FlyTrapCare Forums

Hello community,

Due to recent events, my medical condition is rapidly worsening and I fear I will soon be unable to care for some of my more demanding carnivorous plants. I'm looking to our local science departments in schools in the hope they will take the plants off my hands. If I am unable to send them out to local science groups, I will definately come here and offer them to you guys.

My question is: how do you all prepare plants for shipping? It would be a lot easier for me if I could just give the plants to a local group but if that isn't possible and I need to send them farther away I would need to prepare boxes and such. Due to the manner of my condition I would find it extremely difficult to package plants (struggle to hold objects and fold stuff like bubble wrap) but if worst comes to it I'm sure it would be beneficial to know how.

So I'm wondering, how would one go about packing Nepenthes for shipping? I may even find myself rehoming my venus fly traps and sticking to butterworts.. something I'm more confident with and find generally "easier" to water. So how would you all go about packing venus fly traps, too?

Because of my worsening health, my Nepenthes have been hit hard. I cannot raise my arms above my head to water them as regularly as I'd like and so their condition is not perfect. I honestly think it would be better if I rehomed everything and just sat and gave up, but that won't do anyone any good. The least I can do is some pre-emptive research; plan for the worst, hope for the best and don't lose hope inbetween.

Thanks!

are you giving them away?
dude im really sorry for you i wish i could help.

at pets at home they have fish tank siphons. get one and cut the tube into 2 inch peices and plug the plants in there with shagnum but this only works for seedlings though

Ok, what i do i's put the roots in a bag, or clingfilm, then wrap the rest of the plant in it, bubble wrap isn't always necessary, sometime you can just used screwed up (i hope that's easier for you) Toilet tissue, or Kitchen Tissue.

I'm very sorry to hear you health is worsening, and i hope you don't have to ship your plants away.

If however, you have to, i would happily care for them the best i could, and send them back to you, just so you know where to come

I hope you feel better soon

Thank you both. Yes, stitz I do mean I will possibly be giving away some plants. Over the coming weeks I will see how things go. Thank you for your tip on the siphoning tube - I hadn't thought of that!

And Daniel, your offer is very kind. I certainly hope I don't have to rehome some plants but I want to do what is best for them, so we will see how things unfold.

Thank you both, again. I will have a think about shipping a little more and do what research I can.

Sorry to hear of your news, heres hoping you can keep as many as you can comfortably cope with.

Grey, sorry to hear about your health, most important is to never give up, and i hope you keep most of them!
Good luck!

I'm very sorry to hear about your health problems Grey. I really hope that it gets better for you soon.

Grey wrote:My question is: how do you all prepare plants for shipping?

Most plants that I ship (flytraps and Sarracenia) are simply uprooted, rinsed free of dirt, wrapped in damp paper towels and placed in a sealed plastic bag.

For plants like Nepenthes and Heliamphora, I do similar things, but also wrap long-fibered shpagnum or live sphagnum around the roots to protect them before wrapping a damp paper towel around the sphagnum and roots.

Hope this helps. If you need clarification or more detailed instructions, I'd be happy to provide that.

I'm very sorry that your health is decreasing and that you might potentially lose your plants
As for packing, I've never shipped plants before, but when I eventually do, I will be doing EXACTLY what Matt does, because it seems to work very well and is very simple.
I hope you get better and that you will at least be able to keep some of your plants
Please at least keep 1 plant (Mr. Nomnom )

Thank you everyone. Your comments and advice is very much appreciated. Yesterday I was in a bit of a blind panic, I'd received news relating to the support I've been receiving for my condition, and that support may be withdrawn. I've calmed down a lot but have also realized that I may still need to rehome some plants.

Thank you again. I'm going to do some soul searching and will hopefully find a solution. No matter what happens, I'm determined to keep my Pinguicula and some of my venus fly trap seedlings. I'll be sure to keep Mr. Nomnom too.

I hope you get better soon!

Hope you will recover man ! that must be hard for you on top of that to get rid of your beloved plants.

Stay strong !!

for packing advice, all I can offer is my experience from unpacking plants which I received several times from a great supplier.

Take the plant out of the soil if it's in long fiber moss. If it's not, either wrap some moist long fiber around the roots (you could use moist paper towels or even better but a small wrapping of paper tissue over the long fiber moss to maintain it in place. Then place the plant in a small ziploc bag. You can do that for all plants including neps. Paper shredding can help minimizing the movement of the plants in the boxes you will be using (I believe other light material would work - like peanuts or so. You can use corners and/or foam squares to protect all the sides of the box should it be punctured or ripped in transport.

that should cover it good luck and keep us posted !

Thank you, sekler =].

My condition has improved.. having some blood tests tomorrow (vampiric needles yay!) which should be fun. Hopefully things will continue to improve! I'm currently sat on the livingroom floor repotting my venus fly traps which I couldn't do even a couple of days ago.

Woo

That's great to hear. Good luck with your test, and to a speedy recovery!

It's great that you may be able to keep you plants!

Good luck!