Tips for mailing orchids - Orchid Board

The Peloric Orchid · #1 07-05-2022, 11:30 PM

I'm moving from coast to coast. I'm getting a pod for my inanimate objects, a plane ticket for myself, and shipping my plants... this Friday. By this point, I have an eclectic crew of survivors that has survived my various moves across the country including:

a bunch of Phalaenopsis seedlings
a miniature (?) Sobralia
and some random terrestrials (inc. Eltroplectris, Crainichis, and Cynorkis)
two Phals on Kool logs that haven't died yet

I'm especially interested in packing plants and mailing them. As far as packing plants is concerned, the the phals are low growing with relatively sturdy leaves, so I figured I'd wrap them in individually in batting and then wrap them in newspaper. I'm wondering what to do about the fragile Crainichis leaves and the tall Eltroplectris and Sobralia leaves. I'm thinking of stuffing the Kool logs with moistened sphagnum moss before wrapping them in batting and newspaper, or should I ship them dry?

In terms of mailing, I'm moving from PA to WA, so I'm expecting temps to be good. What kinds of shipping speeds should I be looking for? I feel like 2 day shipping is the sweet spot for plant survivability while still shipping plants at a scale, but I'm just guessing.

TL;DR Tell me about your most recent plant shipping experiences. Even if you can't answer my questions specifically, I'm interested in any stories and your takeaways.

Edit: some pictures of my plants

Flickr
Flickr
Flickr

Roberta · #2 07-06-2022, 12:55 AM

Do you have that polyester "cotton" that plants often get shipped in? (I save it from purchases, and it's very handy) It it is also very soft - often used around flowers and buds and works very well, they are perfect. I wouldn't worry about keeping the Phals damp. 2-day is fine, I get purchases that way. I would suggest using FedEx rather than USPS though if you want 2-day to actually mean 2-day. And their tracking is much better. (USPS has gotten better, but I still wouldn't want to use it for plants where arrival is time-critical, especially on something that wasn't easy to replace.)

However you protect the plants, you want to make sure that they don't move around. maybe taping them to the box, or to each other might help. Bubble wrap is also a useful material. And for the plants with fragile leaves, you can also make sort of a tube or cone with newspaper, so that the plants are protected by air space.

Ray · #3 07-06-2022, 08:30 AM

Pack Plants for Shipping

Optimist · #4 07-06-2022, 11:19 AM

In this heat I would have them in a picknick cooler. They have portible ones. You can also use that silver bubble chicken coop insulation around the whole bunch of them pack them without medium with a damp towel around the roots, and pay for the fastes (thus more expensive) shipping available preferably post office to post office (or UPS Store) so that they are in a climate controlled environment. Being in the back of a mail truck all day is not a great place for an orchid.

isurus79 · #5 07-06-2022, 01:16 PM

I actually made a video about shipping plants: https://youtu.be/fy5uKJxJsT4

I use USPS priority. You'll want to unpot them and let the roots dry. I suspect you'll need several boxes.

estación seca · #6 07-06-2022, 03:06 PM

Check on shipping to and holding at the post office or FedEx office for you to pick up. This minimizes heat exposure.

Roberta · #7 07-06-2022, 03:14 PM

At least FedEx gives you a reasonably accurate time window for delivery if you do get it delivered. in Washington, unless there's heat wave like last year, temps should be fairly reasonable.

The Peloric Orchid · #8 07-07-2022, 06:21 PM

First of all, thanks to everyone's input. I wrapped plants in polyester batting, then wrapped them in newspaper, and packed them into small moving boxes with more batting to fill any gaps. I shipped most plants in their plastic pots, and shipped the Sobralia in its clay pot with extra bubble wrap.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

Pack Plants for Shipping

Secondly, I appreciated the detailed guide, but I struggled with the lack of photos. I'm more visual than verbal so it was hard to tell if I was on the right track.

Thirdly, I spent $850 to mail 5 boxes via USPS (PA to WA), and I didn't even mail all the plants show in my original post. Based off my experiences ordering plants in the mail, I'm pretty sure I did something terribly wrong, so if you know what I did wrong/suboptimally so that I (or others) could avoid repeating it, it would be greatly appreciated.

Roberta · #9 07-07-2022, 06:24 PM

Sounds to me like you did a good job! Those big boxes do add up...they can weigh next to nothing but the size is, indeed, a killer.

isurus79 · #10 07-07-2022, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Peloric Orchid

Thirdly, I spent $850 to mail 5 boxes via USPS (PA to WA), and I didn't even mail all the plants show in my original post. Based off my experiences ordering plants in the mail, I'm pretty sure I did something terribly wrong, so if you know what I did wrong/suboptimally so that I (or others) could avoid repeating it, it would be greatly appreciated.

Yep, you have to remove the pots to make it lighter. Sounds like there may have been a bit of extra packing material as well. The prices really jump if if the box is “large”