The reasons why one should want sending a plant are different: a gift, a move, an e-commerce activity... Whatever the reason for deciding to send a plant, one must consider that it is a rather special and sensitive article, which requires various precautions to arrive at its destination in excellent condition, and may also be subject to some restrictions, for which specific documents are required.
In this article we will explain how to pack and ship plants in the correct way, as well as discuss the documentation required for their transport, both in Italy and abroad.
How to prepare the plant for shipment
First of all, the first thing to do will be to prepare the plant for travel and check its health status, so that the shipping parcels is safe and the plant arrives in good condition at its destination. One must therefore make sure that the plant is in good health and that the soil is sufficiently moist, but be careful not to get it too wet, as this could ruin the packaging materials and make the shipment less secure.
After that, whenever possible it is recommended remove the pot if made of terracotta or ceramic, to prevent it from breaking and damaging the roots of the plant or the packaging itself, and this will also make the package lighter, resulting in lower shipping costs.
In choosing the courier to whom to entrust the international shipping, only some of them are allowed to transport plants, which are categorised among the dangerous goods, and are therefore subject to certain restrictions and require special documentation to travel. Especially if shipping abroad, it is necessary to present the plant phytosanitary passport, which is compulsory for importing plant products into the EU from countries outside the EU. However, even within EU countries it may be necessary to submit some specific documents in relation to the variety of plant you want to ship, so before you start packing and shipping your plant, you should also be well informed about any documents required.
Once we have checked all this information, we can proceed with the packing of the plant, which must follow some precise rules to keep the plant healthy and prevent it from being damaged during the journey.
How to pack a plant
As we have said, it is essential to pack the plant properly so that its health remains optimal throughout the journey. So, if we have removed the pot in which our plant was contained, we should wrap the roots and soil in moist paper towels, and then wrap it further in a layer of mesh stretch film, to prevent the soil from crumbling. After that, we also add two or three layers of bubble wrap, secured with packing tape, and if the plant variety requires it, we will secure it to a brace, securing it with self-locking clamps.
To prevent the plant from falling during the journey, it should be placed in a base made from a block of polystyrene, which will first be adapted to the size of the box, and then a hole the size of the plant base will be cut in it. When we have placed the plant complete with polystyrene base in the box, we can close the box and seal it.
If for some reason we also want to send the pot, we do not have to worry about protecting roots and soil, but Instead, we wrap the vase in two layers of bubble wrap and two more layers of corrugated cardboard, both secured with tape, to prevent the pot from breaking and damaging the plant. Consult the guide for how to send a parcel.
How to send a plant
Once the package containing the plant has been prepared, it will be necessary to apply all labels provided by the express courier you have chosen, and it will also be essential to indicate all the specifications for the storage and handling of the package. Thus, labels will have to be added indicating that it is a living plant, the label “side up” for the storage direction, and labels indicating the presence of a fragile content.
If we ship a large plant, the packaging procedure remains the same, but it will be placed on a pallets, which is a wooden platform on which large and heavy goods are placed and secured. Generally, these are moved using forklifts during storage to prevent accidents and damage to goods.
If we use a pallet, we should secure the already packed plant, following this procedure: first of all we will place a cardboard sheet on the pallet base, and bring it to size if necessary, and then place the plant on it. At this point, we will secure the package to the base of the pallet by fastening it with plastic strapping, but it is also possible to use ropes or belts, depending on the size and weight of the parcel. After that, you will have to wrap the entire pallet with several layers of stretch film, reinforced with several turns of packing tape, and all necessary labels should be placed on top.
Among the various plant products you can ship with TNT there are also seeds, bulbs or inflorescences, especially if we are talking about a business that operates in the area of online sales of this type of goods. Like plants, these are also part of the goods considered “dangerous”, and are therefore subject to the same regulations and restrictions. This is because some plant species could alter the ecosystem at the destination of the shipment, and therefore it is necessary to ensure that no harmful species are introduced and to preserve the environment. For this reason, many countries prevent the entry of plants that may damage local flora and fauna, or carry dangerous pests, by requiring a special documentation at customs to ensure that the plants to be introduced are compatible with the local ecosystem.
The same applies to the shipment of seeds and inflorescences, which are subjected to strict controls to ensure that they are legal and comply with the relevant regulations of the place of destination.
