Sale, featuring some of our dahlia seeds saved right from our fields (perfect for when you’re deep in the January blues and need to pretend it’s spring again).

Then, in Spring 2026, we’re planning our first spring Cutting Sale alongside our spring Tuber Sale. I’m really excited about it, it feels like the natural next step for the farm, and we’ve been testing things this year to figure out the best way to make it all work.

Your Feedback Matters

Speaking of testing, we’ve been playing around with all things involved in hosting a dahlia cutting sale, and before we go full throttle with that in the spring, I’d love to get your feedback. Whether you’ve bought cuttings before or never tried them, your thoughts will help us set the right standards, from how we package them to how we ship.

You can fill out our quick Cutting Feedback Questionnaire to share your thoughts. It only takes a minute, but it’ll help a ton as we plan for next spring! AND for those of you who fill out the survey and leave your email at the end, you will get first dibs at shopping cuttings in the spring and a special discount to show our gratitude!

Thanks again for being here and supporting what we do. Every order, message, and kind word keeps our little farm running.

Until next time,

Leigh Onken