I am a newbie to mailing out rhizomes, so I would like feedback from all of you iris folks! What have you found to be the best way to pack the iris? What do you use as packing material? And do you usually send them US Mail, or by a carrier such as Fed Ex? Most of my iris have come from Schreiners so that is the only packing method I have experienced. Not sure I can get my hands on excelsior like they use.

I just want to make sure my rhizomes get to their new homes in the best possible condition. Thanks!!!

I save all my excelsior in an old trash can, for reuse, but crumpled newspaper would work fine ,also, and some vendors do use that. My process is, dig 'em, trim the fans, mark 'em with a "sharpie", wash them well, and give them a dip in bleach water (10% bleach,90% water), dry them for 2 days, in a shady spot, with good airflow, stick 'em in a box, with either the excelsior, or newspaper( this keeps 'em from jostling around, and absorbs any left over moisture) and send them on their merry way!.....Arlyn

Thanks Arlyn! Never thought to sharpie them. Good idea!

Ditto to what Arlyn said -- but I prefer to use shredded document paper, if possible. If I don't have enough, then I use crumpled newspaper too. I pack the box tightly enough that the rhizomes are tucked in pretty good. Also -- I have found that a ball-point pen works as well as a sharpie for marking the fans.

One other thing -- after I pack and seal the box, I do take a pair of scissors and puncture air holes in all four sides. This helps to prevent heat build-up in the box while it sits in a truck on its way to wherever. And I do make a point of using flat-rate boxes via the post office. HTH!!

punching holes is an important step so there is airflow.

Last year, one seller packaged her Iris in a good strong grocery bag with straw. Cut off the excess, folded the top over tight, and taped it up.
I thought it was pretty clever, except in our area of the state, we need to carry our own re-usable bags to the store. The stores must charge a quarter now for paper bags. The only plastic bags are in the produce dept now.

Flat Rate boxes make it really easy. Do you have to mark the packaging with any label about "live plants"? Seems like the post office will get curious with all the holes punched in the sides!

Leslie, I don't think it is a requirement and won't get it any different treatment from the postal workers. I use grocery store flyers whenever I remember to grab a stack because the ink doesn't rub off on my fingers and the density is a little better support when wadded up.

All of this is good to know.

Sounds like a good use for the output from the paper shredder many of us have. I have sent them both marked as plants and with nothing marked. The marking did end the questions about liquid, hazardous, etc.
I heard of one person who used a padded envelope to ship; not sure if the rhizome would get crushed. Holes needed for sure as most are plastic bubble wrap lined.

Some folks write the name on the rhizome with a sharpie, rather than the leaves. They say it lasts longer, and I have to admit, the couple that I got at our sale last year, were still readable several months later.

I could see a certain advantage to marking the rhizome instead of having a fan with "Acoma" blazed across it. Though if it was written on the fan you wouldn't need a garden marker!

I've tried marking the rhizome -- very difficult to do -- rhizomes are not smooth. And some are quite small.

I forgot to add a to you @crowrita for mentioning the bleach bath. While I certainly was going to wash off the rhizomes, I hadn't thought to sterlize them as well. Don't want NC cooties being spread. The ones going out have all been here for a very long time.

Just sing the packaging song while you're doing it and you wont forget.

"You have to dip dip, before you ship ship"

By now, all of you already know I'm a little 's.

As if I could forget that now!!!! Too funny.

I like to add notes about the irises I send out. Just because I cant be there in person to talk I can still get my voice heard. LOL! So, I keep a supply of little brown bags on hand to write info on or just where I got the iris or how long I have had it or if it is a good increaser, etc., on the brown bag and put the bunch of washed, dried, trimmed, labeled rhizomes in. Then I put the bags in the box with filler as needed. Thin paper bags only and they come in varying sizes.... not at all necessary just something I like to do.

Works perfectly, too, as I have good reason to know this year. Thank you, Bonnie!!!!!!

I "bag' some I send, also, just to help keep the varieties separated in the box, and to make the marking process easier. It can get tedious marking each rhizome, when there are 3-4 of each kind, and 5-6 different kinds! For "info", I usually only include it when the box is going to a "newbie", for example, my cousins daughter( I guess she's my "second "cousin ?!) wants to start growing "family" iris, and while she was here during bloom, and they were all talked about. I'll include a sheet with a picture, name, and family
connection" in the box, for each cultivar( probably "print out" the HIPS gallery page, or the AIS wiki page, then add what notations are needed). I suppose anyone might find the extra info nice, but, generally speaking , my "trades", or "for postage" are going to members of one forum, or another, and we've already "talked" about them....Arlyn

Yeah, and sometimes when he gets them, there are some wrapped in paper, some in a plastic bag, some all which-a-way, and not all of them are marked so he has to guess what they are. Not saying I did that to him, or anything...