Shipping Plants

[workfortheman]

Hey everyone I'm saving for a co2 tank and need my hobby to start giving back a little
I'm wondering about how you all ship plants? I have recieved a couple packages by mail, and they usually involve ziplock bags and wet paper towels. Do you seperate species? Which carrier do you use (USPS, UPS, FEDEX, etc), and which type of shipping (2-day, express, etc)? What are some estimated costs I can work into this? Do you use any bubble wrap or anything? I know that's a lot of questions, but I'm trying to do this right!

 

[Tiffi]

Whenever I got a plant shipping it looked like you described it.

I always apprechiate it if the different plant species that look similar are somehow labeled, so I know which one I wanted to plant where .

With breakable plants like dwarf sag, vallisneria don't use too much wet newspaper. Otherwise they might break.

Also at this colder weather and depending where you ship to you might have to include a heat package, although I don't know if it'll help much .

 

[Simpte]

Plants ship better in the cold than the heat. I use wet newspaper (holds up better) and a ziplock baggy. I pack each species seperately and label so.
I ship Usps priority with conformation. I can ship all over the U.S. for $5.00.

 

[Tiffi]

@Simpte: all over the US for $5?? Is that a flat rate box or what is it exactly?

 

[Simpte]

2 days (to most areas but sometimes 3).

Priority mail.

http://www.usps.com/all/shippingandmailing/23daypackages.htm

 

[travis simonson]

You can go to the US Postal Service's website at www.usps.com and order Priority Mail boxes of all sizes for free (and they'll deliver them to you ). It costs me $3.85 to ship a domestic package via USPS Priority 2nd day mail if weighs less than a pound. And you can buy the postage and shipping labels online at the site and print them out too. Just give them to your mail carrier or drop them off at the post office. It's the only way to go when shipping plants domestically.

I wrap my plants in a wet paper towel and place that inside a ziploc bag with enough air in it to provide a slight cushion. I then place it in the box and use crumpled up newspaper/magazines/etc. to cushion it if it is loose so that it doesn't slide around and bang the plant up during shipping. Works like a charm

 

[BrianNY]

I can attest to the way Travis ships plants. They always arrive in A1 shape.

 

[crazycat]

ditto for me! travis' plants arrived in perfect condition! (but the DID come from a perfect tank after al; )

 

[caribou]

I have to agree that USPS Priority Mail is a great value. The plants I've ordered from www.aquariumplants.com have always arrived in two days(but I live in a adjoining state). I only want to add that you should ship early in the week (Mon or Tues) so your package doesn't get hung up over the weekend. BTW, Priority flat rate is just that, its for stuff that is flat, not a box. With that said, what species do you plan on selling?

 

[workfortheman]

Wow, great responses everyone. Special thanks (kudos) for the links Simpte and Travis. I'll definitely be using USPS priority, but what is this "confirmation"?

caribou, I'll have lots of dwarf sag, sunset hygro, java fern/moss, limnophila sessiflora, maybe narrow-leaf ludwigia. Pretty much all low/mid light stuff. Probably some driftwood, too. Keep your eyes open on the barter/trade boards!

 

[Simpte]

Confirmation provides you with a trackind number to keep tabs on the product. If all goes well, you won't be able to track "live" because by the time the website is updated, the plants have arrived. Its also insurance (to a certain dollar amount).

 

[Jchillin]

I have shipped via Priority mail everywhere in the US and you cannot beat the value and the quickness. I even shipped to Louisiana immediately after hurricane Katrina and no delay whatsoever.

 

[caribou]

Delivery confirmation costs only .55 in addition to the regular postage on a Priority mail piece. It doesn't track the package per se, its just scanned upon delivery. This is good becasue the recepient can't claim they never got the parcel. A signature is not required. Hope this helps. I used to be a Postmaster and a lot of my Ebayer customers liked this service. Hope this helps.

 

[travis simonson]

Delivery confirmation costs only .55 in addition to the regular postage on a Priority mail piece. It doesn't track the package per se, its just scanned upon delivery.

And if you buy and print your postage online at www.usps.com you get Delivery Confirmation service free.