What's the best way to ship a medium sized Hosta"
Should I clip the foliage? Send bare root? Wrap something around the roots?
Seal it in plastic? Will that suffocate it?
Thx . . .
acking/shipping question
No need to clip the leavesAfter you have your division, rinse all the dirt from the roots (soaking the roots in a bowl or bucket of water might help loosen the soil and make cleaning easier. After all the soil is removed from the roots, wrap the roots with damp paper towel, then wrap the paper towel with plastic (not the leaves). Then wrap the entire plant in newspaper to protect the leaves.
Here's a good link for packing hosta.
http://hostafaq.westside.com/wsContentPublisher/story.view?RowId=21
OH gosh ... Don't cut the leaves, the person receiving it might be very disappointed.
Good advice Cheryl. I recycle so I use damp newpapers to wrap the roots in, and the ink will not hurt them. Then, depending on the size of hosta you are shipping I either use the plastic bags you get from walmart, or the one-gallon glad storage bags with the twist tiel. You can tie the bags right around just the roots that have been wrapped with the papertowel or newspaper. This eliminates using tape or rubber band to secure the bag. If the hosta are small I will then roll the hosta up in newpaper so the leaves are not damaged. I've sent out mature hosta out and I've never cut the leaves. Oh, yes, I always put the name tag with the plant before I wrap the roots.
Annie
This message was edited Jun 21, 2005 2:15 PM
This message was edited Jun 21, 2005 5:24 PM
Oh, and one last thought, never put an entire plant enclosed in a plastic bag. They will be mush by the time they reach their destination.
Annie
That's the way I ship my plants to. What a nice surprise it will be ho_ard.
;) Donna
Whoops, got it all packed before I read.
I soaked the roots, then put them in a plastic bag and taped it tight around the stem (with cloth tape-- it was handy).
Then I wrapped bubble wrap around the foliage. I also put a gooseberry in the box-- that one's roots I did wrap a bit. I tried to secure them in place . . . I didn't want to wrap the hosta roots since I was afraid the added weight could harm the plant if the box is thrown-- have received lots of hosta bare rooot like that and they hold up well, even if they dry out a bit.
Off to mail them now . . .
thanks everyone!
Another thing, I've started sending two name tags with any plant that I ship. This way my trader can put one in the hole with the plant, and one at soil surface. If they lose the tag or the name fades of what the plant is , all they have to do is dig it up and retrieve the name. For me, it saves a lot of headaches on my part. Of course if you leave it in the ground for several years it might take you awhile to retrieve the name tag.
So the plant don't get banged up add more packing material, such as crumpled up newspaper, shredded newspaper, or any soft packing, but nothing plastic touching the plants it will cook them. then before you tape them up tip the box back and forth to make sure there is no movement in there. I know I've shipped hosta all summer long with no complaints.
Annie
This message was edited Jun 21, 2005 5:47 PM
I got a case of the "willies" just thinking about receiving hosta with the leaves cut back. Please don't do this. It might cause severe agida!
I did cut off two small, chewed outer leaves but I left the rest.
My sum and substance arrived last year with one large leaf, one new, and the rest clipped-- it seemed smart because it cuts down on the mass inside the box and then there's less crushing force if the package is handled roughly.
Concered about the cooking comment-- there's plenty of contact between bubble wrap and plant-- am doomed?
I received a package the other day that I thought was a great idea. The plants were wrapped in newspaper, and she used blown up balloons to keep them from rattling around in the box. Worked great, plus she arranged the balloons so they stayed put and held the plants in place to keep from crushing the leaves, and the larger plants/root masses from crushing the smaller plants. Balloons can be blown up to whatever size you need them to be to do the job you are wanting them to do.
I'm putting balloons on my shopping list. :)
JoanJ - great idea!
great idea about the balloons!
Unless the leaves are real ugly looking, I don't cut any leaves. I just sent three mature divisions of Abiqua Drinking Gourd, Color Glory and Regal splendor. There were at the least 5 big leaves on each and I didn't cut any of them. I used the long boxes that you get at the post office. Last year and the year before I've sent a combination of mature, medium and small hosta a total of 15 or more total. I had to put two of the priority boxes together to give enough height for the plant but I cut no leaves. All were delivered with no stress.
If you are careful how the hosta are seperated and packed, your trader should have beautiful plants when they arrive. I think hosta are one of the very few plants you can dig and not have it wilt.
Yes, one of my friends on the other site has used balloons. It cuts down on the weight of the box, is cheaper to send, and the plants arrive in great shape.
Annie
This message was edited Jun 22, 2005 7:03 AM
Thanks for the idea about the balloons. First time I've heard about it and it's a fantastic idea.
:) Donna
Would you wrap the baloons in paper so they don't sit on top of leaves, like hostas?
Once Flowerjunkie sent me Begonias wrapped in balloons and I received plants in very good shape.
Kaleem
If I were doing it this way, I would lay the plants in the box, put a couple sheets of paper over the top of them then put the balloons in to fill up the dead space.
Annie
Thanks, Annie to the rescue again!
I've never done this, but I've heard others doing it when sending seedlings. Use a paper towel, or toilet paper cardbord roll to put plants in if they are small.
Annie
I like that, too! And it's something we all have!
I found all the bubble wrap in the house to fill up dead space.
I stapled it to the box around the stems of the plants to hold them in place.
I'm really only worried about the "touching plastic" comment . . . I did put the bubble side of the bubble wrap towards the plant . . .
I didn't use newspaper because I was afraid it would add too much weight and mass, plus if it dries it tends to suck the moisture even further out of anything it touches-- got some clematis that arrived "dried" to the point of being preserved due to being wrapped in paper . . . .
There's an old cyclist's trick for drying out your shoes after getting soaked in the rain-- stuff 'em with newspaper-- works way better than paper towels etc. . . .
Now if I could just trust myself on a bike again! Maybe a tricycle!
I'm thinking IF I ever get another, will have to be a trike (motorcycle) or a stationary bike (exercise, oh no!) LOL Thanks for the idea about balloons!!! ~ Suzi :)