I have recieved a few trees in the mail and I have seen how others have done it, but I wanted to ask how do you guys pack and ship your trees? I'm asking particularly for potted 1 gal trees. How fast do you need to ship them to make sure there are no problems? Thanks in advance for any information. 

few times i got the trees, 1 gal pot, they were sent to me on USPS priority mail. i plan to do the same. they all came fine. some of them looked little wilted, but some water and rest under the shade bring them back up.

pete

When i sold trees on ebay it was priority mail 2-3 days.
I did send one overnight to a concerned buyer but its not cheap depending on how far it travels.
As a note i really do not want to sell anymore plants but may break down and sell 1 here or there.

Thanks guys, I know it's a pain cuttings are easier. How did you pack them up?

Hi Marcus,
I pack my trees by taping damp paper towels over the top of the mix to keep the mix in place and for moisture. Then I secure the pot into the box so there's no movement.
I ship USPS Priority, although they lost a package this year containing a ronde de Bordeaux and kb. Basically they told me to gfy. Get a tracking # and insure high value plants. They don't give you a free tracking# anymore.

With lots of Love so they do not move around in box with lots of tape to pot to inside box , string etc.
I also tape top of pot so stem cannot flounder as well.

FWI, for those who think that the packages sit at the post office over the weekend, this is a myth.

Nothing sits over the weekend. The USPS, UPS, FedEx and everyone else in the business is running 365 days a year. Even Christmas.

So if you are shipping from NY to LA on a Thursday afternoon rest assured it will be on its' way that evenning. It may end up at a couple different hubs but it's constantly moving and quite possibly make it to LA by Monday.

As for packing them, this is a work of art by its' self. LOL
I use the smallest box available for the right fit.

I water the plants and let drain and then cover with moist/damp paper towel and secure with tape. I place the plant in a couple plastic bags and tie.

Then I insert a couple bamboo stick in the pot and long enough to touch the flaps of the box when closed. Then I use a couple more bamboo sticks sideways touching from side to side of the boxso the pot doesn't move. I use plenty of tape.

Hope this helps.

Yup Rafed your right i forgot the stick part to keep plant from bouncing up and down.

Here is how I ship Fig plants {takes the worry out of being close}

Thanks guys, this is a lot if good info. 

If the plants are well established, and well watered before shipping and it is not the middle of summer, they can easily survive a week in transit and probably two.

I have shipped 100s and 100s of trees, including more than a few to New England, which is 8 days UPS Ground, and have never lost a plant for lack of moisture (or anything else).

Ship on Monday.

Jon,

Remember when the Sierra and Seqouia you sent me got lost in the mail?
Fifteen days as I recall. Came in fresh and healthy.

I think it was San Diego to Hayward, Ca. to Chicago, back to Hayward, back to Chicago, and then to Sterling Heights, Mi.

So mailing in the next few weeks should be ok.

I am receiving a few trees next week, they way he sends them is by (4 inch pot by my guess) removing from the pot, placing each ones root ball in a bag with good soil and twist tie the top of the bag.  I had some sitting in the mail from him last year during our postal strike in July and they are all still alive, they were maybe 8-12 inches, I was happy and I am sure I will be happy again when I receive this next batch.