A load of bare rooted plants are about to be dumped on me from USA.
Some new DEFRA / USA regulations mean that they can not be shipped in soil.
Any suggestions as to how Avocados (a few feet) should be treated on arrival
to get them growing.
One suggestion is to cut leaves in half to reduce water loss but I would
have thought that this would result in a greater loss from the cuts.
As you can see this is not an area of my expertise

"Rupert" wrote in message
...
A load of bare rooted plants are about to be dumped on me from USA.
Some new DEFRA / USA regulations mean that they can not be shipped in
soil.
Any suggestions as to how Avocados (a few feet) should be treated on
arrival
to get them growing.
One suggestion is to cut leaves in half to reduce water loss but I would
have thought that this would result in a greater loss from the cuts.
As you can see this is not an area of my expertise

Just because they're bare rooted doesn't necessarily mean the roots
won't have been well soaked and packaged in some way so as to prevent
drying out - while at the same time still permitting examination. So you
may have no worries in any case. I believe it's also possible to use a
totally inert packing medium such as perlite. But I stand to be corrected
on that. All they're worried about are soil borne pathogens and being able
to ensure thet the roots are reasonably clean. To ensure roots
were truly "bare rooted" and bearing no particles of soil bore pathogens
at all, would require plants being raised in sterile conditions and
microscopic or forensic examination of all imports. Which is clearly
uneconomic.

This however can cut both ways - they can either be expected to exercise
a bit of common sense - or insist on applying senseless rules for
the sake of it.

I don't know where the cutting leaves in half suggestion comes
from. This sounds very dubious to say the least. If removing
foliage is thought necessary as a result of severe root pruning
in the case of disease for instance then entire stems would be
removed,

However if all the roots are intact, then simply shading the plants
for a few weeks to cut down transpiration loss would seem to be
the best bet.

If they continue to droop badly after that time then maybe have
a rethink. But as soon as the leaves firm up, start gradually
increasing their exposure to sunlight.


michael adams

....

"michael adams" wrote in message
...

"Rupert" wrote in message
...
A load of bare rooted plants are about to be dumped on me from USA.
Some new DEFRA / USA regulations mean that they can not be shipped in
soil.
Any suggestions as to how Avocados (a few feet) should be treated on
arrival
to get them growing.
One suggestion is to cut leaves in half to reduce water loss but I would
have thought that this would result in a greater loss from the cuts.
As you can see this is not an area of my expertise

Just because they're bare rooted doesn't necessarily mean the roots
won't have been well soaked and packaged in some way so as to prevent
drying out - while at the same time still permitting examination. So you
may have no worries in any case. I believe it's also possible to use a
totally inert packing medium such as perlite. But I stand to be corrected
on that. All they're worried about are soil borne pathogens and being able
to ensure thet the roots are reasonably clean. To ensure roots
were truly "bare rooted" and bearing no particles of soil bore pathogens
at all, would require plants being raised in sterile conditions and
microscopic or forensic examination of all imports. Which is clearly
uneconomic.

This however can cut both ways - they can either be expected to exercise
a bit of common sense - or insist on applying senseless rules for
the sake of it.

I don't know where the cutting leaves in half suggestion comes
from. This sounds very dubious to say the least. If removing
foliage is thought necessary as a result of severe root pruning
in the case of disease for instance then entire stems would be
removed,

However if all the roots are intact, then simply shading the plants
for a few weeks to cut down transpiration loss would seem to be
the best bet.

If they continue to droop badly after that time then maybe have
a rethink. But as soon as the leaves firm up, start gradually
increasing their exposure to sunlight.


michael adams


Excellent -thanks just what I needed to know.

On Thu, 13 Apr 2006 09:18:58 +0100, "Rupert"
wrote:

A load of bare rooted plants are about to be dumped on me from USA.
Some new DEFRA / USA regulations mean that they can not be shipped in soil.
Any suggestions as to how Avocados (a few feet) should be treated on arrival
to get them growing.
One suggestion is to cut leaves in half to reduce water loss but I would
have thought that this would result in a greater loss from the cuts.
As you can see this is not an area of my expertise

It is recommended that leaf cuttings of camellias are cut in half
(transversely, not lengthwise) to reduce transpiration. Didn't cause
any problems when I've done this in the past and I sometimes do it to
other types of cutting if they're excessively leafy. Whether avocados
would benefit, I've no idea.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

Interesting, do you have any links to the DEFRA site, as I have been
trying to imort some tree's.

But all the nurserys I have contacted refuse to supply, either potted
or bare rooted.

It was my understanding that its not only the soil borne pests etc,
its those that could be infesting the tree (hiding in the bark) etc,
that why restrictions were imposed.


On Thu, 13 Apr 2006 09:18:58 +0100, "Rupert"
wrote:

A load of bare rooted plants are about to be dumped on me from USA.
Some new DEFRA / USA regulations mean that they can not be shipped in soil.
Any suggestions as to how Avocados (a few feet) should be treated on arrival
to get them growing.
One suggestion is to cut leaves in half to reduce water loss but I would
have thought that this would result in a greater loss from the cuts.
As you can see this is not an area of my expertise

"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 13 Apr 2006 09:18:58 +0100, "Rupert"
wrote:

A load of bare rooted plants are about to be dumped on me from USA.
Some new DEFRA / USA regulations mean that they can not be shipped in
soil.
Any suggestions as to how Avocados (a few feet) should be treated on
arrival
to get them growing.
One suggestion is to cut leaves in half to reduce water loss but I would
have thought that this would result in a greater loss from the cuts.
As you can see this is not an area of my expertise

It is recommended that leaf cuttings of camellias are cut in half
(transversely, not lengthwise) to reduce transpiration.

