It is preferable to export most plants as bare roots as opposed to in their pots. Put on a pair of gardening gloves and carefully remove the roots of your plant from the pot, shaking off any extra soil. It’s not necessary to totally rinse the roots because part of the soil residue will keep the plant happy and healthy during transportation and potential repotting.
Wrap Roots With a Moist Paper Towel
Wrap the plant’s roots with a paper towel that has been lightly moistened with clean, room-temperature water. You can wrap your plant in numerous layers of paper towels if you’re transporting it a long way. The plant will receive water along the journey as a result of the paper’s gradual moisture release.
Wrap With Plastic Wrap
Wrap the paper towels and roots in a sheet of plastic wrap to keep everything in place. You might also put the plant in a plastic bag as an alternative. This will keep the moisture within and act as insulation for the roots’ delicate tissues.
Secure the Plant
By using rubber bands or wrapping the entire bundle in newspaper, secure the plant’s top. Both strategies will control wayward growth and guard against plant damage.
Place Plant Inside Box
Your plant should be packed in a robust corrugated cardboard box that can withstand any damage from vigorous handling. Find a box that is beautiful and sturdy to ensure that your plant gets to its destination intact.
Fill Extra Space
Finding a box that properly fits your goods can be challenging. After you’ve inserted your plant inside the sturdy corrugated box, fill any remaining space with newspaper or packing paper to provide additional padding. Your plant won’t have any room to move during handling if you do it this way. Useless paper, packing peanuts, or bubble wrap are more options.
Tape the Box Closed
Tape all box edges tightly with sturdy packing tape before sealing the lid. Add a lot of tape to the box’s edges to reinforce them if you’re concerned about how the product will be handled.
Tip
Punch a few ventilation holes in the box if your area is warm or if you’re moving the plant to a warm location. Make a few small holes in the box’s sides using your fingertips. Avoid doing this in cold weather because the cold may harm your plant.
Label the Box
Label the box “Live Plants,” “Fragile,” or “Perishable” using permanent ink so that shipment handlers can easily read it. This won’t ensure that the individuals handling your box will handle it delicately, but it might persuade some of them.
If you’re recycling a box, write the return address and mailing address on the outside and take off or black out any previous shipping labels.
Ship Your Plant
It’s time to transport your plant now that it has been beautifully prepared and boxed for travel. If your plant satisfies the USPS’s shipping regulations, you can always drop it off at the post office for delivery. Select priority mail. Because the plant is in such a vulnerable position while being transported, you should try to cut the shipping time as much as you can.
Another option is to use a private delivery firm, FedEx, UPS, or both. Although some will cost more than others, all will offer rapid shipping alternatives. Finding a service that can ship your plant swiftly and within your budget is the key.
Can indoor plants be shipped?
Plants may travel well as long as they are packaged safely. Make sure to use packing supplies like bubble wrap, corrugated boxes for each plant, etc.
Will USPS accept plants for shipping?
To begin with, you must ascertain whether you can actually send your plant. You cannot send a plant that is listed as endangered or protected! The Baja rose, the Santa Inez goldenbanner, and the Yreka phlox are a few instances of endangered plants.
By looking up your plant in this database maintained by the United States Department of Agriculture, you can learn whether it is endangered or protected.
The Parcel Needs to Identify that Live Plants and Vegetation Are Inside
One of the most crucial things you must do after determining whether your plant can be transported is to indicate that the package contains a plant. The Terminal Inspection Act of 1916 mandates that all packages containing plants be properly labelled, according to USPS. Fortunately, you don’t always have to purchase specialized stickers, as is the case when transporting ORM-D goods. Simply mark your box with a marker to indicate that it includes plants. Simple enough!
Properly Preparing Your Plants for Shipment
In order to ensure that live plants and other vegetation travel safely, adequate packaging is essential. To keep moisture in the plant’s roots, USPS always needs waterproof material, like waxed Kraft paper. Additionally, this will prevent transit-related leaks in your package. Every plant, however, has a unique requirement, therefore you must wrap each one individually. For instance, you must use puncture-proof paper to cover spiky plants like cacti.
Here are some easy measures to take as a basic checklist while exporting plants:
- a few sheets of packing paper or newspaper should be mildly dampened.
- Place the plant with the roots and stem in the center after folding the papers in half (if your plant has foliage, make sure you place the foliage outside the edge of the paper)
- Gently wrap the roots with the paper.
- To keep moisture from getting into the roots, wrap the bottom of the plants in waterproof waxed Kraft paper. Don’t seal the paper, though, as your plants require oxygen to survive.
- To safeguard the plant and stop moisture damage to your box, wrap the entire plant in at least two substantial plastic supermarket bags.
- Put the plant into a fresh corrugated cardboard box, being careful to select one that not only fits it best but also doesn’t overly restrict it.
- We advise sending a letter inside the package describing the plant’s species and how to take care of it (paper will become wet from the moisture of the plant, so laminating the note is always a good idea).
- Indicate that there are plants within the packaging.
- Send it off as soon as you can!
Which USPS Mail Class Should I Use?
The USPS postal class you select will be based on the weight of your plant and how quickly you need it to arrive. In general, First Class Package will be the preferred method of shipping plants because many of them weigh less than 16 ounces. The plant will arrive with this service in an anticipated 1-3 business days and will be the least expensive choice. Priority Mail will typically be your best option if your shipment weighs more than 16 ounces (sometimes this is the case if you end up including soil).
