Packing AVs for shipping

Here are the pictures of Allison's packing method. It results in all the plants arriving healthy with no broken leaves or blooms. It was pretty cold when these where shipped to me, and the AVs show no signs of damage from low temperatures at all.

Here is the box before unpacking, with a nice blanket of insulation over the plants.

All the styrofoam cups neatly placed inside.

Another layer of insulation on the bottom of the box.

Cups out of the box, each one wrapped in a thin plastic bag, taped on the bottom.

Plant, still in the cup, surrounded by paper towels to keep it from moving around. Just lift the paper towels and the plant comes right out of the cup.

Side image of the plant, out of the cup, still wrapped in the paper towels.

Paper towels removed, one can see that the whole pot has been wrapped with a plastic bag and taped securely.

Outer plastic removed, the plastic coiled around the plant base to hold the soil in place, can be seen.

Packing a larger plant, use more than one styrofoam cup, open end to open end.

Still in the bottom cup, with the inverted cup removed.

Removed from the cups, plastic still around the pot.

Leaves packed in a styrofoam cup.

That is neat. Feels like I just got a package. : ) Way to go, Allison!

Leaves in a plastic bag.

This packing method delivers a beautiful set of plants in perfect condition!

Great packing pics! Thanks for taking the time to load them.
I think Allison does a great job of packing !
I personally hate that insulation stuff though!Itch~itch.
Sad there's no better way to ship them for the winter timecause with out the insulation the AV's would be frozen in colder areas.

Edit to say look how well grown all those are!!! Wow!

MsC


This message was edited Jan 16, 2006 8:30 PM

I guess I should have posted them in reverse order to refer to while packing plants. Oh well, I was just excited to post them and haven't had time til now. Maybe this could go in the sticky for reference purposes. Allison really does pack them up perfectly!

I think the pics are posted just fine!
It would make a nice sticky especially if it were noted for Winter Shipping. In the summer most places don't really need the pink itchy insulation ,just shredded newspaper works.

MsC

You did perfect pictures of packaging ! I know when I get a plant I like it in the pot, with the dirt. lol And not soggy wet stems...
In the summer I do the same way except I use peanuts or newpaper for in-between cups always making sure nothing in the box can move !
When it's extremly hot I use insulation again.
Amy you did an excellent job posting how to package . Thanks ! I am always happy when someone's plants arrive safe !
Allison

Super packing photos. The plants look great.

Deb

Laurie can you put this in our Sticky pretty please :))
Thanks bunches, Allison

Thanks y'all! I sure tried to take good pictures to show off Allison's work. The plants are just great! So far they still seem happy to be here. :o)

These are great photos!
Thanks for sharing..and Allison...what a wonderful job of packing!

your welcome ! I take great pride in packing safe plants. And Thank you Amy for for taking the time to make this learning link for packaging for our sticky you did an awesome job :))
*** You deserve more leaves :))

I'd like to emphasize one point about the fabulous way Allison ships, because it's the same as advice I got from KimGaither & other plant trading gurus... Do not let plastic touch the foliage of the plants, as humidity can then produce condensation on the leaves, which can rot them. Plastic is good (eg, vital) around the pot or the rootball, because you want to hold moisture in there.

I'll see if I can find Kim Gaither's instructions on packaging other plants for trade, as I found them really useful. There are a bunch of other packing suggestions on this thread also. Here's the link: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/502752/

There are also some good tips regarding shipping via USPS on this thread: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/462792/

This message was edited Jan 18, 2006 12:49 PM

I've sent other plants using Kim's method several times, and have been told they arrived safely. Good point about the plastic not touching the foliage, too. I received a plant completely wrapped in plastic once. There were quite a few rotten leaves (and a horrible smell), but I removed all those and it managed to survive. It did suffer quite a setback, though.

Y'all are so welcome! I enjoyed taking the pictures and documenting the unwrapping process. I hope it will be beneficial to someone. I'll certainly know what to do when I ship AVs. I think that big gorilla from the old Samsonite commercials would be the only way the plants would be damaged when they're packed as securely as this!

I've already got the potting mix ready for those leaves, Allison!

I use to wrap in newspaper but it was messy, hard for me more time consuming. Hubby started buying the cups as I like to lie in bed and wrap plant. Everyone loved how their plants arrived and it's good way for me !
I have shipped tons of large plants in 6 inch , hanging pots, pan pots too all arived in excellent condition. I shipped 40 plants to United Kingdom all perfect !
In the hot summer heat I use insulation too .
My husband always drop the boxes off. I don't want to worry about plants being picked up by mail people and in hot or cold cars all day. My husband goes in the morning early AM as soon as the Post Office opens to ship.
April your box is on it's way ! Amy's big box of leaves.
Last week she did not want leaves. lol Another one bites the dust. She's hooked and wantes more. lol
HP should get her box today or tomorrow !
Hope everyone enjoys !
Thank you everyone for sharing in my joy of growing my babies and joy of packing :)).
***** I would always add steps ( no mater how time consuming) to make packaging better but never take steps away to slow it down.
Happy Growing !
Happy Sharing !
Do a good job packing !

Well, you can't fault a girl for realizing the error of her ways! How was I to know leaves would be so great? LOL I was almost sad when you said you didn't wick your leaves. If you did, then I'd have gotten to go back and repot all the leaves to put wicks in! LOL I told my husband that, and he just shook his head. He already knows I'm a lost cause. Poor, poor patient man.
I'll be at the Post Office with bells on every morning til the leaves arrive! :o)

I use to wick my leaves. You can if you want :))
I have so many babies growing if you or anyone wants I will have many more babies in the Spring.
I have not posted a list, have not had the chance to finish is. Plus it keeps changine when I send out boxes though many plants I have several of. You never know if your looking for something I may have it. lol I have many plants reserved for you all ones you said you'd want :))

I'm trying to put together a wish list for the second Spring Bunny trade. It's so hard to pick the ones to put on it. I love them all! LOL I'm basically scrolling through the AVSA photographs and when one wows me enough to stop, I add it to the list. I hope the ones I like aren't all super rare and hard to find. In all honesty, I haven't seen an AV that I wouldn't like to have.

African Violets Search Page
http://home.earthlink.net/~sestes1373/avsearch.html

I think we should add this thread to the top of the page on "How to do things"

Janet
This is the thread Amy made on how I packaged her plants ! Thanks Amy so you can see how I do it !
Allison

Great search page Allison! I've made it a favorite! I'm tired of the 'other' results when I google an AV

Thanks it's in out Sticky !

Great pictures and excellent information on packing plants Allison. Thanks for sharing the inforamtion with all of us.

Your welcome and Thank you Amy for taking and posting pictures when she ot her boxes from me :))
I am extremly fussy when I package. I want the plants to arrive as safe as possible. In their pots and the soil all in the pots too not all over the plants :)) A broken leaf now and then is just a Blessing to put down and grow some babies to share with someone :))

I also wanted to mention these babies I grew from leaf many, many months of care a gift from my heart. And I want them to arrive in good condition to their new homes. Also there is nothing more disapointing than to get a box full of dead, frozen, cooked, plants covered by dirt.
Why have something so precious and not care for it properly ?

That makes alot of sense Allison