We can safely say that shipping is one of the most efficient ways of sending packages, and not surprisingly, you may use shipping to send plants as well. But how to ship plant cuttings?
First of all, it varies depending on the plant species, the weather in the host country, etc. Once you bear these guidelines in mind, it is easy to do this. Rest assured that you are rewarded with a beautiful plant in return, and those cuttings will flourish the same way that their parent plants do.
Although shipping plant cuttings is a simple process, there are certain things that you need to keep in mind when doing this. Only then can you assure that your cuttings will arrive safely. Once you educate yourself on this aspect, you can share these lovely cuttings with someone who lives far away. How lovely would it be?
How to ship plant cuttings?
First and foremost, you should get the plant’s cuttings to start this off. Next, you should arrange a paper towel or even sphagnum moss instead of that. Besides, you should arrange a cling wrap or small zip-lock bag and, if necessary, a small postal box and some newspapers to pack them as well.
Packing is quite crucial, as only then would it help the plants survive for a few days during shipping. In addition to that, it would play a major role in helping the cuttings flourish into healthy plants, too. It is noteworthy that you can ship the plant cuttings, which contain roots, given that you propagated them in water.
What are the things you need to do one day prior to ship the plants
Suppose that you are sending new cuttings that have yet to form roots. The best thing you could do is to cut off the cuttings from the mother plant one day prior to shipping. That way, it would allow the plants to stay fresh.
Furthermore, you need to water the cuttings one day prior to shipping them as well. It is fundamental to keep the plants hydrated once you cut them, and watering them a day before you pack them would be really helpful to stay hydrated during the shipment as well.
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How to make the cutting
I encourage you to take the cuttings on the day you wish to send them. Furthermore, when making the cut, make it at an angle and select the best-looking healthy section of the plant for this purpose. There could be different sizes of plant cuttings.
Having said that, the small cuttings would have the best chance of success. The reason behind that is because those cuttings will only consume less energy to make them stay alive, and they will be using the majority of the energy to grow the roots.
If those cuttings happen to have a lot of leaves, it would be best to remove as much as you can. So It would further allow the plants to save more energy. However, it is best to leave a couple of leaves at the top of the cutting. It would allow the plants to save the water that is remaining on their stems.
In addition to that, it would make it easy for the branches to support themselves and stay firm too. Last but not least, it would help the plants stay hydrated until they arrive at their final destination.
How to package the plant cuttings
I suggest using a damp paper towel or damp sphagnum moss, and then covering the cutting edges where the rooting would take place. It would allow the cuttings to stay moist during the shipment.
You need to use sphagnum moss to cover the roots’ cutting edges, and refrain from using paper towels for that. Those rooted cuttings may contain delicate roots, and you need to assure that they don’t wither until they reach their destination.
If you have ordinary cuttings that have not rooted, you may use paper towels that are not too wet. Furthermore, I suggest you use cling wrap or a small zip-lock bag and then cover the paper towel. It would literally act as a proper sealer, preventing their moisture from evaporating. There could be some people who wish to wrap the cuttings entirely in a plastic layer to ensure that they contain the right moisture level until they reach their final destination.
Consider that you have woody stem cuttings; then you may dip the cutting edges in warm wax. Wax would also act as a proper sealer, and it would seal the cutting edges and ensure that moisture is not drawn out.
If you are using this method, you don’t need to wrap the cutting edges with a damp paper towel. Lastly, you may place the wrapped cuttings in the postage box. One more tactic that you could practice here is to fill the excess space with materials such as paper, tissue paper, or any other materials.
How do you ship the plant cuttings
I encourage you to pack the cuttings and ship them, ideally at the beginning of the week. For example, you can do it either on a Monday or a Tuesday. That way, you can be confident that your package will not be in transit over the weekend.
The shipment will then be delivered to them before the weekend. If your receiver lives miles away, you may consider using express post. Generally speaking, the cuttings should reach their final destination within two to three days, and it could help them survive better once you replant them.
In addition to the aforesaid tips, you can also consider labeling your packages. For example, you may write some wording to state that what is inside that box is a live plant and not to leave it exposed to direct sunlight.
Keep in mind that heat and cold are two critical factors that will negatively affect your cuttings. So, be mindful of the climate before you send out your package. If the climate is such that freezing temperatures are present, I believe it is best to avoid those times, as these plants will have a lower chance of survival.
Aside from that, make sure you educate the person receiving it on the type of plant he or she is receiving. Furthermore, inform him to open the package as soon as it arrives so that the cuttings do not have to stay in a warmer box for any longer. Needless to say, after that, you should educate the recipient on how to care for the plants.
How to propagate the cuttings
Propagation methods could vary depending on the type of cutting. However, make the recipients aware of some of the useful advice on how to care for them once they receive the packages. Inform the recipients that they should not trim the cutting ends as soon as they receive them. If you do so, it will give you a fresh wound. Thereafter, you can propagate them in water, and that is what many people tend to do.
Final thoughts
I hope now you are well aware of how to ship the plant cutting while ensuring the best survival chance as well. Once you practice these methods, it will be easy for you to share your precious plant cuttings with other plant lovers. How lovely would it be to share the plant cuttings with people who live far away across the ocean? How fun would it be to spot them flourishing after you get them from another plant enthusiast who lives miles away?
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