While some plants, like succulents and desert vegetation, don’t require a lot of water to grow, other plants don’t function in the same way. As a result, there are times when you’ll want your plant to arrive at its location as soon as feasible. The ideal service in this situation will be Priority Mail Express. Although Priority Mail Express will set you back quite a little more money, the Postal Service promises same-day delivery (2 days if the parcel is going to a rural area).
Pro Tip: The least expensive shipping option will be chosen for you when you utilize shipping software to purchase postage online! Just be careful to input the total weight and dimensions of your package accurately to avoid being charged extra postage by the USPS Automated Package Verification system.
You May Not Be Eligible for Insurance
One issue to keep in mind is that you might not be able to acquire shipping insurance through your carrier or your shipping software provider if you’re sending plants. All carriers and insurance firms classify plants as “perishables,” and as a result, they won’t cover them under their policies.
Pay Attention to Individual State Guidelines
Keep in mind that some states have limitations on the importation of specific plant species. For instance, you cannot send citrus plants from any other state in the union to California. Additionally, you cannot send the Mauna Loa plant or fresh jade vine blooms from Hawaii to the continental United States or Alaska. As a result, we advise conducting preliminary study. All it takes is a fast Google search for your plant and the state you’re sending to!
Most Countries Also Have Restrictions for Importing Plants
This is where things become a little trickier if you intend to ship a plant over foreign borders. Some nations place limitations on the kind of plants that can be imported. For instance, any plant entering the United Kingdom needs to have an import authorization. Therefore, before you buy any postage, you should research the specific country’s regulations that you wish to export your plant to. On the USPS website, you may get a list of the various nations and the import limitations that apply to them.
Can live plants be sent via mail?
Even though you should package each plant separately in bags, if the box is big enough, you can ship multiple live plants at once.
Verify that the plant you wish to transport complies with USDA regulations. Some plants could be acceptable in one state but illegal owing to invasiveness or insect issues in another. If you have any questions about forbidden plants, contact your local cooperative extension group or one close to the destination.
Trading live plants over a distance with a friend is simple and doesn’t call for any specialized tools. In fact, as long as the USDA does not forbid them, most plants can be mailed within the United States, according to the USPS postage code. Just be careful not to harm the plant when you take it out of the ground. To avoid damaging the plant’s roots, dig far enough away from the plant. Remove the roots’ soil by loosening it, then give them a good rinse. As soon as you can, pack and mail the plant.
Five newspaper sheets should be soaked in a jar of water until they are moist but not drenched.
- Trading live plants over a distance with a friend is simple and doesn’t call for any specialized tools.
- Just be careful not to harm the plant when you take it out of the ground.
Place the live, recently dug-up plant, with the roots and stems in the center and the foliage outside the edge of the paper, after folding it in half.
Keep the greenery protruding from the top of the roll as you carefully roll the paper around the roots.
The bottom of the newspaper should be placed into a small produce-sized plastic grocery bag. Don’t secure the bag’s top shut. To remain alive, the roots require both moisture and air.
To further insulate the entire plant, encircle it with three to five additional large plastic grocery bags. One at a time, wrap the plant in each bag, then roll the bags shut.
Gently remove any extra air from the bags. Afterward, put the package in a cardboard box of a comparable size.
Give the receiver a label or care instructions so they know what the plant is and how to care for it. Write instructions on a piece of plastic or an ice cream stick rather than a piece of paper that might collect moisture.
Label the box with the recipient’s address and your return address before taping it shut. The longer zip code should be used for faster delivery.
Once packaged, send the package as soon as you can. Avoid sending live plants when shipping times may be lengthy owing to national holidays or major mailing occasions, such as Mother’s Day, even though the plant should arrive just fine with normal delivery times.
- Gently remove any extra air from the bags.
- Avoid sending live plants when shipping times may be lengthy owing to national holidays or major mailing occasions, such as Mother’s Day, even though the plant should arrive just fine with normal delivery times.
How much does USPS shipping of plants cost?
The fact that plant shipments are sent by all major shipping companies is a good thing. However, there are certain distinctions and changes in the price and process handling. These differences are all visible here.
USPS
Prior to transporting a plant, you must ascertain the rules and laws of the destination state. Additional benefits of using USPS to export plants include:
- The delivery time for Priority Mail Express is two business days. One or less than a pound costs $20.
- The cost of Priority Mail is $7 per box, and delivery is guaranteed within one day.
- Fixed Price Delivery times for Priority Mail range from one to three business days. The price per box is $12.
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FedEx
There are no particular packing restrictions in this location, but you should also verify with state regulations. There are several shipping choices available in addition to that.
- The first Overnight will be delivered before 8am and cost roughly $64. This is valid for packages weighing up to one pound.
- For $30, one pound of mail can be delivered by FedEx Priority Overnight before 10:30am.
- FedEx Standard Overnight will deliver before 3pm for a fee of $28. The cost is for a bundle that weighs 1 pound.
- For packages weighing at least one pound and costing $9 or more, FedEx Ground is used. It shows up in the late afternoon.
UPS
No extra packing is required in this situation. The limits of the state where you are shipping a shipment are the only thing to be aware of.
- One pound of mail can be sent Next Day Air for $28. It will arrive prior to 10:30 am.
- The following day’s afternoon delivery by UPS Ground costs $14. A package weighing 1 pound or less is meant by this.
Although there are a few additional considerations when shipping plants, we’ve outlined everything you need to know above so that you’re prepared to send your first cargo including any plant. All you need to keep in mind is that a package must be properly packed and must adhere to the rules for the state to which it is being sent.