For those of you in cold climates, what have you found is the best way to transport blooming plants in cold winter weather? I know it isn't something we all want to do all the time, but let's face it, there are shows at this time of year.

I'd love to hear the ingenious ways you all have discovered for best safely and warmly getting those orchids to the shows!

(Ray - I KNOW you have mentioned you have some proven methods, do tell! Inquiring minds want to know!!)

Okay, I'll fess up - I thought this would be a really good question!
I am in charge of writing the answers to the "Culture Corner" column for my local society. I thought this would be a really appropriate question to answer at this time of year (seeing as no one has yet sent me another suggestion from the Society, and I have to have it written by next week!) and since the Cape and Islands show is at the end of the month, and the NHOS show is at the end of February.

So, I am calling on you (yes you!) Brian, Ray (Fred), Rick, Ross, Ron, Mark, etc!
Please respond! How do you get your plants safely to shows or society meetings at this time of year? I will be happy to give credit for all ideas! :bowing:

Well, I'm none of those guys. But at Porter's, we place the plants in tall cardboard boxes, then place plastic bags over them. For my own plants, I've constructed cardboard boxes lined with styrofoam, then cover with a plastic bag. If the plants are taller than the boxes, tape bamboo sticks in the corners, taller than the plant, and make a tent over them with the plastic bag.

i think i do more shipping in the winter than summer! i almost always ship on saturdays for a monday delivery with usps they use heated trucks and they run on sundays it always works well. i use insulated boxes with 60 hr heatpacks if it stays north i havent had any problems in the winter

Oops, forgot our Michi gal! :embarass: Sorry and
Thanks Dot, so much!
I appreciate it!


Keep 'em coming y'all!!

More questions -
Dot - what if the leaves are as wide as the spike is tall? Do you find a really wide and tall box to use?

Stan - What about shows - how do you transport in your car in cold weather?

Thanks! Just trying to gather all the info I can. Now I am thinking a tutorial on shipping would also be a good idea!

More questions -
Dot - what if the leaves are as wide as the spike is tall? Do you find a really wide and tall box to use?

We keep a variety of boxes at the greenhouse for such circumstances. The ones we use most are ones that Poinsettias were shipped in (not to our greenhouse), but we have lots of shapes and sizes.

We also have crates and plastic boxes we use for plants that aren't so tall. Sometimes the show plants go in those, with plastic bags over them. Sometimes, if the plant will allow it, we "sleeve" it using brown paper sleeves.

We are talking here of transporting to shows, right? Not how we ship plants to customers?

More questions -
Dot - what if the leaves are as wide as the spike is tall? Do you find a really wide and tall box to use?

Stan - What about shows - how do you transport in your car in cold weather?

Thanks! Just trying to gather all the info I can. Now I am thinking a tutorial on shipping would also be a good idea!
what i have done is put them in a box with the top cut out and put a clear plastic bag over the box to keep from direct cold onto the spikes. also warm your car up ahead of time

I save the zipper bags that you buy comorters/duvets in and put a box into one of those. You can zip them up to protect them from the cold. If I need something taller then I use a dry cleaners bag over the box and stakes taped to the sides to keep the bag off of the flowers. If I can get several plants into one box, I will...they stabilize each other. Just make sure the flowers don't bump around. A bit of kleenex behind them does nicely. Make sure that the plants are staked well before transport as you can have spikes snap from the bouncing. Also ,make sure that your vehicle is warmed up BEFORE you load the boxes in.

:embarass: Sorry, just caught this thread. I do what Wendy does pretty much. I use tall boxes placed inside of plastic bags and then use extra tall stakes to hold the plastic bag away from the flowers and foliage. I then warm up the car and RUN the covered boxes the 100 feet to the car. Oh how I wish I still had an attached garage!

Can't help here, we don't have it very cold here in Aus.

cheers,

Jack

Great stuff - yes Dot, transporting to shows is what I was most interested in learning about.
Wendy, I love the garment bag ideas!

Keep it coming, y'all are great!!

i do pretty much the same thing
this is the one time i stake my plants, 'cause bouncin' round the room (box) can cause great harm....
get a box which can either encompass the whole plant or will safely cover the flower without the flower being crammed into something (sometimes it helps to put the pots into a smaller box which can more easily be stabilized in the bigger box), then put sticks or bamboo or whatever it takes to make sure that the bag which will be put over the box will not touch the flower either while in this setup or while being put into or taken out of this contraption. this can be a tricky part.
warm car, etc...

What do you mean by cold weather? I just put the plants in my car when it is cold here in the 50's :poke: Anything below that, we don't go outside.

What do you mean by cold weather? I just put the plants in my car when it is cold here in the 50's :poke: Anything below that, we don't go outside.

as my favorite orchid growing detective says, pfui...

I do what most people do here on L Island with clear plastic over the container holding plants.If really down in the teens or lower I add a couple of jars of hot water ( since no heat packs) in the corners away from actually touching the plants just to keep that environment warmer while travelling.Since we meet at a library 20 mi away from me I just go in the bathroom or little kitchen we use & refill with hot water for my return trip. Works fine for me. :D

one thing i forgot to mention...
if the plant(s) will fit, i put it/them in a big cooler that i've brought to 'room temperature'

I always preheat the car. I pack minis in a cooler, which has been kept in the house (this way it is room temp.) If I should be going a long distance and will need to stop along the way, I have added a closed container of hot water to the cooler.

I do pack larger plants in a tall cardboard box. with plasitc over it. Sometimes I use a large garbage bag. I blow air into it (to inflate it) and then seal the bag.

I park at the door of the show or meeting and run the box in prior to parking the car.

This is all great!
I will work on compiling it this afternoon, I think.

Thanks all, some really great hints and ideas!

Sorry just saw this Heather and I go with constructing a box or boxes lined with styro and if needed to be taller also go with the tent over the top. but I always worry when sending plants with the society and i'm not going to be there because you have to dpend on the people setting up to be as careful as you are.You always end up making more boxes depending on what's blooming. You would think by now someone would be selling these boxes.

Hi Heather forgot about this one I have seen people use storage bins and recyclebins also.If there going into a warm car and then right into a building you are mainly trying to stop any drafts from blowing on them . The Vendors at these shows just haul them in same as they do when it's warm there just quick about it. I've done the Cape & Islands Show in a snowstorm before.Personally I don't like to send beautiful plants out in that because you know that's the end of the bloom by the time you get it back home the stress is to much.