I've promised someone some cuttings from my weeping willow. I know they root really easily, but should I do anything special to ship them? Just make the cuttings and place them in a paper towel? Should the towel be wet? Should I place the cuttings in something airtight, or just in a regular envelope? Or a box?

Since the cuttings are easy to come by, I don't want to spend a lot of money shipping them--if they are damaged or whatever, I can always just send them again. But I do want to give them a fair chance of survival. What's my best bet?

Thanks!

Heather

P.S. I am only sending them one county over, so they will probably be in the mail only a day or two.

I ship most plants the same way. I usually rinse soil off so I reduce the weight of the box. I place a damp paper towel around the roots to keep them moist. I then cover the paper towel with plastic wrap, securing the top with a twist tie or string to keep the moisture from leaking or drying out. Then I try to protect the leaves - sometimes I use a toilet tissue tube to slide over the plant, taping it to the plastic wrap so it doesn't move around. Then you can tape the tube against the side of the box so it stays secure, or simply pack something soft like bubble wrap around the plant so it stays in one place. I send most plants in the beginning of the week, Priority. If it is bulbs or tubers or a short distance away you can get away with using regular post for shipping. That way it will get there before the weekend, so it won't sit in a post office for any extra time. It may sound like a lot of work, but I lose very few plants in my trades. It is worth it! Happy shipping! Julie