The cost really depends on how many postal zones you cross. If you are just sending it a couple hundred miles you can use parcel post but there's really very little difference in price between that and priority. For example a 5.5lb box from where I live in MD to someone in So. VA is $7.75 priority vs $7.70 parcel but that same box to TX is $15.50 priority vs $15.45 parcel. I'm using this example because of something I shipped yesterday. If it's only going a few hundred miles it will likely get there in a day or two regardless of the type of service you select but sending plants any distance should only be done priority unless it's something like cactus or plumeria cuttings that don't need water. I agree that unless it's a lot of plants or something you can't get locally it's not worth it.

If you are sending hugh plants like hosta with it's full growth it would probably be better to only trade those type in early spring before they leaf out. That way you could use a smaller priority box.

Denise

I don't always reach for the flat rate priority mail boxes. They are overated. Depending on what you send Priority Mail can be more cost effective based on weight. Iris and Daylily fans are good examples. They do not have soil and much of the top growth is removed so they are not particularly heavy. A flat rate box full can cost more to mail than an ordinary box of roughly the same size shipped priority mail. For a fan or two or three of something, a large padded envelope works as well as a box and usually ships for the lowest priority rate based on distance.

Hi valeriepa,

I am assuming that you must have used the Large Flat Rate box. The use of the Flat Rate boxes is not always the best deal. It all depends upon what mail zone the box is going to and how much the box weighs once it is packed.

Being a veteran trader, I (usually) don't respond to trade posts where the member's location is not shown.
I take into consideration what it is that they have, and if I could find it locally. I take into consideration what I have to offer them, and the approximate weight/cost, given their location.

I take into consideration what that plant would cost, if I could even find it locally, or what it would cost if purchased on line, and had shipping charges added to the cost.

IMHO...all plants are not created equal in value to me, so that is a consideration.

In the spring I often trade native spring wildflowers...Trillium (rhizomes), Jack in the Pulpits(rhizomes/bulbs), May Apple roots, among other things. These plants are very inexpensive to ship, usually weighing one LB or less, ($4.95) and can often be mailed in a sturdy box and go as First Class if it is less that 13 OZ, and might be $3, more or less.

Here are some links that may help you.

If you plan to do much plant trading at all, or even seeds trading, you might want to invest in a Digital Postal Scale from Ebay. $20-$25 is a good price if it includes shipping.

You might find that printing out the Postal Zone Chart is a good thing to have handy when packing, along with a Print Out of the Priority Mail Pricing to all zones. This is the Printer friendly version I hope.

Here is a list of all the Priority Mailing boxes, and their dimensions. You can order them on line, and have them delivered to your house, or you may be able to pick up a couple of each size at your local Post Office.

I salvage small cardboards boxes at the recycling center, for those trades that are especially lightweight ( 13 OZ and under) and that can go First Class, (which is just as fast I am told) but considerably less than a 1 LB Priority (4.95).

Last year I did a trade with a member in FL. She was sending me a rooted cutting of a Lacecap hydrangea. I forget what I was sending, but knew it would not be costly to send, but would be a good value to her if she were to buy what I was sending. Well...her 'cutting' had been rooting for over a year, and the root system was massive, and was like a very well rooted 1 GA hydrangea...to the point that it was not even possible to get most of the soil off of the root system. She mailed it Flat Rate and paid about $9 at the time. I weighed it when I got the box, and had she chosen to pay by the pound, it would have cost just $6.40.

There are a lot of ins and outs to be considered when trading.

For $13.95, I could mail a 19 LB box if it was going to mail zones 1 or 2.
I could mail an 11 LB box to zone 3.
I could mail a 9 LB box to zone 4
I could mail a 5 LB box to zones 5 and/or zone 6...etc.
I could mail a 4 LB box to zone 7
I could mail a 3 LB box to zone 8

Even just 5 LBs is really a lot of weighty plants. I was stuffing daylilies in a flat rate box, and it was hard to get enough packed for the flat rate to be cost effective as opposed to going with paying by the pound.

I won't do flat rate box trades. I would maybe consider sending a box of the same dimensions as a flat rate, but would pay by the pound, if it was more cost effective. I know sometimes when folks offer stuff up for postage, they just use the flat rate to keep it simple. Since I have a scale, and printouts, I can offer things up by the LB and tell the member exactly how much it would be that way.

Irises, particularly named ones are traded by the fan, and cut away from the mother rhizome, which will not grow anyway.

