RE:OT-SHIPPING
- Subject: RE:OT-SHIPPING
- From: C* C*
- Date: 1 Oct 00 08:24:08 EDT
Some thoughts and experience with shipping and receiving iris plants through
the mail. This hass been inspired by some recent concerns expressed re
problems with plants arriving by mail. Packing material and style seems to be
very important and can make a big difference as to how the plants survive the
trip.
Excelsier (sp?) is the shreaded striny wood that is used by a number of
shippers including Schreiners and Cooleys. This is an excellent material to
use for packing plants. It works better when it is loosened up before use as
this enables plants to breathe better and prevents build up of moisture.
Plants packed in excelsier usuall ship very well even with delays. There can
be problems when too much packing material is used and it hasn't been loosened
up sufficiently when used. Less is more (or better) in this case. Can be
difficult to locate a source of material.
Styrofoam chips are a strick no-no. Any package that I have received that used
strofoam peanuts (or styroform in any other form) have had various degrees of
rot and usually a high degree of fatalities. This is much worse when there is
any delay in shipping. The plants sweat aand the moisture is traped in the
package resulting in mold and rot.
Shreaded paper is not as bad as styrofoam as a packing material but definatly
not advised if the parcel is to be in the mail for more then 3-4 days. The
paper doesn't allow pasage of moisture as well as wood products. The only
plants that I have received this way that transported well were spurias that
were in full dormency, with no leaves on them.
Shingletoe- This is a wood product, the shreaded wood shavings left over from
the making of cedar shingles. I usually use this material and have not heard
of any problems. It provides the same circulation as excelsier (again as long
as it is loosened up properly) and I suspect that cedar has a natural
antibacteria action that inhibits the growth of molds etc. Available from
places that make cedar shingles and from large plant suppliers.
Wood shavings. Not too bad as a shipping material. will absorb extra moisture
(as all wood products) but can pack down too tightly and not leave room to
breathe.
Use the least amount of packing material you can as this provides better
circulation. At the same time it is important that plants not be packed too
densely. Also use he smallest box that is suitable as this provides better air
ciculation inside the box. Flater boxes are better then square boxes as in
square boxes there are plants in the center that don't get good air
ciculation.
Use lots of air holes to provide for escape of extra moisture.
Make sure the plants are dry before packing. Soil should be removed or washed
off.
Remove dead leaves and the older leaves on edge of fan. The less extra biomass
the less moisture in the package. Also the dying leaves will give off more
moisture then the active leaves that are interactive with the rhizome. Usually
there are dried out and dying leaves at the edge of plants that have been in
the package for awhile. I beleive that some of these outside leaves can be
removed before shipping.
Hope this information is usefull.
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