Live herb plants are great gifts for someone who enjoys both cooking and gardening. However, sending out a live herb requires a bit more of caution than just putting it on a box and mailing it to your loved one. A live herb plant must be properly packed so it will arrive fresh and ready for planting (and eating!). Here are some simple tips on how to pack and ship a live herb plant.
Take out the plant from its pot and gently take out the soil on the roots by running it in cool water.
Get five to six pieces of thick paper towels and dampen them with water. Place the moist paper on a flat surface and lay the roots of the plant on the towels. Leave the leaves and stems above the paper towels.
Put some gel-forming agricultural polymer and water into a bowl. The consistency you are looking for should resemble that of maple syrup.
With a teaspoon, drizzle the polymer mixture onto the roots of the herb plant. One teaspoon is enough to coat 3 inches of plant root.
Collect all four corners of the paper towels together to wrap the roots completely but leaving the stems and leaves uncovered. Wrap the paper towels with plastic wrap to create a leak-proof barrier for the roots.
Make sure to put tags for the plants so the recipient can distinguish between the herbs if you are sending different kinds.
Get some newspaper and lay several layers a flat surface. Place the plant bundle on the newspaper layers, and wrap the entire herb loosely with tape. Leave the top open so the herb plant will have air circulation.
Fill the bottom of a cardboard box with two inches of packing peanuts. Place the herb plant bundles inside the cardboard box, and add more packing peanuts so the plants are fully cushioned, but not buried. Close the box and seal it with packing tape.
Address and label the package and take to your local post office. Ship the box using fastest shipping method available.