Is it Possible? Sending Seedlings Via Mail?

Liz C
by Liz C
I have countless of 3-4" seedlings of Late Summer/Fall Flowers that 2 members in my family who are in 2 seperate states would like me to send them so they can plant in their gardens? Is it even possible for them to be sent & still survive? If so, please tell me how I could do so properly. I would greatly appreciate it, as well as my Mother-in-law, along with my Best Friend!
  10 answers
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Aug 03, 2012
    What flowers are we talking about, Liz? This is exactly what mail-order nurseries do, although they are growing plants in containers meant for shipping and you would just be digging them up and sending them. If you really have so many of them, you have nothing to lose by trying. I would transplant them to little paper cups or something first and give them a few weeks to get settled, then wrap well (perhaps in damp newspaper, then plastic) and ship by the quickest means possible.
  • Liz C Liz C on Aug 03, 2012
    Cosmo's, Sunflower's, Marigolds & Asters. They are all already in 6 pck seed pods, some are in 1 qt containers. I knew they could be sent somehow, but unsure of proper packaging. Should I put holes in the box so flowers could breathe? I'm wondering what I could put in box to keep them stationary with out moving and/or being destroyed. And yes, Douglas, I was going to overnight them. (Probably cost them less to buy flowers in their nursery compared to what I'll spend in shipping, however, they both asked me a few times, so I wanted to surprise them this week. Thank you for getting back to me! I always look forward to your input!!!!
  • Walter Reeves Walter Reeves on Aug 03, 2012
    The online nursery I use puts shredded paper and a rubberband to hole it in place at the base of each plant stem. The rubber band goes from the paper to the bottom of the pot. They then put plants in a box and fill in around it with packing peanuts. The arrive in fine shape. There is no need to put holes in the box.
  • Dee W Dee W on Aug 03, 2012
    Are there any restrictions to plants crossing state lines?
  • Ann S Ann S on Aug 04, 2012
    I've heard that they can't be an evasive plant by state laws on that! But the ones you are send minus the asters are all annuals & can get seed packs everywhere for those. But at least for here in Michigan they should have already been planted a month or more now! Send the aster but get seed packs for others, my suggestion.
  • Rose U Rose U on Aug 04, 2012
    My sisterin law sent me an elm tree bareroot and it took off just fine once I got it here
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Aug 05, 2012
    Liz, I think Ann makes a good point. It is too late in the season to be planting most of the annuals you mentioned. Send them the asters, but for the others it would be better to send them seeds next spring.
  • 360 Sod (Donna Dixson) 360 Sod (Donna Dixson) on Aug 08, 2012
    Send them in priority mail or 2day mail. Take into consideration the heat they will be exposed to on the trip, traveling from where to where. We used to package 2ft tall tomato plants in the Spring time (about a 90% success rate!) by packaging similarly as Walter mentioned.
  • Liz C Liz C on Aug 08, 2012
    Thank U All!!! I appreciate all the advice!!!! One lives in Southern Jersey but the other lives in Forida....either way, I'm sticking with the Experts.... (All of U! :) And taking all of your advice. Thank u for all your help!
  • Grandmasue10 Grandmasue10 on Mar 18, 2016
    Love all the people on Hometalk. No one mentioned using a styrofoam cooler, though. I would NOT use blue ice; too cold