In a method for operating a round baler, the harvested crop flow is controlled at any time of the bale forming process by time control with the control and governing device of the round baler, based on a stored theoretical minimum time for pressing a harvested crop bale defined by predetermined parameters and based on actually determined harvested crop parameters, such that the harvested crop bale defined by the predetermined parameters is produced at maximum baler utilization in a nominal press time determined for the harvested crop bale.