Whether you’re moving to a new home or shipping specific species to a gardener friend, you’ll want to know how to ship live plants. This is one of the most common questions along with how to ship bare-root greenery. But there’s no need to worry about it, no matter how daunting it may seem at first.
Shipping garden plants by mail across the country is not so hard to do. The following tips will show you why it can be very simple. The only step which could make the process a bit harder is the legal one. You will have to check if it’s mailing plants across certain states is legal, as every state has different laws and regulations regarding this topic.
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How to Move Live Plants from Your Garden Properly and Efficiently
There are many steps you’ll have to consider before you send your greenery by mail across the country. You will have to make sure that they’re ready for the move, and that you have all the packing supplies.
If you are in the middle of a relocation yourself, keep the weather and the time of the year in mind before the shipping. This means more water if you’re moving in the summer, and extra insulation to survive winter temperatures if you’re moving to a colder climate.
Steps to Take to Make Sure That Your Plants Arrive Safely
- Prepare the roots
Remove the plant from the soil carefully and keep any cuttings you might have removed during this process for a new herb. Remember not to wash the roots completely, as the soil will help it survive the trip to your home.
- Use paper towels or moist newspaper for wrapping
You should use paper towels or newspapers soaked in water to wrap up the roots. Place your greenery in the middle and slowly roll the paper around the roots, with any foliage on the outside. You can secure the foliage using rubber bands or twist ties. For extra protection, you can cover everything with a couple of layers of newspapers.
- Place it inside a bag
After you’ve secured the roots in wet paper, place it inside a small bag. Remember to leave the bag open as your flower will require both air and water to survive. Use other larger bags to envelop the smaller bag, to create cushioning and stability.
- Get the right moving box
You’ll want to ensure that your greenery survives the journey to your new garden. This is why you should get a sturdy moving box that can properly protect everything during the relocation. Moving boxes are not always handled as carefully as one might want, which is why you’ll want to get the sturdiest box you can find for this job.
- Secure the contents of the container
One of the most common tips on how to transport live plants is to make sure that they’re not moving around inside their container. You can use newspapers, bubble wrap, or packing paper to ensure that your pot or bag is not rumbling inside the box. Lastly, after you’ve secured everything in place, tape up the box as many times as you want so that it’s stable on the trip to your new home.
Label the Container with Your Plant Properly
Don’t forget one of the most important steps, and that is to label the box or container properly before you send it out. You should write “Perishable”, “Live Plant” and “This Side Up” on the box so the movers know how to properly handle it. If it’s a new box that you haven’t used before, you may have to add a return address as well. Remember to write down the names of your flowers and any instructions before you mail them.
Gardening and Shipping Your Plants to Another City Isn’t Easy nor Free These Days
You will, understandably, be concerned about the safety of your herbs and flowers, and you’ll want to send them by mail as soon as possible. This is why you’ll be looking for the fastest way to transport them, but the safest way as well. You should check with the post office or look for a reliable shipping company that offers this kind of service. The number one priority should be that your green friend spends as little time as possible inside a box.
Check how long the shipping process will take and plan the right time to send your package. It would be smart to do it on a Monday or as early as possible in the week. Sometimes you won’t be able to get your package delivered over the weekend, and that’s an unnecessary time it is spending inside storage. Another important piece of advice on how to transport live greenery is to check the weather in advance. It could be wise to wait out the hottest and the coldest weather if you have the time to do so. All the preparation and packing would be for naught if your flower dies of freezing or boiling inside a storage unit or a moving truck.
Ask the Customer Support Section for Help with the Shipping
In case you are moving on short notice, you may have decided to hire experts for the job. Maybe you didn’t have the time to tackle the entire process and needed professional moving and packing services. You have probably found out that you can ask your movers for advice and for a moving quote. The same applies to the mailing company you’ve hired to ship your plants. Don’t be afraid to get in contact with them if you have any questions about how to ship live plants. Whether you’re concerned about the safety of your herbs or want to find out more about the laws and regulations regarding shipping a plant.