....

Strangly enough one might have thought that drought-tolerant subjects
such as camellias wouldn't be so prone to water loss through evaporation
and transpiration as some other species.

But clearly this must be wrong.

....

Didn't cause
any problems when I've done this in the past and I sometimes do it to
other types of cutting if they're excessively leafy.
Whether avocados would benefit, I've no idea.

....

Rupert is importing rooted plants, not rootless cuttings in any case.

And on plants there's always the possibility of removing entire stems
if such drastic measures are eventually though necessary.


michael adams



--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

"mouldy man" wrote in message
...

Interesting, do you have any links to the DEFRA site, as I have been
trying to imort some tree's.

But all the nurserys I have contacted refuse to supply, either potted
or bare rooted.

It was my understanding that its not only the soil borne pests etc,
its those that could be infesting the tree (hiding in the bark) etc,
that why restrictions were imposed.

You could make a start he

http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/impexp.htm

Apparently a lot can depend on species. Certain species maybe
elm because of elm bark beetle (obvious example/guess) are banned
altogether especially from countries where the problem is known
to exist.


michael adams

"mouldy man" wrote in message
...
Interesting, do you have any links to the DEFRA site, as I have been
trying to imort some tree's.

But all the nurserys I have contacted refuse to supply, either potted
or bare rooted.

It was my understanding that its not only the soil borne pests etc,
its those that could be infesting the tree (hiding in the bark) etc,
that why restrictions were imposed.


It's a very complex process -so complex that many of the UK plant suppliers
have packed in exporting to the UK and Europe.
Quote from my supplier in USA
" Looks like it's some kind of
"cold war" between USDA and DEFRA"

If you find an American supplier who is prepared to ship to the UK you will
need to become an authorised plant importer and receive a DEFRA registration
number. This is a relatively simple process, particularly if you are VAT
registered.
Whatever the cost of the plant you can add several hundred pounds to the
cost to cover:-
Phytosanitary certificate, USA-Packaging to IATA standards, Transport to
Airport, Airfreight charges to UK, Clearance charges in the UK , Import duty
and DEFRA inspection charge.
+VAT.
An alternative is to piggy back your shipment with someone else who is
already registered

"Rupert" wrote in message
...

"mouldy man" wrote in message
...
Interesting, do you have any links to the DEFRA site, as I have been
trying to imort some tree's.

But all the nurserys I have contacted refuse to supply, either potted
or bare rooted.

It was my understanding that its not only the soil borne pests etc,
its those that could be infesting the tree (hiding in the bark) etc,
that why restrictions were imposed.


It's a very complex process -so complex that many of the UK plant
suppliers have packed in exporting to the UK and Europe.
Quote from my supplier in USA
" Looks like it's some kind of
"cold war" between USDA and DEFRA"

If you find an American supplier who is prepared to ship to the UK you
will need to become an authorised plant importer and receive a DEFRA
registration number. This is a relatively simple process, particularly if
you are VAT registered.
Whatever the cost of the plant you can add several hundred pounds to the
cost to cover:-
Phytosanitary certificate, USA-Packaging to IATA standards, Transport to
Airport, Airfreight charges to UK, Clearance charges in the UK , Import
duty and DEFRA inspection charge.
+VAT.
An alternative is to piggy back your shipment with someone else who is
already registered


Just one final word of advice --if you do import plants make certain they
don't arrive at Heathrow on a Bank Holiday--(very big sob).

"Sacha" wrote in message
oups.com...

Rupert wrote:
snip
Just one final word of advice --if you do import plants make certain they
don't arrive at Heathrow on a Bank Holiday--(very big sob).

Oh no! What happened?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon


Well it's like this. The computerised clearance system would not accept the
DEFRA import number and the agent said that there was no one in Customs who
could help because they were operating on a skeleton staff.
Me rings an emergency number and Customs intervene and the system starts to
work. Original documents are with the agent who needs to get them to Customs
who have promised to clear everything in two hours which gets us to about 6
o'clock this evening.
Agent goes home at 5 o'clock and no one can release anything from warehouse
until tomorrow.
One other slight problem is all the paperwork is wrong cos one box did not
get loaded in Florida and has arrived on a different flight.

That's it -I am going to stick to flowering pansies from the local shed or
perhaps get a taxi to Devon and back and have a look at your plants.
I am certain this would work out cheaper and less stressful :-)


..

Rupert wrote:
"Sacha" wrote in message
oups.com...

Rupert wrote:
snip
Just one final word of advice --if you do import plants make certain they
don't arrive at Heathrow on a Bank Holiday--(very big sob).

Oh no! What happened?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon


Well it's like this. The computerised clearance system would not accept the
DEFRA import number and the agent said that there was no one in Customs who
could help because they were operating on a skeleton staff.
Me rings an emergency number and Customs intervene and the system starts to
work. Original documents are with the agent who needs to get them to Customs
who have promised to clear everything in two hours which gets us to about 6
o'clock this evening.
Agent goes home at 5 o'clock and no one can release anything from warehouse
until tomorrow.
One other slight problem is all the paperwork is wrong cos one box did not
get loaded in Florida and has arrived on a different flight.

That's it -I am going to stick to flowering pansies from the local shed or
perhaps get a taxi to Devon and back and have a look at your plants.
I am certain this would work out cheaper and less stressful :-)

Well of course it would. Especially with the emollient of a Devon cream
tea!
Ugh, what a sorry tale for you, though and how deeply frustrating. I'm
sorry and I do hope all works out asap.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon