Shipping Plant Temperatures?

[Jag1980]

Shipping plants with heat packs and insulation drives up the shipping prices during the winter. I shipped out some Belem's to Florida last weekfrom Washington and the price was about $8.00 at 1.1lbs if the package was only 1.0lb shipping would have only been $4.50... shipping USPS I insulated the box and I'm sure I could have found a cheaper way to ship out these plants if I knew a oz. makes this much of a difference on shipping price. Shipping during the summer time, you only need a bag and a box to ship them in if their travels are in warmer weather.

What I'm wanting to know is how cold does it get in the box during winter travels Priority mail? (Also Parcel Post) The only way to really know is to get a thermometer with a time recorded memory and stick it inside a box taped inside and ship it from 1 side of the country to the other.

Has anyone done this yet? I'm very curious to know.

 

[KentCurtis]

I can tell you with confidence that it gets really cold. I bought Rotala Rotundifolia and had it shipped with second day air. When I received it the entire bunch was held together with ice pretty much. I had to run them under water to be able to separate them. Not sure if they will be alright or not. Some leaves are opaque.

 

[VaughnH]

If you think about the path that mail takes, the most vulnerable time is when the package is in the delivery van. If it is very cold outside, and the mail route is such that your package is one of the last to be delivered, it can sit in a very cold van for a few hours. That is also a summer problem, when the hot sun can cook the plants.

Most of the other steps in the mailing process keep the package in a building, or in a vehicle that is heated/cooled. Of course, if the delivered package sits outside your door for half of the day, it is extremely vulnerable then.

 

[KentCurtis]

Do you think my rotala will be alright? I have never had this kind before so I am ot sure if it looks unhealthy or not, the hair grass that I also got in the same package seems fine.

 

[Jag1980]

We have some idea what goes on during delivery but actual temp numbers and for how long would be the most interesting to know.

What harms the plants, being shipped and being cold for a 10 hour period, or does only 1 hour of coldness harm the plants. I recorded travel temp would tell all.
I live in Washington, if someone has a thermometer that can record temps you could send it to me, then I will write down the temp reading from it's travel. Then I will ship the box back and you record your reading and we compare. then do I long ground delivery and see what the difference is.

Just a idea if someone wanted to try this out for a more accurate idea instead of a guess.. We could try and insulated box trip and a non insulated box trip and see what the difference is.


That's pretty wired if plants are being shipped air priority and they got so cold that ice was forming on them. Priority has priority, and for them to be stored in a location that gets below 32*f is very strange..

 

[KentCurtis]

We had a very old few days here in Ohio, so I think it may have been from the departure time at 6 am to when i received it at 6pm that the ice formed. Hopefully the rotala will be alright =/