Kim,
Since you are the resident DG plant packing Queen, I thought I'd ask you a Q.
I need a bit of advice: if you were sending a NEWLY-rooted sedum [Autumn Joy type] to India, would you pack the roots in wet paper or send it dry? I don't want it to dry out and die nor do I want it to mold/rot. I will mail it the best way [according to the $$$] so I am assuming it would take a couple of wks to get there.
THANKS!
Deb
Plant Packing Tips...See Pictures 1-8
I'm jumping in here to ask a pertinent question Deb. How hot is it in India right now? And on the way there? the temps?
Last year I had sedums/succulents sent to me from Ok and Canada. Both were packed in wet/damp paper towels in the summer heat. Both came to me as sedum soup.
Your thoughts Kim?
:^)))
Well for sedum..just my opinion..
Because you're sending it to India I wouldn't use any plastic of any type in the package. The sedum wont die. They are tough guys! LOL To send them bare root would be the best bet. They can go without water for some time. Also if you send your package air letter post (regular air mail) it shouldn't take more then 7 days. Most of my international packages reach their destination within 4 days (except Cananda) Mail between Cananda and the States seems to be very very slow.
Molly,
I don't know what the temps are there right now, but I can dmail and find out- I'll let ya know. A very good Q and thanks for the input!
I too have rec'd plants in the summer that were cooked/steamed-and once from a mail-order Co who should have known better!!
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I had also thought about waiting 'til the sedums go dormant [for me] and ship it bare-root. Don't know if that would make a difference. This is what I had suggested to the DG'er I'm trading with but I want him to have and enjoy his plants now- lol!
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Kim,
Thank you so very much for the suggestion. You are right- they are tough little buggers- lol! So is it terribly $$ to send them the way you suggest? I have never sent anything overseas- at least I dont think I have- lol!
Just Watch the ounce..pounds etc. No need to send a big piece. Sedum grows fast. A start is what he/she should be interested in?
Up to 1 pound - No Custom Form Needed
Over 1 pound - Custom Form Needed
I never send over a pound, except for twice and I filled out the custom form.
To India - Airmail Letter Post (just a few)
1. 3 ounces - $2.40
2. 6 ounces - $4.80
3. 10 ounces - $8.05
4. 16 ounces - $9.75
There are a lot of plants that can be sent bare root. You just have to use good judgement. A few are: grasses, flowering bulbs, sedum, hosta, corms, tuberous plants..
Wow Kim you went to a lot of trouble to give me that info! Thanks so very much.
You are a treasure here at DG!
Kim I didn't know the "under a lb" deal. good info
Kim,
Ditto to everyone else...good info to have!!
I didnt know it was legal to ship plants or seeds to another country? If I am wrong please let me know as I would love to trade with people outside of the states. However, I was told that it was illegal to ship plants to other countries or to have plants sent to you from another country. Is this correct? I only ask because I saw on this thread people in the states talking about sending plants and seeds to England and vice - versa. Ok, I will sit back and learn.
Thanks
I agree...would be wonderful to add the diversity of trading with those in other countries!!
I don't know if it is legal or not but if it is illegal there's a lot of it going on here- lol! http://davesgarden.com/forums/f/intl/all/
LOL
Well when I sent that Huge box to England. I put the plant names on the custom form. The box arrived fine and unopened. There were a lot of plants in this box.
Yeah they're probably happy to have specifics on the form instead of having to guess at possible illegal "unknowns" - LOL Not to mention...I'm certain they've got the drug dogs doing their thing - probably keeps the boxes from having to be rummaged through.
How would you ship a young growing canna lily that's about 2 ft. tall? From Houston to Florida.
In a triangular tube priority box. They have them in 24" long size.
Molly
tHANKS!
Hi, all. This is a great thread. We are a new nursery and I just got a small website up and going. I had a call the other day from someone in Kansas wanting plants and since I have never shipped I was reluctant to do this. I may be a little more relaxed about it now with all these great tips. Most of our plants are large and I don't really think it would be cost effective to ship them, but this would be great for some of my started plants from the greenhouse. Anyway, I am just wondering if you mark your boxes with a "live plant" statement or something or just ship them without marking the box. I didn't see any mention of this in the thread, and am just curious. Thanks! Vicki
Ely,
I don't know what is right or wrong, but I don't generally mark my boxes. I tell the postman there are plants in there. I don't believe the post office will treat the package any differently (better) if you do mark it. Except maybe in California and any other states that do not want soil shipped into their country, then they may open the package for inspection.
:^)))
My son told me once he marked a package fragile and it was received in horrible shape. Postal workers sometimes have a sick sense of humor. I therefore don't mark anything and it seems to arrive in good shape.
Good luck with your business.
