Roses are one of the most popular plants and blooms among gardeners and plant enthusiasts. Advancements in plant breeding technologies make growing rose bushes easier. Thus, collectors can easily propagate them and share them to other collectors in a breeze. However, roses are not as hardy as other plants so special care is necessary when packaging them before shipping. Here are some tips on how to pack and ship live rose bushes.
Start by preparing a clay/soil mixture with 70/30 ratio. Use this to pack the bare roots of a rose bush. The roots of the plant should be packed with about 2 inches of the clay/soil mixture.
Then, wrap the clay/soil mixture with thick plastic wrap to seal in the moisture and protect the roots. Make sure that the plant stem is not restricted by the plastic wrap.
Place the rose bush in the center of a shipping box. To cushion it and prevent it from shifting around during transit, fill the spaces on the sides up to the top of the box with packing peanuts or another loose packing material.
When shipping several rose bushes, each plant must be packed with the clay/soil mixture and then wrapped individually. Arrange them in the box such that they are not so crowded. Fill the remaining spaces with packing materials.
Close and seal the box tightly with packing tape.
Address and label the package and take to a shipping company or post office. Pick a shipping method that gets the box to its destination in two days or less.