I have about 20 potted trees from 2 ft to 4.5ft tall that I will be stuffing into my hatchback car (car is large size).  The car will be shipped on a car carrier tractor trailer from south Florida to N.Y. total time in the car should be 3 days.

Some of the car compartments that will hold small trees will have no light at all, some others will have some light but I expect to try and wrap most branches with cardboard to protect the small branches.  All of these trees are less then 6 months old, all leafed out and some with figs. I expect to position them so as to minimize movement within the vehicle, some in 7 gallon pots will be laid down.

I will water before packing but I don't expect to be able to water them or let them see sunlight for 3 maybe 4 days (I hope 3). Actually the car getting too hot may be a problem but I can remotely monitor and turn on the AC if needed.


Do you think these trees will arrive OK?  Should I fertilize before shipping?  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Of course my wife and friends all think I'm nuts.

a 2' tree should be fine for 3 days if watered and in the dark.  Removing most of the leaves will help decrease water needs.  Depending on pot size that may or may not be needed.  I'd be most worried about temperatures.  Some enclosed spaces can get to 140 degrees or more.  I'm not sure the plants would survive that.

Most are in 1 gallon pots, a few in 3 gallon and the 5 larger ones are in 7 gallon pots.  I'm concerned about water retention in the pots since I used a 5-1-1 fast draining mix. 

The temperature is a concern especially if the car is placed on the top of the car carrier where it will get more sun, but the car allows me to remotely monitor and adjust the temperature. (if I can get a signal to the car).

You will be fine. Figs are very resilient.

I think they should make with no problem. One thing you could do to hold in moisture, is to set each pot in a garbage bag and tie it around the trunk. This will keep it from drying out on its journey.

Thanks for all replies, prior to shipping I will give them a good soaking, wrap garbage bags around the pots and add a little water into the garbage bags to add more humidity to the pot.

I also read that you could freeze water in a plastic bottle, put a small hole in it and mount it in the pot and as the ice melts it will drip into the pot, may add another 1/2 day of water but not sure I'm going to try this.

Are they all leaves out? I agree with rcantor,  if it has lots of leaves, you may remove some leaves.

I do not think that it is a problem, I ordered some young fig trees last June/July hot summer, It arrived 8 days in non A/C postal truck ( 4 days in truck, 3 day at processing plant), All in one sealed cardboard box, soil is dry peat moss/perite( not wet), trees was ok but recovered quickly.

Ricky - Thanks, yes lots of leaves, I will remove some, if your trees survived mine should be ok.

I've had them get lost for 11 days before and although they looked a tad beat up they recovered. I ship in 1 gallon trade pots with the soil covered by damp paper towels. I wrap the things in plastic grocery bags. I have been doing it this way for years and have never lost a tree so I'm sure you'll be OK.

Thanks Mgginva, wet paper towels - good idea.