Does anyone have any tips on sending a few unrooted cuttings to Canada? I would like to do my normal priority mail box, but I'm afraid that it will raise suspicion. Any suggestions? Also, when I take the box to the P.O., do I have to tell them what's in it? I have no idea how to go about this, so any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Gabi
Shipping to Canada
Hmmm....at the risk of raising the ire of customs, I divulge the following:
1. Sending plants across the border is not allowed. (seeds are allowed). Therefore, although by law you have to tell them what's in it, don't do so! If you do, they will either not accept the package or, when it reaches customs, it will be confiscated. I think technically they're upset about soil, which I know unrooted cuttings won't have, but I don't think the customs get that technical. Plants are plants are plants.
2. I have sent cuttings home before. I put them with a bunch of other stuff (to my parents) and have never had a package confiscated, but I don't do it often. That way, I put the vast majority of the contents on the customs label truthfully, and just leave off the cuttings. Of course, I make sure they are well protected (carefully wrapped, in papertowel, in baggies, in sturdy box, in the middle of the package.
3. You WILL have to fill out a customs label for a package to Canada. If you are only mailing cuttings, you will have to put something on the label. Essentially, whatever you put will be a flat-out lie. Somehow this is less palatable for me than putting the majority of the contents truthfully on the customs label and omitting the cuttings. Also remember there is a chance your package will be x-rayed and they will see that it is not socks (or whatever you put on the label).
4. How close are you to the border? If I were you, I might consider a quick border trip and mail from a Canadian PO, in which case no problem. Of course, you are not allowed to have them in your car either, but you can always plead ignorance if you do get searched (Oh, I forgot those were under the seat officer...they were for my neighbor but when I went over, she wasn't home, etc, etc.). I sent my mom a bunch of houseplants by FedEx when I was moving to Iowa, just as I was leaving Ontario. They got there fine and the short trip was better for their health!
5. The worst that can happen is that they get confiscated, but by putting plant cuttings on the customs label, it's a pretty sure thing that they will get confiscated. I don't think they imprison people for mailing plants (unless they were plants with certain qualities, like drugs) but they might fine you. I'm not sure.
6. Be mindful of where in Canada you are sending them at this time of year, since if they sit on a doorstep somewhere, waiting for someone to get home, they are likely to freeze.
This is my 2 cents - maybe others will have had other experiences.
Claire
I think you are taking a huge risk in sending plants across the border. You will have to fill out a customs form and on that form it asks what the package contains, if you lie and don't list plants and are caught you could face a big fine.
I heard someone last year say they sent plants to a DG'er in Canada - the plants were confiscated by customs when the package was examined and she got fined for shipping plants without first purchasing a phytosanitary certificate.
So, just beware if you consider doing it.
Thanks for that amazing advice, Claire.
I didn't mean that I'd put "plants" on the label - I just wasn't sure if I'd have to report what was being sent. And if I had to write what I was sending, I wasn't sure what to make up.
I like the idea of sending other items (like socks) with the plants, but I also think that the x-ray machine would see the plants that were buried inside the socks - no? Either way, I like that idea a lot.
Also, does it matter if I send it via priority mail (you know, those free boxes you get for about 4 bucks and change), or if I send it via "regular" mail (like in a padded envelope with cardboard around it - I read that tip while doing a search on here)? I'd rather send it priority, but I really don't want to get it confiscated.
Lin, thanks for the heads up. I'm not too concerned about a fine. It's not like I'm sending any soil or a huge bunch of plants - it's just a few cuttings. I doubt it'll be a HUGE fine. I just want the cuttings to get there!
Oh, and I'm not sending it now because of the weather - I will wait till it warms up a bit.
Hopefully more of you will chime in!
Thanks so much,
Gabi
Hi Gabi,
The priority mail boxes don't matter for Canada. You can use them, but you won't be spending 4 bucks and change. You'll be spending more because Canadian postage is different. Priority mail flat rates only apply within the US. I mail things to Canada all the time and generally don't use the priority mail boxes because they are often too big for what I need. I use the smallest logical box size, or a puffy envelope.
I don't think that the box or the padded envelope or whatever would be any more/less likely to be confiscated. I think the confiscation is most likely in the following 3 circumstances:
(1) you put something weird sounding on the label or something that doesn't fit with the box or package size (i.e. you say "2 pairs socks" and you use a box that would fit 50 pairs). You DO have to indicate quantity of items on the customs form.
(2) you put anything relating to plants on the label
(3) your package happens to get x-rayed.
If it does happen to get x-rayed, the puffy envelope is probably more likely to be confiscated I guess. I'm not sure about the x-ray thing. I have brought cuttings back from England from my grandparents and my bag has been x-rayed and either they didn't notice it or didn't care, but if they were doing their job they should care. I think it's hard to identify things like plant leaves unless they are very distinctive looking. I usually put them in the bottom of a toiletries bag that was full of feminine hygiene items. That way, even if they unzippered the bag, they were unlikely to want to dig too deeply. :-) If they're in the middle of a suitcase with clothes and all around them, maybe they don't show up all that well. I also once read that wrapping things in foil tends to screw up x-rays of them. Never tried it. I have heard estimates of 4 to 10% of packages getting x-rayed.
Likewise, in a box, maybe they don't show up as well amongst other things, but if you sent them by themselves in the box, then they would. If you send them in a puffy envelope, I think they'd be easy to see. I think really the customs x-ray procedures are looking for stuff like guns and knives and other major violations. That said, there are no guarantees unless you get the phyto certificate like Lin said.
The only time you don't have to put a customs label on a package to Canada is if it's just an envelope (like for a letter, not a puffy envelope). I have sent a seed packet in an envelope before without needing customs labeling. A puffy envelope, or anything else package-like, will need a customs label. If it's under 4 pounds it needs a green small customs label, and over 4 pounds needs the larger white label.
Claire
Claire,
You have no idea how helpful you've been. Thanks for taking the time to give me all that info. And it really helped. I think I'll use a small box and put the cuttings inside a baggie and then put the baggies in some pairs of socks - might be tricky, but I'll figure it out :)
Of course I won't moisten the cuttings before putting them in - I'm used to putting a wet piece of paper towel around the cut end of the cutting, but I think the socks would make it too hot and sticky. I don't know, I'll have to think about that. I have time, so we'll see.
Thanks again,
Gabi