CLOSED: Mailing Plants

I'm new to this. Can I get your input on how to mail plants? Bare root, or in the pot? Does it depend on the kind of plant? Right now, I need to mail some small Sweet Potato Vines (they're in 4 inch pots). Any advice is welcome here.

I haven't mailed any sweet potato vines, but I have sent and received other plants. I remove them from the pot, rinse the dirt off the roots, wrap the root ball in a damp paper towel, and wrap that in plastic wrap, and tape the plastic wrap to itself so it stays in place. Then I tape the plastic-wrapped root ball to the bottom of the box so it doesn't flop around and damage the foliage. Then I put shredded paper, styrofoam peanuts, or something like those around the foliage to "fill" the box. Tape the box securely and write "fragile" all over it. Some people poke holes in the box with a pencil for air circulation. As far as I've been told, all the plants I've sent this way have arrived in good shape, and the ones I've received packaged in this manner were undamaged.
I hope that helps!
Welcome to plant trading!

Edited to say: Shipping them bareroot saves on shipping costs, which is why I do it that way.

This message was edited Sep 28, 2005 3:49 PM

When I send a potted plant I wad newspaper or paper shreds up and press them to the exposed soil, and tape it to the pot. This keeps soil from spilling from the pot. I then place the pot in a plastic bag and secure the bag with a twist tie to the base of the plant, making sure not to have plastic in contact with leaves. Then I use packing tape to secure the wrapped pot to the bottom corner of the box, so the plant can't move around in the box. If there is a lot of foliage to protect, I would roll the pot and all in newspaper before taping it to the inside of the box. When rolled up in newspaper I often lay them in the bottom of the box, then tape it down. Good luck, Neal.

This is helpful if you send without soil. Save's on shipping to.http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/502752/

Thanks, everyone. I have a good handle on what to do now - I'm going to try it both ways (potted and un-potted).

Steve

sweet potato vine is not the best traveller. I think it would be better to send a tuber and let recipient take it from there.

I've sent sweet potato vine before--cuttings ARE very wimpy about not being put into water ASAP, so they look awful after travelling! lol However, if you pack them w/very wet paper towels wrapped in saran and sealed, and warn your trading end, it'll be ok. Just enclose a note to trim the very end of the stem (in case it's dried at all) and stick into water immediately to perk them back up. They should be fine a night later.

I mailed 4 different cultivars to my mother in Michigan (from TX), and when I visited a month later, she was able to show off the potted plants.

=) MKJ

Hi There,

I have a mail order nursery in Australia and when I send my clivia plants out I take all dirt from the plant, wash and rinse, wrap the roots in damp paper, then place this whole section into a freezer bag and tie off and then wrap loosely bubble wrap around the leaves for protection, I also then post in a cylinder to keep the plant straight. I use a saw to cut the cylinder the same size as the plant so that it minimises the plant moving around in transit.

I hope that this helps you.

Cheers
Windale

I hate getting plants taped to the box. I usually tear them up trying to get them lose. If you wrap the plant and put packing material(crumpled newspaper, shredded paper, peanuts) all around it, it won't move or be crushed and is much easier to remove from the box(especially the tube boxes).
If you use wet paper around the plant, be sure to enclose it in plastic. If not, the whole box will get soggy and fall apart.

I appreciate everyone's advice. I'm going to mail some on Monday; I'll let you know how it went.

Steve

I HAVE mailed Sweet Potato Vine cuttings--easily and quickly rooted in water. I just wrap the roots in paper towel like everything else only I don't use plastic wrap. I use Press N Seal Wrap as it holds to itself and holds the moisture in (don't send wet--merely damp. I squeeze out the excess that would normally soak the box in transit!).

I have received plants both ways. Pretty much depends on the circumstances, root size etc. Some plants have really delicate, thin roots and those I would mail with at least SOME of the soil. But as a general rule, dirt weighs a good bit and best to not mail it! hehehe

Bonnie