Allotments 4 All

Hi All,

Can any of you give me some hints or tips on how to post plants with the intention of them arriving alive & well?

( post & plants was not a good thing to type into the search engine so apologies if it's been covered already)

Thanks All.

Hmm tricky question - I think it depends on whether they have growth or not. I got my fruit plants by mail earlier in March and they were dormant, naked roots and wrapped in plastic. Once planted, they took off fantastically.
I would say that you would need to cut down as much growth as possible, and if they were not dormant, the rootball would need to be soaked and well packed in something waterproof, then you would have to divise a crush proof system for the vegetation. I would say something like a plastic bag, blown up with air and tied down then a covering of smething rigid, maybe a hard plastic bottle? It sounds like a hazardous venture to me. Maybe you can actually buy something commercially for this purpose??

N.A.Kay's sell Blisterpacks for mail order. They are on page 172 of their catalogue. (You can also probably find them on their website.http://www.kaysdiscountgarden.co.uk/ Look in pots, planters and trays.)
Unfortunately, and I don't know how many plants you want to send, but they come in packs of 50, at £25.73 for the smallest, which they claim will hold 6x30mm plugs.
An alternative if you only have a few to post, could be the little minigreenhouse shaped containers that you buy plug plants in from places like Aldis. They are about 6"x4" I think, and stand about 5"high, and are quite rigid.

we were sent a lavender cutting, thanks , whoever it was,  :-*..last year, it was in a 2 pint pop bottle, cut in the middle, plant in damp kitchen paper and taped back up, the postman was a bit surprised but the plant was fine  ;D

I can see I'm going to have to dredge up all my Blue Peter training from childhood.  Unfortunately I was soo excited when the site came back up yesterday afternoon, I forgot to raid the stationary cupboard at work for anything that might come in handy  ::)

Right, a loo roll, sticky back plastic & a pair of val's old knickers it is then.

Ta

Marshalls have just sent me 12 strawberry plants pushed into a plastic bag closed with an elastic band, and packed in straw inside a small cardboard box, if that is any help.

Problem is, they PROMISED not to send them while I was away for ten days. I gave them my dates on ordering, and rang up just before leaving to remind them, and they seemed very efficient and willing about it.

So guess what....they arrived 3 days after I left, just about the worst time. They are now yellowed and miserable looking. I'll plant them out today and hope for the best, but I am not impressed.

I've just had plants delivered to me in Spain from Scotland, the roots had a little compost and moss wraped witn thick black plastic and a rubber band. All got to me sfe and sound.