The fate of my POOR orchid!

[Lorraine]

I'm sorry you lost a really nice plant Even here in South Florida we have to watch out for weather when shipping. In the heat they will die from the high temps as well as freezing in the cooler months. I do always use Priority shipping if USPS but other than that I go for the fastest delivery from Fedx or Ups

[JungleMel]

Originally Posted by Optimist

Don't worry. The whole event felt like a slap in the face (not your words) but I came out of it with some "street smarts." I will buy from him again, but I don't exactly trust him so I have to follow a plan that does not assume he has any common sense.

I do not know if it was a division. I didn't ask, and probably won't.

Not to kick you when you're down, but you're placing responsibility on a vendor to guess your weather conditions (the forecasters can't even be acurrate within a couple day span) and USPS to never have a delay (as if that's possible).

So sorry you had to learn your lesson the hard way, but remeber the only person you can rely on is yourself and it's up to you to make accurate judgements about what's safe and what's a risk. Next time ask if the vendor is willing to hold your shipment until you think it's safe to ship, ask for a heat pack, or most importantly don't order cold sensitive plants in the cold. USPS is as reliable as any other service like them, but none can promise you no delay ever. Rememer that time they went on strike? Stuff happens.

I've got a shipment coming from Salt Lake City, Utah on hold right now. The vendor's area is clearly the too cold one, not mine Still, better off waiting.

[No-Pro-mwa]

JungleMel, that is what I'm going to do. I am going to get a heat pack and I called them yesterday and they will hold them for me. I am going to watch the weather and hope for the best. One has to remember if they are going across country they may have to go through states that have bad weather.

[JungleMel]

Originally Posted by No-Pro-mwa

JungleMel, that is what I'm going to do. I am going to get a heat pack and I called them yesterday and they will hold them for me. I am going to watch the weather and hope for the best. One has to remember if they are going across country they may have to go through states that have bad weather.

Yeah, that's the safest way to do it when weather is below freezing in parts of the country. Now, I realize I'm taking a risk shipping AT ALL this time of year. If my plants freeze en route I have only myself and my orchid-happy trigger finger on that "add to cart" button to blame.

When I lived in NY (zone 6b) I would have a vendor upstate send me 2-3 day shipping w/heatpack, haven't tried something like that after late November though. Figured if something happened, I could make the drive to pick it up at a post office on the route if need be. That's usually the boldest I get. What's throwing me off is how warm it still is here in FL.....but then I realize, (haven't lived here very long) it's like that literally only here some days!

[Polarizeme]

We had that cold snap here in Oregon. The temps were pretty brutal. I had several plants sitting at a vendors for 3 weeks until they could be shipped. Unfortunately, my shipment was delayed several days as the plants sat somewhere in Washington for days according to the tracking. I was so nervous! They finally arrived 2 days before Christmas....

Alive and well. Merry Christmas to me!

Long story short, I stopped selling back in mid November as I didn't want to have my plants freeze before they got to the customers. It was a good move, as this crazy cold weather blew in. I have purchased a couple of plants coming from vendors on the West coast. My temps are pretty moderate, but I keep a good eye on the weather when I expect plants to be shipped to me. Most vendors will hold your plants, just ask.

Oh, and I will never order and have plants shipped around Christmas time again... that was too nerve wracking!! I'm finished buying shipped plants until Spring.