How should I package bulbs for mailing from old home to new?

I will be mailing many plants from NC to our new home in WA. I know to wrap plants in damp newspaper, put them in a plastic bag (leaving it open for air circulation), but how should I mail my hostas & bulbs? Should they be wet or dry? When the plants arrive in WA a woman is going to open the boxes & plant everything (in temporary holes), but should she water the hostas & bulbs? Any advice would be appreciated!

Hi Goat! I'm your neighbor in Monroe! I can't believe your are leaving beautiful Matthews for WA! But I'm glad that at least you are taking your plants with you to remind you of home. I have my bulbs that I am storing for winter packed in plastic containers with dry vermiculite. I ship them in a box with shredded paper. Or sometimes if I know they are going to get there quick I just put them in a box with dry paper towels for stuffing and send them off. I would do something like that. For sure don't ship your bulbs wet. You don't want to risk them rotting. If you kept them cool, they would also probably be OK to wait for planting until the spring. If I ship hostas I dig them, shake off all the dirt, and wrap them in newspaper. So they are shipped pretty dry also. Then plant them when they arrive. Water them in and say hello again in the spring. Have fun on your new adventure.

Robin