Trichocereus Pachanoi, San Pedro Cactus

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WINTER SHIPPING

Daily (24 hr.) low temperatures (night time) above 26 degreesF are safe. Check the 5-day weather forecast in your region before ordering. http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/graphical/sectors/

How to prevent a frozen plant

• Request a shipping hold during periods of extreme low temperatures; when daily lows dip to 20 or lower it is not safe to ship a cactus. I'll be happy to ship as soon as your region warms up.

• Post a sign for FedEx to "leave package with a neighbor" —someone who will be home so it doesn't sit on your freezing cold porch. Email special instructions to display on your package. (see example at right)

HEAT PAKS won't work
They are NOT a way to protect large plants shipped via Ground—

• Heat paks only last 72 hours at most. A 5-day coast-to-coast delivery is 120 hours.

• This is a small, one-person business and I cannot afford to buy case quantities and then absorb the extra cost.

• Heat Paks work OK with 2-day or 3-day delivery service; but express delivery costs are higher than customers want to pay. Rush shipments (Next day, 2-day, or 3-day) are too costly for an 8-10 pound cactus. Why pay $60 to $100 in shipping when It can ship ground for only $15? Just wait till the weather changes.

I sell plants all year round. Wait until your region warms up. Daily low temperatures above 26⁰F are safe. Check the 5-day weather forecast in your region.

(above) Yikes! That's cold! [December 20, 2008]

Customer Sally Smart asked me to print this label:
"Don't leave on porch if not home--Give to next door neighbor Judy Warmhouse at 123 My Street."

Prevent frozen plant damage with these steps

1) Check the weather forecast from California (me) to your region
Request shipping hold during major blizzards or sub-freezing temp—"patience is a virtue". I'll ship your plant as soon as you tell me the storm or blizzard has passed!

2) Ship on Friday or Monday
East Coast? Central plains? Have me ship on Friday or Monday so the truck will deliver straight thru (FedEx Ground 5-business day delivery guarantee coast-to-coast) without a weekend lay-over in a mid-western sub-zero terminal. I believe the trucks don't drive on Sunday.

3) Ship to your work address
Don't let the package sit outside all day on your porch! Ship to your work address so it does not sit in the snow on your porch all day—Leave a note for FedEx to knock on the door of a neighbor who is home? "Better safe than sorry".

4) If all else fails—and it freezes—we'll have to file a claim
If your plant froze and died (after warming up is it soft and squishy?) contact me ASAP. Your phone number is helpful for the driver—so include it in your email to me. I'll arrange for FedEx to pick it up and do a damage claim so you will not be out any money. Put it back in the box with the packing material. FedEx will pick it up from the delivery address only--not a different location. The "Call Tag" I issue will give the driver a preprinted return address label. You are only required to make the item available for pick up. You cannot keep the plant, sorry.


	Have your package left with a neighbor, or delivered to work. Don't leave out in the snow all day!