Topic # 2182 Packaging & Transportation

By: Alisa Amy Kowalski

Inventory of Salable Products• Entire crop does not become salable at

one precise date• Depending on

– size of crop– temperature fluctuations within the

greenhouse

• Seven to ten day difference may exist between the first and last salable plants

Qualifications for a Salable Plant

• Varies with the plant species– Bedding plants will be well established and

ready to transplant outdoors– Unfortunately, consumers prefer a plant that

is showing color– Blooming plant should have at least 50% of

the flowers fully opened– Potted lilies should be in the puffy bud stage

before any blooms are open– Poinsettias should have expanded bracts

• sold before the flowers mature

– Foliage plants should be compact and full

Visual Inventory• Should be taken daily during the busy

season• Will tell you how many plants out of the

total crop are ready for sale• Estimate the number of plants that you

expect to be ready for sale in the next few days

Example:• Ray tells the manager that there are 150

4” geraniums ready for sale today and another 250 pots will be ready over the next 3 days. Projected numbers of salable containers let the manager estimate if there will be enough product available for their customers.

Also Monitor• Chemicals & garden supplies should be

watched closely during the peak sales period– These products are often purchased in large

amounts when plant sales are at full swing.

• If supplies are running low, a special order may be necessary

Moving Plants• Most retail operations move salable plants

from the growing area to the sales or display area– Can be moved manually by carts, monorail or

conveyors to the retail area– Major labor expense but salable plants must

be on display in the retail area• If they are not, customers may damage the non-

salable while choosing plants they want to purchase

– Removing salable plants from the production bench will often speed up the development of the remaining plants -more sunlight, etc.

Uniformity• Salable plants should generally be in the

same developmental stage– All geraniums have one flower open or have

color showing in the buds

• For small greenhouse operations, plants in cell packs can be switched to make sure all packs have at least one bloom.

• Time-consuming, but will increase sales if the crop is slow in maturing.

Wholesale Orders• Salable plants that will be shipped to

wholesale customers should be moved to a collective area where the shipping personnel can quickly fill the customer’s orders

Customer Tags• Consumers are very interest in cultural

information on the plants they are purchasing.

• Labeling information should include– Plant name– Light requirement– Water needs – Any other special cultural requirements

Wholesale Customers’ Needs• Wholesale customers usually require

each pot or plant or pack to be labeled• This eliminates the need for wholesale

customers having to supply the information to their customers

• Eliminates any mix up of cultivars once they receive the plants

Preprinted Labels• Available from seed companies and plug

producers• Tags are brightly colored and contain the

information a consumer needs• Growers buy preprinted tags because

they are convenient to use• Stick one in each pot or pack at planting

time and the labeling is completed

Additional Information• Needed if the plants are retailed• Signs are usually placed near the plants

informing the consumer which plants are annuals or perennials, and if they bloom in the spring, summer, or fall.

• Extra information makes the buyer knowledgeable and improves their success rate with plants – which means repeat sales for the greenhouse

Packaging Procedures• Greenhouse plants must be packed to

protect the plants from damage during transportation.

• Type of packaging required depends on the plant species and the time of the year

Sleeves I• Sleeving is used for potted plants like

mums, lilies, poinsettias, & hydrangeas• Sleeves are vase shaped tubes that can

open on both ends • Slipped over the growing container and

pulled over the foliage• Growing containers hang partially out of

the bottom of the sleeve, this allows the container to stand upright

Sleeves II• Hold the foliage and flowers together and

prevent them from being broken during the loading and transportation procedure.

• Can be paper, plastic, or woven mesh in a variety of sizes and dimensions

• Paper allows the plant to transpire without moisture collecting, but they are not see-through

• Plastic sleeves are opaque so they can be seen through, but they collect moisture if the humidity is high.

Sleeves III• Mesh sleeves allow the plant to get air

and light and the customer can see through it

• Sleeves are very durable• Plants can be picked up and carried by

the sleeve which makes loading and unloading trucks a lot easier. – One person can carry eight plants at a time

• Sleeves can be personalized with the business’s name on the outside

Sleeve Stands• Needed for quick application of sleeves• Usually designed and constructed by

greenhouse personnel• Requirements

– Stability -no tipping– Comfortable working height -no stooping– Large enough pot holder for varying sizes of

pots -5,6, and 8 inches– Transportable for use in other greenhouses– Locking wheels on base- mobile, yet stabile

Sleeve Placement• Always pulled up from the bottom of the

pot and over the foliage– Retail customers should be told to tear or cut

off the pot when they get home• Pushing plant out of the sleeve can cause breakage

• Plants that are sleeved for local shipping are usually not placed in any other type of packaging container

• Small sized pots are placed in cardboard boxes or trays -efficient in transporting

