We are relocating cross-country to Florida late this year and in
exchange for the promise of a greenhouse my husband has agreed to
dispose of his current orchid collection - about 30 plants. He's going
to try to sell some of them on eBay in the next six months. They are
mostly Cattleyas, and Epidendrums, including a couple of compots
(unflasked just over year ago), 2" x 2" squares, and 6" round
containers.

I was wondering if anyone has advice on packing materials and methods
for orchid shipping to keep them intact and in good shape:
1) General advice
2) How to protect new and tender growth, including emerging sheaths and
aerial roots (nothing's in bloom or spike right now)
3) How to handle tall leaves and perpendicular growing leaves (18-24"
tall or wide in some cases).

I may have mixed up some of the terminology since I'm new to orchids,
but I am really beginning to like growing them.

Cyndi

On 29 Apr 2005 09:15:07 -0700, "John"
wrote:

We are relocating cross-country to Florida late this year and in
exchange for the promise of a greenhouse my husband has agreed to
dispose of his current orchid collection - about 30 plants. He's going
to try to sell some of them on eBay in the next six months. They are
mostly Cattleyas, and Epidendrums, including a couple of compots
(unflasked just over year ago), 2" x 2" squares, and 6" round
containers.

Why sell - Why not pack and move them?

Either way.
If the pot has loose media - generally they do. Fold bands of
newspaper into strips and wrap across the top. Now tape the
strips in place. Some people just use wide masking tape across
the pot - I like paper under my tape. Secure so that the plant
will not become unpotted.

Then lay the plant on its side and wrap in newspaper as it were a
package or yesterday's fish. Place them in a box alternating
ends for the pots and nesting them together. Pack these bundles
in sturdy boxes and you can stack the boxes up.
We shipped 600 plants from Chicago to Denver this way. They can
stay in the boxes with minimal damage about 6-8 days. I would
water well the day before packing and only real delicate plants
get another drop just before packing. If you are traveling by
car, you can probably get the box tight enough to carry all the
plants in your backseat. This is also one way to ship them to
buyers.

The other way is to pack for personal move is to set them upright
in a box and use newsprint to secure the pots so that they do not
tip over. If you haul anything this way, make sure you drape
news print across the top to shade the plants. They can get
sunburned riding in a car.

Good luck with the move.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

Susan Erickson wrote:

Either way.
If the pot has loose media - generally they do. Fold bands of
newspaper into strips and wrap across the top. Now tape the
strips in place. Some people just use wide masking tape across
the pot - I like paper under my tape. Secure so that the plant
will not become unpotted.

Paper towel works well too. Just the usual roll paper towels you would
use in the kitchen. I put that over the potting mix, and tape over the
towel to hold it down. Don't use a lot of tape, it just makes unpacking
them harder.

Cattleyas and epidendrums are sturdy little guys. You can probably
pack them loose in the box, and fill with styrofoam peanuts. Or you can
wrap them in newspaper and fill the open area with peanuts. Regardless,
if you ship plants, make sure all of the open space is filled with
something. The last thing you need is for plants to shift around in the
box during the usual fine handling by the post office.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit

I'd ship them bare root and wrapped in newspaper. Cheaper and easier
shipping.

Say, what is on his list???

Garland


"Rob Halgren" wrote in message
...
Susan Erickson wrote:

Either way.
If the pot has loose media - generally they do. Fold bands of
newspaper into strips and wrap across the top. Now tape the
strips in place. Some people just use wide masking tape across
the pot - I like paper under my tape. Secure so that the plant
will not become unpotted.

Paper towel works well too. Just the usual roll paper towels you would
use in the kitchen. I put that over the potting mix, and tape over the
towel to hold it down. Don't use a lot of tape, it just makes unpacking
them harder.

Cattleyas and epidendrums are sturdy little guys. You can probably pack
them loose in the box, and fill with styrofoam peanuts. Or you can wrap
them in newspaper and fill the open area with peanuts. Regardless, if you
ship plants, make sure all of the open space is filled with something.
The last thing you need is for plants to shift around in the box during
the usual fine handling by the post office.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit

Cyndi,

I have successfully shipped lots and lots of plants - in-pot, bare-root,
in-spike, and in-bloom (what a PITA) - using the technique described he

http://www.firstrays.com/packing_plants.htm

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


"John" wrote in message
oups.com...
We are relocating cross-country to Florida late this year and in
exchange for the promise of a greenhouse my husband has agreed to
dispose of his current orchid collection - about 30 plants. He's going
to try to sell some of them on eBay in the next six months. They are
mostly Cattleyas, and Epidendrums, including a couple of compots
(unflasked just over year ago), 2" x 2" squares, and 6" round
containers.

I was wondering if anyone has advice on packing materials and methods
for orchid shipping to keep them intact and in good shape:
1) General advice
2) How to protect new and tender growth, including emerging sheaths and
aerial roots (nothing's in bloom or spike right now)
3) How to handle tall leaves and perpendicular growing leaves (18-24"
tall or wide in some cases).

I may have mixed up some of the terminology since I'm new to orchids,
but I am really beginning to like growing them.

Cyndi