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How to Deliver Plants Successfully [On Time + Low Cost]

How can you successfully ship plants while minimizing risks and costs? Discover essential tips for safe, efficient plant delivery and packaging techniques.


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The plant and flower industry has grown steadily over the last ten years. It’s now valued at more than $15 billion and continues to grow.

Businesses must adapt to meet the rising demand for houseplants. Providing reliable shipping and delivery options is essential.

While you can take measures to safeguard plants during delivery, risks remain. The safest way to ensure your plants arrive on time and in good condition is to deliver them yourself.

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4 Tips to Safely Ship or Deliver Plants

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Properly packing plants is crucial to ensure they survive the journey without damage. Plants need proper care, clear instructions, and gentle handling to stay healthy during transport.

Ship Plants Bare Root or With Little Soil

Shipping plants with bare roots or less soil can lower costs and reduce the risk of damage. Soil adds weight, which increases shipping costs. It can also have hard clumps or rocks that might harm the plant if the package is shaken. Even without soil, plants still need nutrients during shipping.

To ship a plant without soil, you should remove it from the pot and shake off loose dirt. Leave any dirt that stays on the roots, as it provides familiar nutrients. Then, wrap the roots in damp paper towels to keep them moist and place them in a plastic bag. 

If you need to ship a potted plant, wrap the pot in bubble wrap. Place a piece of cardboard over the soil to stop spills and protect the plant during delivery.

Use the Smallest Box Possible

Choose a box slightly larger than the plant you are shipping. A box that’s too big can let the plant move around, which may cause damage during transport.

Add Cushioning for the Plant

Use crumpled paper, packing peanuts, or bubble wrap to cushion the box. Place the plant inside the box, then add the cushioning materials around it. The box doesn’t need to be packed tightly, but the plant should be supported. Proper cushioning keeps the plant from shifting or hitting the sides of the box, reducing the risk of damage.

Attach a “Handle With Care” Label

Add a label that says “handle with care” to the package. This lets delivery workers know to treat it gently. Also, include a label showing which side of the package should face down. This helps keep plants, like orchids or fig trees, upright and prevents damage during delivery.

4 Risks of Mailing Plants

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Shipping plants through the mail comes with challenges. These risks can harm the plant or increase your costs.

Plants Can Be Easily Damaged

Keeping plants alive is hard enough at home. Mailing them adds even more chances for damage.

For example, the package could get lost or delayed. In that case, the plant might not get enough water, nutrients, or light to survive. The plant can also get damaged if the package shifts during transit. 

Branches might break, or flowers could fall off. Adding cushioning can indeed help protect the plant. However, once it’s in the hands of the shipping company, its safety is no longer under your control.

High Shipping Costs

There are many ways to ship plants, like USPS, FedEx, or UPS. However, none of these options are inexpensive. In addition to standard shipping fees, you may need to pay for extras too. These include insurance to cover any damage during transit. 

Choosing priority mail can also increase costs. Yet, it also helps reduce delivery time and lowers some risks.

Potential Shipping Restrictions

There are many rules and guidelines for shipping plants. You’ll need to research these carefully to avoid breaking any regulations. For example, the National Plant Board is a helpful resource for checking plant shipping requirements.

Some states have specific rules, such as:

Temperature Challenges

Most plants need specific temperature conditions to stay healthy. If the environment isn’t right, even for a short time, the plant might not survive.

A temperature-controlled delivery truck is essential. Without one, the plants might not stay in good condition during shipping. This makes it harder to guarantee its survival until it reaches its destination.

A Smarter Option for Plant Nurseries: In-House Delivery

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In-house delivery removes the risks associated with using third-party services. It allows you to rely on your own team for transportation and delivery.

This method is also called self-delivery. It is often more affordable than outsourcing to a delivery service. It’s a cost-effective choice, especially for businesses that ship large quantities of plants. Even companies with smaller or occasional shipments can benefit from using their delivery team.

Your team can ensure better care for plants during transport. With proper training and plant care knowledge, they’ll have the skills to ensure plants stay healthy while being delivered. This level of attention cannot be expected from postal or shipping companies.

Streamline Plant Delivery With eLogii

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Managing your deliveries means keeping track of orders and planning routes. But this doesn’t have to be time-consuming. While you could handle everything manually, using a route optimization tool like eLogii can simplify the process by automating it.

eLogii can plan deliveries weeks in advance and find the shortest, most efficient routes for your drivers. It accounts for customer delivery time preferences and travel times between stops.

eLogii also offers delivery tracking for customers, ensuring plants arrive on time.

Its order and task prioritization features help reduce the time plants spend in transit, keeping them in better condition.

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FAQs on How to Deliver Plants

Is it possible to ship live plants?

Yes, you can ship live plants.

How long can a plant last during shipping?

Most plants can survive about a week in the mail when carefully packed. However, this depends on the plant’s needs, like water and sunlight. Investigate the care requirements for the plant and arrange for prompt delivery. For example, some plants need frequent watering and direct sunlight. You should ship these plants within a few business days.

What’s the best way to ship plants by mail?

Start by removing excess soil from the roots. Wrap the roots in a damp paper towel to keep them hydrated. Then put the plant in a box with cushioning to keep it secure during transit.

How do you mail fresh plant cuttings?

To mail plant cuttings, make sure they are properly sealed to retain moisture and prevent them from drying out. You can also wrap the cutting loosely in plastic to help keep moisture away from the packing material, ensuring the cutting stays dry during transit.

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