Are you about to ship aquatic plants to a client as an online seller, a plant enthusiast, or an aquarium hobbyist? You will want to ensure they are sent in the correct conditions because this will ensure the plants survive from the start of their shipping journey until the end.
It is a delicate process. But if you are unsure how to handle the shipment, a few packaging tips can help you protect those fragile plants. Go to the tips and steps we have outlined in this article to learn how.
Key Factors to Consider when Shipping Aquatic Plants
When preparing the shipment of aquatic plants, there are a few things you will want to keep in mind to ensure you take the right steps – these include the points below:
- Moisture Retention is Essential: Aquatic plants require moisture to keep them from drying out. At the same time, they should not be submerged in large amounts of water – which can cause plant rot. So, they will require access to the right kind of water source, which we have described below.
- Handling with Care is Key: Your aquatic plants are fragile items and will need to be handled with care throughout the shipment. Packaging options and labels can make a difference here, ensuring the plants do not sustain damage during the shipment process.
- Avoiding Temperature Shock is Important: Temperature shock refers to a fast and significant water temperature change that can cause aquatic plant cellular damage. Freezing temperatures can cause the plant cells to freeze, while high temperatures can lead to faster oxygen consumption and plant rot. You will need to consider the type of aquatic plant and the ideal temperature conditions before making the shipment.
Important Packaging for Aquatic Plants
With these key factors in mind, it’s important to obtain the right shipping supplies and boxes that will protect the plants throughout the shipping journey. Let’s now consider the important packaging for aquatic plants.
- Paper Towels – We have mentioned that moisture retention is crucial for keeping aquatic plants in the right condition during shipping. Wrapped around the aquatic plant, paper towels can be a good packaging material for maintaining moisture retention.
- Zip Lock Bags – This zip lock packaging solution is ideal for minimizing exposure to the air during transit, ensuring the aquatic plant remains in contact with moistened paper towels throughout the journey, and minimizing water evaporation.
- Hot or Cold Packs – If you know that there will be temperature extremes during the shipment process, you should consider adding hot or cold packs. Hot packs are ideal for temperatures below 50ºF or 10ºC, while cold packs are best when temperatures are above 80ºF or 26.5ºC.
- Shipping Box – A shipping box will protect the aquatic plants, ensuring their delicate leaves and roots do not get squashed during the journey, and makes the courier’s job easier as they can handle the package with greater care. The corrugated box also makes it simpler to add a hot or cold pack to the shipment and maintain the right temperature. Measure the plant to ensure you purchase the correct-sized shipping box for the shipment.
- Newsprint Paper – You should also keep the plants in an insulated packaging for plants and provide a cushioned environment with void fill to ensure they cannot move around inside the box. Newsprint paper or bubble wrap are two ideal options that will cushion the plants and keep them protected.
- Packing Tape – With packing tape, you can seal the shipping box securely to prevent the aquatic plant from falling out. Aquatic plants can survive in the mail without light for up to seven days, so you can seal the box with the plants inside. But it’s ideal to ship them using a three-day delivery method to keep them in the best condition and ensure they reach the destination alive.
The Shipping Process – 5 Steps for Shipping Live Aquatic Plants
Once you’ve obtained these packaging elements, you can get started with the packing and shipping process. There are five steps for shipping live aquatic plants, which we’ve listed below.
- Prepare the Plants – After removing debris and dead leaves, gather the paper towels and a zip-lock bag. Moisten the paper towels, wrap them around the aquatic plant roots, and place the plants into the bag.
- Seal the Zip Lock Bag – With rubber bands, seal the zip lock bag, and then place the sealed bag into an additional one to prevent leaks.
- Add Cushioning – You can now place the zip lock bag into the shipping container and add the cushioning/insulation materials. Place the newsprint paper around the plant to prevent knocks and bumps during the shipping journey.
- Add Hot or Cold Packs – Depending on the weather conditions, you may add hot or cold packs to the corrugated shipping boxes to prevent temperature shock and balance out temperature extremes.
- Seal the Shipping Box – With the packing tape, you can now seal the shipping box with everything inside. Use the ‘H’ taping method, which involves sealing the flaps as well as the seams for a more secure seal. Then, as well as the full name, street address, suite number, post code, and province of the sender and recipient, you can also add a ‘Handle with Care’ or ‘Fragile’ label sticker to the box to minimize potential courier damage.
Shipping and Carrier Options
As a final step, selecting the right carrier for the shipment can help ensure the aquatic plant arrives at the destination in the right condition. Fast shipping processes, such as next business day shipments or three-day shipments, are important to keep the plant alive, and there are a few carrier options that can work well.
For example, options like Canada Post and UPS are ideal. They provide expedited shipping services that will minimize the journey time for your aquatic plants. You might have also considered FedEx, which provides a slightly faster, overnight shipping process as well as a Next Day Air shipment if required.
Ship Aquatic Plants Safely with Packaging Solutions from The Packaging Company
Whether you are shipping aquatic plants to clients or moving these to a new location, keeping them in the best conditions will help the plants survive. Although it can be a delicate process, the tips and packaging suggestions in this article will contribute to a successful shipment.
You’ll find the key supplies for shipping aquatic plants right here at The Packaging Company. We’re your e-commerce partner and we stock high-quality packaging for businesses of all sizes. Start preparing your shipment with the right packaging—shop The Packaging Company today.
