Welcome to our blog, we are so excited to be connecting with you here! Every Tuesday we will be here, chatting about some of our favorite plant topics. Our first topic is, Plant Mail. From what to expect when ordering plants online, the outside factors that are sometimes out of our control, and a look into our step-by-step shipping process! Let’s jump in.
Getting plant mail can be a mixture of excitement & nervousness. The way that plants are packaged when shipped out will determine the condition they arrive in. We have paid close attention to detail & very carefully curated our packaging method to limit as much shipping stress as possible to ensure that your plants will arrive as safely & beautiful as possible.
There are a few factors to keep in mind when shipping plants.
Weather Tropical plants do not enjoy our winters here in Minnesota. So in the winter, we add heat packs to all of our shipping orders. The heat packs help to combat the cold and protect your plants from the elements. In the summer, extreme heat can also be tricky.. So quicker shipping times is always best!
Type of Plant Some plants truly do ship better than others. Hoya & Monstera are hardy and resilient plants which have an easier time bouncing back after a couple days in the mail. Alocasia and Peperomia on the other hand, have a little more difficult time.
Here is a look into the journey your plants go on when you order plants online and have them shipped to you from our store.
Step 1: First, we carefully hand-pick your orders making sure that the happiest and healthiest plants are chosen to start their journey to you, their new home.
Step 2: We then take the plants back to our packaging area where we give them a good look over to make sure they are ready to be packaged up!
Step 3: Our next step is to secure the soil with masking tape to ensure all of the plants’ medium stays in place.
Step 4: To protect the foliage, we place polyfil around and between the leaves for some extra cushion. Then use thick packing paper to roll the plant up like a present.
Step 5: Next it is time to box the plants up! We want enough space so that the plant is snug but not crammed. Once we find the appropriately sized box, we fill it with the plants & our biodegradable packing peanuts!
Step 6: The box is then weighed, and shipping labels are made. The label is placed on the box, and it’s now ready to be dropped off at the shipping carrier!
Step 7: An automatic email is sent when the shipping label is created, allowing for you to track the package as it travels. Sometimes these emails end up in spam folders, so double check if you do not see one!
Step 8: Your plants have arrived!!
Here are some tips for careful unboxing!
When your plants arrive, be sure open the box carefully to avoid damaging a plant! Remove the packing peanuts & gently unwrap the plant present removing the polyfil to reveal your beautiful plant!
After you’ve unboxed all of your new plants, try to recycle as much of the shipping materials as possible.The packing peanuts are biodegradable and can dissolve in water! or thrown into your compost bin. The box can be recycled or saved to be used again. The polyfil isn’t recyclable, but now that you know how to package and ship plants, save it for later & organize a plant trade with some plant friends!
Lastly, check over your plants. See if they need water, or need to have any leaves trimmed, and then you can put your plants in their new home!
We hope this helped answer some questions you may have had when it comes to how the shipping process works. Please keep in mind that in some cases shipping damage or stress is inevitable. Shipping delays, sitting in freezing cold trucks overnight, and rough handling are just a few things that can increase the likelihood of shipping stress or damage.
If you have any additional questions about this process, send us an email at shop@lostintheforrestco.com
For all of you visual learners out there, head to our socials to see a quick video of the shipping process from start to finish.
Thanks for reading, now Get Lost till next Tuesday!
LITF