Daylilies, particularly named ones, are usually traded by the fan, and some members cut the foliage back on them...others don't...if is doubt about packing it is best to ask the member, or even inquire as to how they plan to pack and ship, especially if they are a newbie to plant trading.
Hostas, too I think are traded as eye divisions...as in X number of eyes, and the soil is cleaned from the roots and the roots only wrapped in moisture.

Bulbs, the # is usually designated....daffodils, hyacinths, lily (bulbs), etc.

Something like a bigger hosta that is leafed out well, might be best shipped in one of the 2 sizes of the tubular boxes...or better yet, as antique orchid pointed out, just trade it in early spring.

6" X 25" tube

6" X 38" tube

I would never use Parcel Post, as there is very little difference in the cost of that and Priority as Karyn1 pointed out. I mailed some bulbs in a small box and forgot to mark it First Class boldly on the outside, though I had put enough postage on it to go FC. I was mailing from my home mailbox. Well, they went Parcel Post, and arrived in 2 weeks. Needless to say, that was way too long, and way too hot for even daffodils to survive well.

So many folks say they prefer large trades, well there are those of us to 'like' small trades just as well or better. These are usually trading smaller starts of things that are just smaller by nature...Seedlings, cuttings, small rooted cuttings, iris rhizomes of particularly small by nature irises. Some of my best trades have been where I received in maybe 4 cool things that were shipped for 1 LB or less

A lot of consideration goes into being a savvy trader, that both members will be pleased/with what they receive in relation to what they sent and what it cost them.

Being in IN, I believe that everyone East of the Mississippi is mail zone 4 or less from me. Those within IN, and some folks in the immediately surrounding states are in mail zones 1 and 2...very cost effective for mailing.

zones 3 and 4 are quite reasonable too.

Sue...wordy as usual

Most times the flat rate boxes are too small if I'm sending a lot of plants or big plants.

Thanks for all the information.

Thank you so much for taking the time to post all of that great info Sue. I learned some things I didn't know and I've traded here sense the late 90's. Very helpful post.
I love that you're so 'wordy'.;-)

Joy

I have also used UPS, I can send heavier larger boxes cheaper then I can using USPS.
I have one that weighs 15lbs 8oz UPS will be like 14.65 USPS on the other had will cost me 27.85 if I use Prority Mail service. Regular mail will be 15.14 and it will take up to 6 days to get there, so I just as soon use UPS, who can deliver it in 3 days.
UPS is also just as easy for me to use as the USPS although they are a little further away from me but I think worth it in the long run. PLUS if you know the weight on you box they will also come pick it up too if you do online shipping.
I like making larger trades because I would rather make it worth it, otherwise like you said you may as well go spend the money on plants locally.
I want to get a scale, I think this will help choose HOW I wish to send a trade. Like Sue said somethings just go better in smaller sizes. I think the flat rate boxes are over rated but a lot of people would rather use them because they know what the cost will be no hassle.

:) Fran

yup i agree with everyone. i like flat rate shipping. and since not everything will die if not replanted in under 3 days it's okay to send other ways that priority.

i pack well (wet paper towels and a plastic bag around roots) and a lil newspaper to keep them from bouncing around in tranist.

when you do this you can get away with parcel or even media rate if the plants will fit in that size box.
i'm pretty sure the post office gives those for free. but i might be mistaken.

i also keep almost all cardboard boxes in case i need to ship plants.

i shipped mints to someone the other day and used a spaghetti box- perfect length and kept them from being crushed.

just be creative. knock off all the dirt you can/need.
ship when plants are small unless you have to send larger.

best of luck saving money shipping

and if you are only mailing one plant lots of things will go in bubble mailers. first class has the same del. schedule as priority. i try to trade for just one plant or a flat rate box full to make it worth it. things i have sent in bubble mailers..
iris
daylilies
salvia
canna
dicliptera suberecta
clematis
passion vines

the only drawback is appearance. plants may have to be cut back more. i cushion with newspaper and folks tell me the plants make it fine. and for most anywhere a plant weighing under 13 oz. can go for under 3.00 because it's first class. and did i say it has the same del. schedule as priority. lol.

i THINK THE main reason people use priority is because it is faster , no fun receiving dead plants or plants or ones that die later because of shipped cheaper methods.Always ask your trading partner if you are thinking of using a slower method.

Iris are okay to ship parcel post, most others not. Probably more that would be okay. I just don't know.
Kathy