• Write customer’s name on sleeves for ID

Cardboard Boxes I• Use as packaging for large “specialty”

crops such as blooming hanging baskets, gloxinias, and tree poinsettias– These plants cannot be easily sleeved

• Also used to ship potted plants long distances– Extra protection during long transportation

• Usually custom made to hold plants snugly

Cardboard Boxes II• Large plants and hanging baskets are

packed in boxes, usually two plants per box and shipped– Require a higher sales price due to added

packing and shipping costs

Hanging Baskets• If hanging baskets are delivered to local

customers they may be hung on special racks in the delivery truck

• Many growers devise special shelves for transporting large pots to local customers without packaging

• A delivery driver must be careful so plants are not broken during transport and unloading

Layering in Cardboard Boxes• Used for small pots• Specially designed boxes hold several

layers of small pots• Layering does not hurt the plants • Allows the grower to ship 2-3 times the

number of plants in the same amount of shipping space

Layering Plugs and Seedlings• Also shipped in boxes that layer the trays• Normal packaging cartons contain 4-5

layers of plants held securely in place• Shipping costs are inexpensive for plugs

and seedlings because so many plants are contained in one box

Shipping Bedding Plants• No packaging is used for shipping• Flats of cell packs are loaded onto

shelves in the delivery truck• Plants grown in flats are not very tall so

the shelves can be spaced 12-15 inches apart

Special Needs Plants• Special styrofoam or styrofoam lined,

cardboard boxes must be used to ship temperature sensitive plants, especially during cold weather.

• African violets and foliage must be protected by these special cartons

• Delivery charges are often higher during the winter months due to extra packaging precautions

Water Requirements• All plants should be thoroughly watered

and have dry foliage before shipment• Not uncommon for plants to be in

shipping cartons for 3-4 days• Disease may develop if the foliage is wet

when the plants are placed in the cartons

Labeling• All plants should be securely and

correctly labeled before being placed into the shipping container

• Labels should be pushed at least halfway into the media of the pots and hanging baskets

• Labels should not be stapled to plug or seedling trays so the labels cannot be jarred loose during shipment

Precautions• Diseased or insect-infested plants should

not be shipped– These pathogens will spread quickly through

the entire carton during shipping

• Sleeves should be folded and stapled

Cardboard flats• Cardboard flats are usually used in

transport of plants for retail customers• Can be purchased from box companies• Many retail customers do not want

excessive packaging since they are only traveling short distances

Loading Delivery Trucks• Each driver should have a list of

predetermined list of delivery stops• The truck driver should know exactly

what to deliver first and last• Trucks are loaded according to delivery

stops

Drop Shipments• Truck driver goes from business to

business to drop off the customer’s order• Driver may make 30 drop shipments in

one day on a single route• Loaded in reverse order of delivery stops

– The last delivery stop is loaded onto the truck first and the first delivery is loaded last

– Orders should be placed in the truck from the front to the back• Easiest way to for delivery person to unload orders

Orders• Customer’s order should be grouped

together and labeled for easy unloading• Segregation of orders depends on driver

– A beginner may need the orders to be marked

– More competent delivery persons can tell

Invoices• A clipboard of invoices should be loaded

into the truck• The driver should check the orders• The customer will sign the invoice upon

delivery • The invoice is like a contract, it states

what products the customer received at what cost

Loading of Delivery Trucks• Usually loaded the night before delivery• Plants and products are packed in the

late afternoon and placed in the vehicle• Small sized items like chemicals, rooting

hormone, tools, etc. should be packed in a paper bag or box and labeled

• This make delivery of these items easier for the driver and it guarantees the customer will get all ordered items.

Methods of Transportation• Greenhouse products can be shipped

using either air or ground transportation methods

• Grower must decide which method is needed, and then find the least expensive

Factors in Determining Delivery• Perishability of the product• Distance between buyer and seller• Size of target city• Air freight is the most expensive shipping

method and should be used only when absolutely necessary

Ground Transportation• Most common method of shipping• Used for any product that is not highly

perishable or needed quickly• Inexpensive form of shipment• Customers prefer due to delivery to

doorstep

Ground Transportation Methods• Local trucking companies

– limited area

• National trucking companies– anywhere in United States

• UPS & Federal express• Bus companies

– Also deliver freight

• Greenhouse owned delivery trucks– frequently used

Popular Because...• Most companies have own van or truck• Most economical• Special or Emergency orders

Receiving Orders• Compare products delivered with the

delivery invoice– eliminates problems of incorrect deliveries

• Small mistakes happen• Corrections can be made while delivery

person is still there

Damaged Goods• Note damages on invoice• Call company representative to claim• Items from a local company that are

damaged, broken, or are of poor quality should be refused when delivered