How I package up my trees to ship

MatthewVC

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I had multiple people comment that they like how I packaged up the trees I sold, so I thought I'd document how I did it to share. I'm not saying that this is the best way or even the right way, but it worked for me so far. Maybe it'll help someone else out.

Matt

http://imgur.com/a/8XcN3
 

jkd2572

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Very nice job. Remind me of your website/nursery? While peanuts work great I hate cleaning them out. It kind of deflates the excitement of getting a new tree. This looks great.
 

fourteener

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Because I'm remodeling and have a lot of paneling, I cut a square for the top of the box as well. I also use a layer of duct tape around the edges if the wood as I have seen the wood wear a hole in the box, especially if the tree was too wet.

Great packing job. Theoretically a tree should be able to ship on a side or upside down and still be okay. I've seen a few horrid packing jobs, including my fat hornbeam. It rolled around in the box for a thousand miles cause someone didn't know what they were doing. Three years later it's becoming a nice tree again and I got a deal, so I guess it worked out.
 

Poink88

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Awesome packing job! ...and only for $15.07 shipping? :eek: :eek: :eek:

You must love what you are doing since you are definitely losing and the (awesome) packing is all FREE.
 

pwk5017

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Pretty nice packing job--something that is usually overlooked. Shipping bonsai sucks, but if you don't do the job properly then there is a lot of wasted time and money at the end of the day. I have shipped a few collected trees, that if I didn't make a solid profit off of at the time, I would have questioned how much time I spent packing them. I made custom wood framed cages for the tree to rest in. I would skip your elaborate string method, and drill four holes in the plastic lip of the pot. Then, run2 lengths of copper wire through the holes, and anchor the wire to your base. Its like tying the bonsai into its pot, only you are tying the pot into its box haha. I have received busted up trees before from the shipper not giving two rips. Kudos to you for taking the time to do it right.
 

fourteener

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Pretty nice packing job--something that is usually overlooked. Shipping bonsai sucks, but if you don't do the job properly then there is a lot of wasted time and money at the end of the day. I have shipped a few collected trees, that if I didn't make a solid profit off of at the time, I would have questioned how much time I spent packing them. I made custom wood framed cages for the tree to rest in. I would skip your elaborate string method, and drill four holes in the plastic lip of the pot. Then, run2 lengths of copper wire through the holes, and anchor the wire to your base. Its like tying the bonsai into its pot, only you are tying the pot into its box haha. I have received busted up trees before from the shipper not giving two rips. Kudos to you for taking the time to do it right.

I wrap the pot with saran wrap, wrap the pot with bubble wrap, a lot of bubble wrap, then duct tape the bubble wrapped pot to the plywood, making sure there are no slivers on the plywood. Andy Smith packed two brand new pillows between the pot and the crate bottom once and tied the pot down with leftover climbing rope remnants. Pot was padded, but not going anywhere.
 

bruce m

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Thanks for the step by step info.i have way to many satsuki and kingville boxwoods and have been wondering how to pack them.
 

sikadelic

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Very nice tutorial. I think I saw this on the FB page.
 
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