How can I pack and ship bonsai?

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PACKING BONSAI FOR SHIPMENT

Before September 11th, 2001, Restrictions on carry-on baggage were much more lenient. Now, the best plan for transporting even small bonsai is to send them as checked baggage or use a 3rd party carrier such as United Parcel Services. Properly packaged bonsai can survive for days, or weeks in transit, but you should give some consideration to the season and the route the trees will be taking. Insurance is available to cover damage or theft.

PACKING BONSAI

There are two concerns in packing your bonsai. 1) protecting them from damage, and 2) making sure that the trees don't dry out during shipment.

The following method was learned from Sharon and John Muth at Bonsai Northwest in Seattle, where they do a lot of mail order shipment of trees and pots.

PREPARATION FOR SHIPMENT

Contact your airline to get information on their shipping requirements. There are usually maximum size and weight restrictions for boxes checked as baggage. You can expect to pay extra for oversize or overweight packages. Also inquire about insurance.

PACKING

Plan to pack your trees the day before they're to be shipped, but ensure you have enough time to complete the process. Pack the larger trees individually. Select strong shipping cartons from your neighborhood U-Haul shipping center. While you're there, also get some of the packing grade cling wrap used to secure boxes on pallets. You'll also need some strong cord, enough poly peanuts to fill each box, and a few rolls of strapping tape.

WATER THE TREES
[*]Soak the trees. Don't just sprinkle with water, but by completely immersing the pot to its top edge for five to ten minutes the night before packing, and allow the trees to drain for a couple of hours with their pots tilted slightly. You don't want the trees dribbling any water that could soften your shipping carton! [*]Next, wrap the pots with the cling wrap, covering the soil and container completely up to the base of the trunk.


TIE EACH TREE TO A BOARD [*]Cut thin plywood or pressboard panels about the size of the carton bottom. [*]Drill a few holes through the board and strap the pots directly to the boards using the twine.

PACK THE TREE [*]Place about 2-4" of packing peanuts in the bottom of the box and then slip the board-mounted tree into the box. [*]If the tree is particularly heavy, you may want to secure it to the bottom of the box as well with additional holes and twine. [*]Fill the box completely to overflowing with styrofoam peanuts (don't use the biodegradable type. Those are made of cornstarch and will soften and shrink when wet. [*]Shake the box a bit and add more peanuts as things settle down.

SEALING THE CARTON[*]Tape a copy of your name and address (and phone number!) in the top of the boxlid as a precaution. [*]Close the lid and secure with additional tape. Fiber-reinforced tape or anything moisture resistant is a good choice. Masking tape is not a good choice.[*]Now add an exterior label and wrap the box generously with additional strapping tape in each direction. You should now be able to invert the box and have the tree remain in place.
[*]Mark the box with some "Fragile", "Live Plants" and "This End Up" labels, but expect that the carrier will stack and tilt the containers any which way.

SUMMARY
Taking these precautions should help prevent breakage and dehydration. Packing this way should keep your trees in good condition for up to a week, depending on the season. Tip generously at the airport and ask for extra care in loading!

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