5 Operational Challenges Growers Can Eliminate Today

Greenhouses and growing operations move fast, especially during peak season. But even the strongest teams struggle when key processes become bottlenecks. These issues often start small, such as a manual spreadsheet or an outdated workflow, but quickly grow into costly delays, inaccurate shipments, or missed production windows.

Here are five common challenges we see in grower operations, and how to fix them:

1. Manual Production Planning

Planning crops, timelines, and labor on spreadsheets or whiteboards may feel manageable, but it limits your ability to adapt quickly.

Common problems:

• Hard to update when schedules or orders shift
• No visibility across departments
• Planning becomes reactive instead of proactive

How to fix it:

Move toward a centralized production planning system that connects planting schedules, capacity, and inventory availability. When production plans update in real time, growers can react faster and prevent small issues from turning into big disruptions.

2. Disorganized Inventory and Space Management

Inventory and growing space are two areas where small inefficiencies add up quickly. When counts are inaccurate or space is not clearly planned, production slows and errors multiply.

Common problems:

• Missing or miscounted materials
• Unclear availability of greenhouse or shipping dock space
• Difficulty assigning crops to the right zones

How to fix it:

Use real-time tools to track materials and map greenhouse space. Standardized labels, mobile scanning, and digital space planning help growers see exactly what they have, where it is located, and how much capacity remains. These simple steps improve accuracy, reduce waste, and keep production moving smoothly.

3. Seasonal Labor Fluctuations

Each year brings new seasonal workers who need quick training on growers’ processes, equipment, and expectations. Without structure, onboarding becomes a slowdown.

Common problems:

• Inconsistent training
• High turnover
• Limited access to the information new employees need

How to fix it:

Create clear, repeatable workflows and give employees mobile access to the information they use most. When labeling, shipping, and production processes are documented and digital, seasonal workers get up to speed faster and with fewer mistakes.

4. Shipping and Labeling Errors

Shipping is one of the most time-sensitive parts of a grower’s operation. Retailers expect perfect labels, exact counts, and on-time delivery. Even small mistakes can lead to returned product or chargebacks.

Common problems:

• Manual cart counts
• Handwritten labels
• Last-minute updates not communicated to the shipping floor

How to fix it:

Automated barcode scanning, digital shipping lists, and pre-validated order data reduce errors dramatically. When teams can scan and verify carts in real time, accuracy increases and load-outs move more efficiently.

5. Disconnected Systems

When production data lives in one place, inventory in another, and financials in a separate system, teams lose visibility and time.

Common problems:

• Duplicate data entry
• Delayed updates between teams & retailers
• Lack of a single source of truth

How to fix it:

Bring your production, inventory, shipping, and financial information into a connected system. Centralized data allows growers to see the full picture and make faster, more informed decisions across the entire operation.

Moving Past These Operational Roadblocks

Most of these challenges start with manual tools and disconnected workflows. As growers scale, these gaps become more noticeable and more costly. But with the right systems in place, operations become smoother, more accurate, and easier to manage, especially during peak season.

The Grower Vertical powered by Sage X3 is a custom Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system designed to help growers connect production, inventory, space, and shipping in one cloud-based system. With features like scan by cart and space management developed alongside real growers, this software is made specifically for horticulture and agriculture operations.

Contact our team to learn how growers are eliminating these challenges and improving efficiency with connected tools.