shipping preparations

[billylh]

if i were to package up a sarr to send to a friend of mine in california(or anywhere), would it be better to just send the whole thing as is(maybe 7" tall), or would cutting off the pitchers and just send the rhyzome be best? not that i plan to anytime soon, but i think these will make a great house warming gift.

~b

 

[xvart]

Most people I've traded with just send the roots and the rhizome; especially if it is right before the growing season since the Sarracenia will start producing new pitchers as the season progresses. It's also considerably cheaper to just send it that way as opposed to bigger boxes and more weight.

xvart.

 

[Captain Hamata]

Make sure your friend knows how to properly care for the Sarracenia. That is, of course, if he's not already a cp grower/hobbyist. :grin: Here's the link to the trade/give away post in the trade forum that has good shipping tips.

http://terraforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99153

 

[thbjr]

Funny you should ask. I was wondering the same thing, and then decided sending just a rhyzome just didn't have the same effect as a pitchering plant. So I photographed my packing, step by step. This should give you some ideas.

One Sarr, carefully re-potted into plastic shipping container.

Used soldering iron to melt slot, then cut slit to put over pitcher base to hold soil in place.

Note it's on upside down.

Second lid with hole (cut with soldering iron) to fit over pitcher(s) taped to tube.

Second lid and protective tube snaped on container over upside down lid.

Outer tube to place over entire plant. (both tubes made to custom fit from a priority flat mail mailer)

Bottom piece ready to slide under and tape on outer tube, top lid ready to trim to size.

Packing added between tubes to stablize.

Packed into a Priority mail 'shoe box shipper', with lid taped on and ready to ship.

Total weight was 9.6 oz., well under the 1lb minimum shipping cost. The Sarr arrived in PERFECT shape.

 

[billylh]

wow, that answers that quite clearly for the "whole plant" method.
thanks!
~b

 

[Est]

Well done!

Some people also use the triangular priority boxes that you can get. Cuts out some of the work, but the method pictured above is perhaps even more stable.

 

[titus]

During this time of the year I usally ship the plant bare rooted wraped good in moss. Theres really no down side this time of the year. It's low weight and what ever living leaves the plant has are protected by the moss and bag it's packed in.

 

[Pyro]

I trim the plant to just fit the package. If all I have is one of the small Priority boxes then I usually cut the leaves down to 4" or so. If I have one of the larger boxes then I keep as much leaf as I can (up to and including the whole leaf depending on the size of the plant.)

The way I figure it, any green left on the plant is that much more photosynthetic material to allow the plant to recover.

 

[jimscott]