We've had some questions lately about whether or not it is safe to ship plants and we thought we would show you what we do to get your plants to you safely. It is definitely not the same as shipping a t-Shirt or a book. There is a lot that goes into prepping and packing your plants so that they make it to you safe and sound, let's take a look.
1. When a plant is ordered, it is pulled from our greenhouse to a special area where it is given a final inspection and watered as appropriate to start it on its journey to you.
2. Shipping can be rough on plants. Automatic shipping machines and overworked delivery staff (I like to think they aren't like Jim Carrey from Ace Ventura . . . ) don't always pay attention to the Live Plants stamps on the boxes, so we pack them with as much care as possible so that they can make the journey no matter how they are handled.
3. All plants are double sleeved. First with a satin sleeve to protect the outside paper from moisture. This sleeve is rubber-banded into place to help hold the plant and soil inside its pot.
4. The second sleeve is a sturdy kraft paper sleeve to protect the leaves of the plant.
5. The plant (or plants) are then placed on a bed of biodegradable packing peanuts and the rest of the box is also filled with the packing peanuts. We put just the right amount of peanuts so that the plant is protected, no matter how much it is jostled, but so that it is not squished into place. Once you have unwrapped your plants you can dissolve the peanuts in the sink just by adding water.
6. We do our best to get all packages shipped on Monday and Tuesday of each week. We primarily ship UPS Ground, and that typically takes 2 to 3 days depending on the destination's distance from us, but as this year has shown us, there can be delays and the shipping companies do not guarantee arrival at a particular time. The good news is most plants can be in a box for quite awhile. Last year, we received a retuned package to us from the New York area. A fiddle-leaf fig and a rubber tree sat for 30 days in a post office without being claimed and then they were sent back to us. When we opened the box, the plants were green and alive although a little dry. We were surprised that they survived that long in a box. So even if there are delays in shipping, in most instances, plants have arrived just fine.
7. In winter, we add a heat pack if there are freezing temperatures in your area. And when the cold is too intense, we'll keep your plants snuggly and warm in our greenhouse, waiting to send them on their way until temperatures in your area improve.
8. Finally, you may have noticed some of the certification stamps on the bottom of your packages when they arrive on your doorstep. Different states have different agricultural requirements for exporting and importing plants and require regular inspections and certification from the Department of Agriculture in order to legally ship plants. When you order from a certified plant nursery, you can be confident that your plants are pest free.
And there you have it, we have shipped thousands of houseplants in all shapes and sizes all over the country. We hope this information will help you feel confident that we will do our best to get your new #plantbabies to you in the best shape possible.