Getting orchids home

[Brittany]

Peoples

We will be in the San Francisco area Thanksgiving week. I am going to have my daughter take me to the San Francisco Flower Mart and other shops, by the way we will be flying.

How do you get your orchids home ?
Will they pack them for you ?
Do you ship them ?
Do you carry them on the plane ?
Help !

Charlie

[jerrymeola]

I have never hear of anyone having a problem bringing orchids on a plane, but you never know with an overzealous guard. I would avoid carrying clay pots on board.

I would put them in a plastic bag and let them go through the x-ray machine. It will not hurt the plants.

If you prefer to pack them, it is easy.

tape paper over the top of the pot to hold the potting mix it during the flight. Lay the plant down on some newspaper and gently stretch all the leaves toward the top of the plant. Roll the plant and paper together into as small a package as you can without breaking the leaves. It is not difficult and easier then it sounds. If there are buds or open flowers, place shredded paper around them so they do not bounce in travel.

Most of all enjoy them when home.

[jbigio]

The last time I was in FL and bought 6 new plants all in bloom or full of buds. Some over 30 inches long. Problem was how to get them back to PA on the plane with us. I came up with the idea of using mailing tubs. They come up to 36 inches long and 3 inches wide. I removed all the plant from the pots wrapped them in plastic wrap and taped it tight around the root ball. The plants fit into the tubs snugly. The smaller plants I put two one on top of the other with news paper between them. They went on carry on with me and made in back without a single bud lost. Next time you need to get plants back home try this it works great.

[WIB]

Thank you for the ideas. I have only brought orchids home in the car. Now I can be more adventurous.

[jay]

To further add packing you could drop in packing peanuts or some unsalted popcorn around the edges to add support and keep in from banging around in the tube.

Jay

[WIB]

jbigio - Do you mean tubs or tubes? I was thinking you meant small plastic tubs, but maybe you mean the long, cardboard cylinders? - Bill