2. Buy a sonotube (or any tubular cardboard form used for shaping concrete) which is at least 2" wider than the yucca when the leaves are folded completely upwards from the trunk and a couple of inches taller than the yucca with the leaves upwards as described.
(**Note: cute black and grey senior dog for supervising the process is completely optional**)
3. Remove the nursery pot.
4. Tie a wide piece of fabric or plastic around the trunk of the yucca, allow enough extra material that you can pull it up over the leaves to get them out of the way. 5. Remove as much extra soil around the roots as possible, if need be it's okay to cut some of the roots away.
6. Slide the Yucca into the tube roots first, once it's in place use a bamboo pole the length of the tube (shoved into the rootball) to keep the leafy bits from being crushed by the weight of the roots if the tube gets turned upside down).
7. Close-up the ends with well-taped cardboard and label "this end up" with arrows and text (resist the temptation to reverse the labeling, even though some shippers may see your labeling as a challenge and enjoy turning your tube upside down others really will pay attention to your desires).
Once safely home pot up your Yucca as soon as possible, cover those exposed roots and give it a nice big drink!
Thank you to my model, Andrew Keys, for both purchasing the Yucca and then allowing me to photograph his packing process (as well as spending an entire fun-filled day with me traversing the country-side and talking plants!). Thank you to my husband, Andrew Bohl, for the brilliant idea of using the tube to ship the Yucca.
All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
This is brilliant!
ReplyDeleteGlad you think so Alison.
DeleteBrilliant! If you had a longer tube, a big enough air compressor, and some accurate coordinates you could forego the shipping step and fire that plant to its recipient pumpkin chuckin' style! :D
ReplyDeleteOne extra step we who ship taller bamboos sometimes take is to secure some poles to the rootball. If the poles are the height of the plant (or slightly higher) it ensures that when upside down the rootball doesn't slide and crush the leafy part of the plant. (Hope that makes sense)
Funny you should mention that as we did include a pole (bamboo harvested from my garden, of course), I just forgot to include that bit of advice. (going back to fix that tout suite)
DeleteHappy birthday Ms. Danger! I hope you have the best day ever! This idea is inspired; those Andrews are pretty amazing!
ReplyDeleteThanks Outlaw...I've got a day of plant-focused madness planned (of course) so it should be grand.
DeleteYou and Andrew Keys do make it look simple. And it certainly beats carrying it on the plane (can you imagine the looks?). I bet that Y. rostata came from Cistus!
ReplyDeleteI think if he had wanted to carry it on he would have had to buy an extra ticket so it could have had the seat next to him, and yes that would have certainly gotten some looks!
DeleteActually this Y. rostrata came from Rare Plant Research. We were at Cistus earlier in the day (and Andrew left there with several treasures) but the ones at RPR are a little smaller (the spikes are shorter and the trunks are thinner) so thus a little easier to ship.
Good Job! that is some impressive packing skill! I think I need to take on the challenge of packing home a nice rostrata!
ReplyDeleteIf only those darn boarder guards were more forgiving eh?
DeleteIt's a wonderful thought!
DeleteYour engineering skills are beginning to rival your prowess as a gardener. Looks like you really did think of everything, including the slap-dash ways of some postal workers.
ReplyDeleteI can take no credit for any of this! It was all Andrew and Andrew. All I did was drive out to RPR and then take photos. Oh I guess I did imagine the glee some shipper would have going "this way up?"..."NOT!" I'm not sure that says good things about me.
DeleteWow, I would never have thought of that. Keep us posted on how the yucca is doing in Andrew's garden.
ReplyDeleteYes I hope to get frequent reports on how he's (she's?) doing. Andrew lives a few miles outside of Boston so it's going to experience a different winter than it would here.
DeleteHey how about that! very clever you two. Hi to Andrew, we met here in my garden a few years ago when he came up for a visit with Michelle G.
ReplyDeleteI bet that was a fun visit!
DeleteALL the thanks to to you for brokering the purchase of my dream yucca (and driving me all over creation), letting me unceremoniously pack it in your driveway, and your brilliant husband for coming up with the idea in the first place! Also, I think that, while senior dog-bear may not be required for packing, it's definitely recommended.
ReplyDeleteAnytime! Keep us updated on how it's doing okay?
DeleteYou two are the smartest.
ReplyDeleteI'm just an enabler.
DeleteThe sonotube is a fantastic idea! Thank you for the how to!
ReplyDeleteIt was fun to share.
DeleteI loved the post and the very informative information you shared.
ReplyDeleteThanks Charlie!
DeleteFantastic idea and keep us updated how it'll fare in its new home. Happy Birthday too!!
ReplyDeleteThanks guys! (July birthdays rule!)
DeleteI'm interested to know how many days between unpotting to the repotting stage and how successful the transplant (after the course of many months). In my experience bare rooting Yucca does not yield good results unless planted within 24 hrs or so, though younger plants can likely tolerate far more, and some soil was left on. Enjoy the blog, Thanks! Brandi
ReplyDeleteIt was mere hours from the time he unpotted it here in my driveway until he sent me the photo of it potted up at his place (less than 24 hours). And reports are it's now planted in the ground and getting established, plus yes there was soil left on the roots.
DeleteThat's a great idea, looks durable, and I wish Andrew the best with it - I will pass this one along, since I know some folks into shipping large spiky plants. Glad I have plenty that I don't have to ship.
ReplyDeleteNever say never. Someday you just might spot one somewhere that you HAVE to have.
DeleteThat is true plant love. It goes above and beyond.
ReplyDeleteIndeed.
DeleteWell done! Looks like it takes a 'community' to ship trunking yucca's too :) Glad it worked out so smoothly.
ReplyDeleteOf course Lila's help was invaluable.
DeleteDid he check it on the airplane or pay to have it shipped via UPS or some other service? If the latter, do you know what it cost? Just curious. Obviously you'd only go to all this trouble and shipping expense for a plant you couldn't find at home. I've packed plants in my suitcase for the same reason.
ReplyDeleteFabulous idea--wrapping and concrete tube. Cute dog good too. I had to tie up my Yucca pallida one summer when the plumbing pipes had to be replaced. It bounced right back!
ReplyDelete