I've been marking mine "Careful Plants" b/c earlier in the season I didn't want the boxes to be left out in temps that wouldn't be healthy for the plant. I was told if it were marked they would be kept aside. No one's told me of the boxes arriving in bad shape...makes me rethink things though given what has happened with some of ya'lls
Thanks for the replies. Yesterday I received the hard copy of our nursery license/registration, and I guess we are in an area that is quaranteened for Fire Ants. I guess I will stick to selling locally, or at least only within the state; having had to deal with those suckers for 17 years, I certainly wouldn't want to be responsible for sending them anywhere else!
I do mark my boxes, I have a nursery stock certificate. I either write "live plants" or "iris rhizomes." This is what our agriculture department suggested.
Most of the plants I send in the mail have never been outside yet; & need hardening off, so I state that on a piece of paper in large print in the box. I also mark the outsides of the boxes in red marker Perishable.
If the PO asks me why perishable; then I tell them it's house plants or new seedlings. They've never marked the box after that; & no more questions.
I send some plants (like Hostas) Bare-Root & I state that too. The're washed & inspected by me very carefully.
~* Robin
This may be a DUMB question...but how do you determine the weight of the package? I had a scale, because I sell on ebay...but it is not working, and I have not bought another one.
I use the USPS printed postage, and have the PO pick up here at the house. I know the weight of my ebay items....but I have quite a few plants I plan to offer cutting of. Last year I shipped out over 100 cuttings and seeds to DG folks. This year i will be offering even more.
I am guessing that a box filled with a few of each cutting will weigh about 1 1/2 lbs..... I think.
I know all over the US a 1 pound pkg goes out for $4.05...but then it gets messy after a pound.
A 1 1/2 pound package to Lake port, CA is $6.05....but a 1 1/2 pound pkg to santa clara, UT is $5.30. I know one of the rules on DG is you can not charge for items...if I figure full pkgs at a flat rate of $6.05, and actual cost is $5.30 will folks get mad?
I am sorry...I have not been here for a year, until the past few weeks...so I have forgotten how to go about this.
Thanks for ANY help!!!
Sue
If I am shipping quite a few plants, I send them in a flat rate box. There are squarish ones and long narrow ones. They cost around $8, no matter the weight.
I have spent so many hours at the post office this year I can't even begin to count! I love this thread. I fret over EVERYTHING I ship no matter how long it takes me to package...rolled newspaper i find works great for things like lilies with long growing foliage...with the paper towel and plastic bag at the bottom..as an addition to CalamusGardens comment...on usps.com you have the option of ordering numerous FREE boxes in various sizes...you can also order free envelopes an stuff your own box in the envelope if it will fit! But the free boxes...I couldn't believe! In my area they will also deliver them right to your door for free...i wonder if they do that all over the US? My post office has never hear of a phytosanitary certificate...
Sue, I shipped a box of 50 cutting priority mail last week (2 actually...) across country, cost 8.05 flat rate ...if that helps!
I absolutely LOVE the packed shreddings idea and have been begging my finace to bring them home from work..but he never seems to remember, after this post I am settled on it..maybe walmart tomorrow to get a cheap shredder while on my hoya hunt!
Great info, Abbie!
Wow, I'm so glad I found this thread. I was getting ready to ship out some peony slips and was a little nervous about the packing. This is great! Thanks so much.
Kim - When you wrap the roots in a paper towel, is the towel dry or damp?
Thanks, Joyce
Joyce,
Kim hasn't paid for a membership in a while. From what she told me; she uses a spray-mister to dampen the paper towels ever so lightly with just regular water.
HTH,
~* Robin
Awesome thread! Thanks, DG, for making it "Sticky"...it is worthy of not being missed! (Coming from someone that goes on DG info sprees and then tends to disappear for months at a time)...
~Shelley
hi kim.........
at the beginning of the thread you said to make sure the foliage is damp when packing it. so do you spray it a bit after you get a bit of the paper around it?
Hi, Sokami2. I don't think Kim is posting here anymore, so you probably won't hear from her directly. I think it would be fine to mist the foliage, but not to get the paper too soggy.
ok thanks! i just started my first trading this week but i think i packed them ok.
Anyone keep in touch with Kim? I wish she were still here as she was such a good addition to the forums.
I've tried contacting her a few times, but didn't have any luck. I miss her, too.
Kim Long time no see. We did a trade a few years back and you sent me a cookbook with my package. I think it was a swap or something. I just wanted to say hello.
Hello!
I am looking for a place to take all the packing peanuts. I will not use them, and I won't throw them away. Is there anyone who wants them? They do not break down so I would like to recyle mine. All the plants that I received well, came wrapped in either newspaper, or a similar paper, plastic only for the plant or around a small pot, and shredded paper. That can be reused or recyled or be used to start a burn pile. I live where we have to burn our leaves and pine needles to keep our land cleared away from our house, since we live in the forest.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Evelyn