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Best way to ship gemmae?

  • Thread starter DragonsEye
  • Start date

DragonsEye

carnivorous plants of the world -- unite!
So what have you found to be the best, economical way of mailing them? Padded envelope?
 
They need to be padded, depending on temperatures may also need forms of frost protection (I usually still leave that up to the buyer though). Small gemmae are less at risk of damage than large ones like scorpioides etc.
 
Thanks, Hawken. Mailing in the US, what would you say is an average postage price for mailing a padded envelope?
 
I usually also send mine in a ziplock inside a padded envelope. Or I'll put the damp paper towel in a small test tube, then in the padded envelope.

During non-frosty seasons I have received gemmae in probably the most-economical fashion. Damp paper towel in small ziplock nested in a 'cardboard cutout' in a regular (unpadded) letter envelope for the price of a stamp. When I say 'cardboard cutout' I mean that a piece of cardboard that will fit in the envelope has a section removed the size of the ziplock. So the ziplock (laying flat) is nested in the cardboard. The idea is the cardboard is thick enough that it has a buffer substantial enough to still protect the gemmae from the USPS roller machines that do the mail sorting. I will say that there is also some risk in this method as one (of three) shipments I received had damaged gemmae. You could make a double-thickness of cardboard (still with the cutout). I think anything < 1/4" thickness can go in a regular letter-sized envelope. Charge a little extra for shipping, and be willing to re-send gemmae in the event of an accidental smoosh?

It's an option, but not with complete guarantees. I also think you want to be sure and have a small ziplock (~1x2" or similar) so that the force of the rollers mostly is born by the cardboard, not the ziplock with precious gemmae.

[I can try and take a pic if my narrative isn't clear. Let me know]
 
Average cost for me for a padded envelope is $3.40.
 
I usually also send mine in a ziplock inside a padded envelope. Or I'll put the damp paper towel in a small test tube, then in the padded envelope.

During non-frosty seasons I have received gemmae in probably the most-economical fashion. Damp paper towel in small ziplock nested in a 'cardboard cutout' in a regular (unpadded) letter envelope for the price of a stamp. When I say 'cardboard cutout' I mean that a piece of cardboard that will fit in the envelope has a section removed the size of the ziplock. So the ziplock (laying flat) is nested in the cardboard. The idea is the cardboard is thick enough that it has a buffer substantial enough to still protect the gemmae from the USPS roller machines that do the mail sorting. I will say that there is also some risk in this method as one (of three) shipments I received had damaged gemmae. You could make a double-thickness of cardboard (still with the cutout). I think anything < 1/4" thickness can go in a regular letter-sized envelope. Charge a little extra for shipping, and be willing to re-send gemmae in the event of an accidental smoosh?

It's an option, but not with complete guarantees. I also think you want to be sure and have a small ziplock (~1x2" or similar) so that the force of the rollers mostly is born by the cardboard, not the ziplock with precious gemmae.

[I can try and take a pic if my narrative isn't clear. Let me know]
Sound similar to what I do when mailing Drosera and Byblis seeds.
 
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