How i package bonsai.

[Jow]

I thought people might be interested in the method i use to ship bonsai. Bare in mind that this is just my way and not 'the way'. This method was what the nursery i was working at in Japan was using.

First you need wet news paper to wrap around the soil surface. Once the paper is soaked wring it out so you don't get excessive water in the package.

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Then add it to the soil surface.

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Wrap the pot and paper in Glad wrap.

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And then wrap it in plastic bags and tape. You want to make sure water will not leak out and wet the box and cause it to collapse.

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Next cut a double thickness piece of cardboard that fits into the bottom of your chosen box.

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Then wire the wrapped bonsai to the board. Use two wires (only one shown here)

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Finally you insert the bonsai and cardboard base into the bottom of your box. Then tape around the edges so that the cardboard base piece is totally secure. You should at this point be able to turn it all upside down without anything falling out. Then close up the box, seal it, address it and send. Easy.

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If you are sending large trees use the same technique, only fill the void in the box with packing foam beads prior to sealing to make sure it wont move around if stacked on its side or upside down.

Happy sending!

[MelaQuin]

Good packing info - thanks for that tho I would be reluctant to consign a boxed tree to a carrier for fear it would arrive upside down or dropped. But still, if someone insists.... this is a good method and good to know.

[Jow]

Good packing info - thanks for that tho I would be reluctant to consign a boxed tree to a carrier for fear it would arrive upside down or dropped. But still, if someone insists.... this is a good method and good to know.

The trick is to pack it knowing that it might be dropped or shipped upside down...

[daiviet_nguyen]

Thank you Jow. It is very handy to know this. Never know when one will need this

Best regards.

[anttal63]

thanks pal definately handy to know!

[Chris]

The three plants i had sent to me came like that but they used cable ties. I was just thinking instead of using the wire as it is expencive link the ties together and presto. They come in all diferent sizes and are heaps cheep. They also can be use for shaping trees.

[Jow]

Cables ties will work fine as does packing tape. What ever you use it just has to ensure that the tree stays secured to the base piece of cardboard.

[mudlarkpottery]

Keep in mind freight companies and Aust. Post will also put heavy boxes on top of your boxed tree even though you write "Fragile, Top Load Only" on all four sides on large letters. I am speaking from experience. I find that using foam boxes cut up to line the box and infill with newspaper and chunky pieces of styrafoam works well and leave part of the top of the box open will stop them putting another box on top.
Penny.

[Taffy]

I've sent a few trees by post and this is what I've done.

First, I wrap it up as per Jow, then I line the inside of the cardboard box with 3mm plywood (I use offcuts) on four sides - top, bottom and two sides, and then secure them with some square batten. I drill holes for the retaining wires (hadn't thought of using cable ties) then secure the tree inside. Slip the whole thing inside, fill with scrunched up newspaper, tape up the box - and off it goes. So far, nothing has been damaged in transit.

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[Graeme]

Penny's suggestion is a great one. After a blue with our National Airline Carrier we started getting our tubestock frieghted to Darwin by good old Aussie Post. The first couple of shipments arrived in the Nuresery upside down or any other which way. Plants were a mess, with many out of the tubes and all. Very costly, so made a trip into the main PO in town to complain, taking one of the shipment with me to show and tell. Anyhow, the people I dealt with suggested I get in touch with the growers and ask them to cut a bit off the top flap of the box so it would actually remain open. Did that and after a bit of coaxing I had 1000's of tubes sent from Queensland to Darwin by Austpost, without so much as one tube falling over. Those tubes were not tied into the cartons in any way either.
The gap in the top flap was only about 50mm, but was enough. I believe the new Plant cartons now come with that gap "built in".

[Pup]

Earlier this year I sent a tree to Steven. I showed how I packed it up there was no way it was going to get crushed or fall out of the Milk crates I had tied it to.
I did a picture post, at Stevens request of from the bench to the truck!!.
Then Steven was to do the big opening. He was out when it arrived and the staff knew he was anxious,
So they unpacked with out pics.
Not a problem it even had new shoots. Now if Steven is reading this maybe he can link to the posts for us.

It did arrive in 6 days instead of the 3 promised but it did go via Adelaide.

Cheers Pup

[Leigh Taafe]

Now all you have to do is send that little juni, do you still have my address?

[Jow]

That juniper was sent. Too late Leigh