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Do you intend to ship plants to your new home in a different city? Or, are you willing to gift live plants to your loved ones? Truth is, shipping live plants is not an easy task, as it needs utmost safety and precision. You need to take proper care of the packaging to ensure that it does not damage in pursuit.
Plants are fantastic gift items today, and companies are trying to eliminate the location barrier for the same. Today, shipping plants to different cities is easy and somehow cheap as well. So, make sure you know the proper procedure to get it done.
In this article, you will know the process of shipping the live plants to different places or cities with proper care.
5 Reliable Tips on How to Ship Plants Properly to Avoid Damage
1. Understand the Restrictions for Shipping the Plants
It is the first step of action that you must integrate while shipping the plants to different cities. You need to check the restrictions based upon the type of plant that you are about to ship. For instance, all US states have different kinds of rules for sending flowers or plants. If you are from the US, then you need to check with the USDA authorities to check if the plant is endangered or has some prohibition within any particular state.
Similarly, if you are from any other country, check with the respective authorities to know whether you can ship that particular plant or not. For instance, you cannot send any citrus plants to California from any state or country. You do not want to get into the hassle of papers and restrictions on the last day. Therefore, you need to do your prior research with enough days in hand to avoid the last-day rush.
The restrictions are imposed upon both national and international limits. Therefore, look after that aspect, and get the phytosanitary certificate if you want to ship your plants internationally.
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2. Make Arrangements for the Shipping & Handling Labels
It would help if you got a shipping label that consists of basic information about the plant shipment you are about to send to another state or country. The shipment label should consist of the courier code, sender address, delivery address, and other important information about the shipment.
It would help if you used the handling labels for communicating the package content to the staff. It is to ensure that the shipping team handles the package well! If you miss out on labeling these perishable items, then the shipping staff might not get an idea of what is inside the box, and it might get mishandled at the time of transit.
For instance, you can add the handling labels such as "Live Plants in Here, Be Gentle," or something like that, to give creative yet explicit instructions. Therefore, do not forget to arrange for the shipping and handling label.
Related article: How To Print Shipping Labels
3. Arrange Corrugated Boxes
The next important thing that you need to keep in mind is getting corrugated boxes for packing the live plants. It is better to ship most of the plants without the pot because you can cut through the shipping cost, as the weight of the package will reduce without the pots in it. And packing them in small boxes would be easy!
If you are sending many small plants to one address, you can use one box with partitions. These partitions can be per the client's preferences, such as vertical, diagonal, and horizontal. You can decide upon it based on the plants that you are planning to ship. Do not use ordinary cardboard boxes, as they might turn soggy due to the moisture released from the plants.
4. Pack the Plants Well
Ideal packing of the plants is essential when you are planning to ship the live plant. You need to ensure that the plants do not move around the box for which you need to fill the box with egg cartons, newspaper, or other such soft material. If you are using a box with a partition, use small bits of newspaper to stuff the edges of that partition.
Once you are done with the packing, ensure to stick the shipping label and to handle the label onto it. Check all of the box edges to ensure that there is no wear and tear or damage. Seal it properly!
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5. Choose the Best Shipping Method and Provider
After sealing the box, it is essential to pick the fastest mode of shipping. It is because your plant will not be getting enough air, for which ideal shipping method and the provider is vital to consider. Choose temperature-controlled and rapid shipping mode to reduce the shock experienced by the plants in transit.
It is not recommended to ship the plants on weekends, as the shipping providers might delay the transit, and the plants will die in the box! In some cases, you can talk to the shipping providers to ensure that they offer weekend transits, to ensure that your plants are lively while they reach the destination.
Talk to the best shipping providers, and let them know about plants in your package. They will take proper care of the box to ensure that no heavy boxes are stacked over those boxes. Hence, you can be assured that your plant is not crushed while it is on the move.
Related: How to Get Free Shipping Supplies from USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL
Conclusion
These are the five crucial steps you need to keep in mind while transporting the plants or flowers from one state to another or a different country. Get all the packing supplies ready, and get clarity on the restriction insights to get the job done. When you are looking for a shipping service provider, make sure you check their reputation and experience of offering services. It will give you a sense of reliability and trust that they will take proper care of your live plant within the box and drop it safely at the destination.
Next article: How To Ship Fragile Items
