Shipping, handling, storage
It is extremely important that bareroot and unrooted stock not be allowed to dry out or warm up. Once a root dries to a certain point, it will die. If enough of the root mass reaches this point, the whole plant will die.
Shipping
Plants should be shipped as directly as possible and should be protected from temperature extremes, even for short periods. It is a good precaution to ship large orders (several pallets or more) in refrigerated vehicles.
Storage
Cold storage
We store harvested plant materials in a controlled environment until they are shipped.
Once the plant materials are received they should either be planted immediately, or placed in cold storage.
The optimal temperature for cold storage is 34 to 39 degrees F.
The warmer the plants become, the faster they metabolize and use stored food and moisture, resulting in reduced post-plant performance.
Handling
Keep moist
The PMC packs plants in sealed bags or boxes containing moist cedar shavings.
Opened bags and boxes should be tightly resealed after use, but only after first checking the moisture in the container.
Add more water if things are drying out. Be sure not to add excessive water however, since increased mold can result.
It is also important to try to not transport more plants than needed for a days work.