Why Season Extension is Essential for Flower Farming in Zone 3

Making the most of a short season in Northern British Columbia.

When you’re growing flowers in Zone 3, like we are here in Northern BC, you learn quickly that every single day of your growing season matters. With only about 90 to 110 frost free days a year, flower farming becomes a race against the calendar.

That’s why season extension is more than just a good idea. We knew it would be key to running Franklin & Co. Flower Farm.

What is Season Extension?

Season extension simply means using tools, structures, and techniques to stretch your growing window earlier into spring and later into fall. In a region like ours, it can mean the difference between one harvest and three. It allows us to start flowers earlier, protect them from sudden temperature drops, and even store them longer once they’re harvested.

Why It Matters So Much in Zone 3

Our climate isn’t always gentle. Spring arrives late, fall comes early, and unpredictable weather is just part of the game. Season extension helps us:

• Get a jump start on spring planting

• Protect tender crops from surprise frosts

• Harvest earlier and later

• Offer flowers for a longer period of time

• Reduce weather-related crop losses

And let’s be honest, it also helps us sleep a little better during those chilly spring nights (well, a little bit better)!

How We’re Extending Our Season at Franklin & Co.

We’ve been intentional about putting systems in place to help us stretch our season and make the most of every bloom. Here’s what we’re using:

High Tunnel

We installed a high tunnel so we can plant cool season crops like ranunculus, weeks earlier than we could in the open field. It protects against spring wind, rain, and frost while warming the soil faster.

Row Covers and Frost Cloth

These lightweight, breathable fabrics give us just enough protection to sneak in early plantings and push our late blooms well into fall. We keep a stash on hand all season long. We will be tucking our ranunculus in every night with cozy frost cloth and untucking it every morning. Ranunculus flowers are such divas! 

Low Tunnels

This year, we’re also building low tunnels in the field. You will see these when you visit the farm for our events. They are simple hoops made out of electrical conduit, over top of small chunks of rebar, covered with plastic or row cover, to give young transplants a head start and extend harvest windows into early fall. These are perfect for covering individual beds and protecting flowers from frost, heavy rain, or even unexpected hail. They’re quick to set up, easy to move, and extremely effective.

Succession Planting

Carefully planning when we start and transplant each variety means we can keep fresh flowers coming all summer. It also spreads out our workload so we’re not trying to harvest everything at once.

Our CoolBot Cooler

Even though it doesn’t extend the outdoor growing season, our CoolBot flower cooler plays a big role in season extension. It allows us to store freshly harvested blooms at the perfect temperature, giving us more flexibility in timing for deliveries, subscriptions, and markets.

Raised Beds

We use raised beds that warm faster in spring and drain better during heavy rains. That means we can get into the soil earlier without worrying about compaction or root rot.

What This Means for Our Customers

When you pick up a bouquet from Franklin & Co. Flower Farm, you’re holding more than just flowers. You’re holding the result of months of thoughtful planning, early mornings, and more weather watching than we care to admit.

Season extension means:

• More flower varieties throughout the season

• Earlier and later bloom availability

• Fresher, longer lasting bouquets

• Consistent quality, even in a short season climate

Final Thoughts

There’s no changing the weather, but we can work with it. Season extension will allow us to bring you the freshest blooms, for as long as possible in our Zone 3 garden.

Thanks for being part of this growing journey.

– Cory
Franklin & Co. Flower Farm