swapping cuttings by post - can it be done
 

Anyone had success in swapping cuttings by post. What is the best way to do it? I am thinking of wrapping roots in kitchen roll and posting wrapped in plastic.

Anyone else up to swapping house plant cuttings?

The message
from JohnOGroats contains these words:

Anyone had success in swapping cuttings by post. What is the best way
to do it? I am thinking of wrapping roots in kitchen roll and posting
wrapped in plastic.

Wrap in the pierced plactic that bread often comes in - you don't want
to seal them completely. Wrap the cuttings in damp moss.

I have some bog myrtle which came down as bare-root shrubs, first-class
post. A pic of it last year is at:
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/myrtle2b.jpg

The peat in the planter was covered in the moss the plants came wrapped
in. They're a bit bigger now, and all sorts of seeds which were in the
moss are coming up.

Anyone else up to swapping house plant cuttings?

I might have to cut my rubber tree back soon...

--
Rusty
Emus to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk

"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote in message
k...
The message
from JohnOGroats contains these
words:

Anyone had success in swapping cuttings by post. What is the best way
to do it? I am thinking of wrapping roots in kitchen roll and posting
wrapped in plastic.

Wrap in the pierced plactic that bread often comes in - you don't want
to seal them completely. Wrap the cuttings in damp moss.

I have some bog myrtle which came down as bare-root shrubs, first-class
post. A pic of it last year is at:
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/myrtle2b.jpg

The peat in the planter was covered in the moss the plants came wrapped
in. They're a bit bigger now, and all sorts of seeds which were in the
moss are coming up.

Anyone else up to swapping house plant cuttings?

I might have to cut my rubber tree back soon...

I seem to recall reading that plants usually benefit from hydrogen
peroxide -as this is a disinfectant which decomposes to water and
oxygen-maybe an application of ,say, 3% will help prolong a cuttings life
and kill harmful bacteria.

The message
from JohnOGroats contains these words:


Anyone had success in swapping cuttings by post. What is the best way
to do it? I am thinking of wrapping roots in kitchen roll and posting
wrapped in plastic.

It's usually best to send swaps either as seeds or as rooted
plantlets. Cuttings are likely to wilt too much en route, especially in
hot weather.

Rigid clear plastic drinks bottles make a very good postal container
for rooted plants, because the plant continues to get some light and
air, and won't get crushed. Even Robert, the dimmest postie in the
world, can't ram a bottle through a letterbox flap.

Cut off the bottom, shorten the bottle to fit the plant, wedge the
plant's tissue-wrapped damp roots in the bottom bit with tape. Then
reassemble the bottle with the plant inside and seal the join with
strong gaffertape. Tape on an address/stamp label. Water the plant
through the top, and screw on the lid.

Janet.

"JohnOGroats" wrote

Anyone had success in swapping cuttings by post. What is the best way
to do it? I am thinking of wrapping roots in kitchen roll and posting
wrapped in plastic.

Anyone else up to swapping house plant cuttings?


I heard that Kew were using the "Stayfresh" bags as sold by Lakeland Ltd.
(Prev Lakeland Plastics)

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

In article , JohnOGroats
writes

Anyone had success in swapping cuttings by post. What is the best way
to do it? I am thinking of wrapping roots in kitchen roll and posting
wrapped in plastic.

Anyone else up to swapping house plant cuttings?


--
JohnOGroats


I've done it for years, much to the consternation of the recipients as I
usually put far too many in my parcels:)

I wash roots if possible so I don't send bugs/disease to anyone and it's
lighter. Then I wrap wet kitchen towel round the roots then cling film
with top open.
They then go in horizontally to a box and I use up all my Tesco or
Waitrose plastic bags to pas everything out.
Worked okay up till now though Kay and Jill bell got a bit wary of
agreeing to accept more 'presents' after a while :)

I try to post later in the day and on cool days so the plants go as
quickly as possible and aren't left lying around in heat.
Always put label inside cling film if identity of plant not immediately
obvious. I've sent really tiny cuttings this way.
janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

In article , Janet Baraclough
writes

It's usually best to send swaps either as seeds or as rooted
plantlets. Cuttings are likely to wilt too much en route, especially in
hot weather.


Ah, well I usually intend 'cuttings' to mean rooted ones if sending them
by mail. However if cuttings are hardwood or semi hardwood shouldn't
think it would matter overly much if root stuck in gritty compost for
duration of posting?


igid clear plastic drinks bottles make a very good postal container
for rooted plants, because the plant continues to get some light


'light' ? What in a parcel janet?



Even Robert, the dimmest postie in the
world, can't ram a bottle through a letterbox flap.

Bet he could you know, on a good day! Specially if it was the wrong
letterbox :)

Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.net

In article , Janet Tweedy
writes
'light' ? What in a parcel janet?

A regular poster sent me young plants in half a loo roll holder - it
worked a treat.

--
Judith Lea

The message
from Janet Tweedy contains these words:

igid clear plastic drinks bottles make a very good postal container
for rooted plants, because the plant continues to get some light


'light' ? What in a parcel janet?

You don't need to wrap it further...

--
Rusty
Emus to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from Janet Tweedy contains these words:

In article , Janet Baraclough
writes


igid clear plastic drinks bottles make a very good postal container
for rooted plants, because the plant continues to get some light


'light' ? What in a parcel janet?

Wot parcel? The bottle *is* the wrapping/parcel. I post the bottle,
as is. Same as shipwrecked sailors.

Janet.

In article , Janet Tweedy
writes

I've done it for years, much to the consternation of the recipients as I
usually put far too many in my parcels:)

I wash roots if possible so I don't send bugs/disease to anyone and it's
lighter. Then I wrap wet kitchen towel round the roots then cling film
with top open.
They then go in horizontally to a box and I use up all my Tesco or
Waitrose plastic bags to pas everything out.
Worked okay up till

yes - agree with that. Everything Janet sends arrives in tip-top
condition.

now though Kay and Jill bell got a bit wary of
agreeing to accept more 'presents' after a while :)

Well, we made the mistake of leaving our car unlocked on your driveway,
didn't we? ;-)


--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

The message
from Janet Baraclough contains these words:
The message
from Janet Tweedy contains these words:
In article , Janet Baraclough
writes


igid clear plastic drinks bottles make a very good postal container
for rooted plants, because the plant continues to get some light


'light' ? What in a parcel janet?

Wot parcel? The bottle *is* the wrapping/parcel. I post the bottle,
as is. Same as shipwrecked sailors.

Don't they mind?

--
Rusty
Emus to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from Jaques d'Alltrades contains
these words:

The message
from Janet Baraclough contains these words:


Wot parcel? The bottle *is* the wrapping/parcel. I post the bottle,
as is. Same as shipwrecked sailors.

Don't they mind?

Only if I give them a first class stamp.

Janet

In article , Janet Baraclough
writes


'light' ? What in a parcel janet?

Wot parcel? The bottle *is* the wrapping/parcel. I post the bottle,
as is. Same as shipwrecked sailors.

Janet.


How do you get the stamps on, and what about the mechanised postal
apparatus that is supposed to 'speed' the parcel to it's destination.

Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

The message
from Janet Tweedy contains these words:
In article , Janet Baraclough
writes

'light' ? What in a parcel janet?

Wot parcel? The bottle *is* the wrapping/parcel. I post the bottle,
as is. Same as shipwrecked sailors.

How do you get the stamps on,

Self-adhesive label with address and stamp.

and what about the mechanised postal
apparatus that is supposed to 'speed' the parcel to it's destination.

It's mainly used on letters and packets.

I've sent a plastic bag of tree seedlings with some of the tops
protruding. A 'parcel' doesn't have to be covered in brown paper, tied
up with string and secured with sealing-wax innit.

--
Rusty
Emus to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/