Here are some sample Shipping and Handling rates for various States.  For detailed information at how we arrived at these, keep reading.

About 30% of shopping carts are abandoned when the customer finds out what the shipping will cost be.  We'd like to keep that from happening if possible with us by explaining our shipping system.

Background, if you're interested.   If not, just skip down to the next section.

When we started shipping, we were stunned to see the amazing differences in shipping prices charged by nurseries.  There, quite literally, seemed to be no rhyme or reason to them.  Basing shipping on a percentage of the order seems absurd to us. (If you order 10 Hostas in gallons that cost $7.00 each (or a $70 order) you would pay the same shipping as someone who ordered 2 Hostas that cost $35 each.  Well, duh, it doesn't cost the same to mail 10 gallons as 2 gallons but many companies do this.  In the words of Star Trek's Spock, it seemed "Illogical".  So, we ruled that method out.  

Being the mental wizards that we are, we said, hm-m-m, the Post Office charges us by weight per box.  That seemed the logical way to charge our customers -- by the number of plants and, thus, their weight in a box.   This way, shipping becomes as accurate as we can make it.  We agree, that the fees often seem high.  (Remember, they have to do something to stay in business now that almost no one sends letters anymore -- but sends E-Mails instead!)  And UPS is no less expensive for 2-3 day service, plus in our experience with our local service, at least, rougher on plants than the Post Office.

Want to compare us to other online nurseries?  

When you're comparing shipping rates, take into consideration pot size and shipping method AND whether they include handling in the plant price or include it in shipping.  One big company , for example, ships mostly 3" pots by UPS 5-7 day ground.  We don't grow anything in a 3 inch pot (although we may try 'Hens and Chicks' this year in that size) and feel plants need to be in your hands in 2-3 days -- so, our rates are higher, our plants are bigger and they don't sit in dark box with no water for 7 days so when they get to you they're happy plants that look like they were just picked up at a nursery.  Also, we tell you what size our plants are.  Many companies do not.  If you search long enough on a site, you may find out their pot size and/or that they ship bare root which weighs much less.  So when comparing shipping rates between companies, you can't really do it at a glance.  We could barely do it after we worked on it for days and days.  If there ever was a case of comparing apples and oranges, shipping rates for plants by Mail Order is it!

Our Shipping and Handling Rates and Policies.

After much research, we decided on actual online USPS Priority Mail rates plus $1.35 per plant handling which covers (barely):

Office time, office supplies, paperwork, boxes, bamboo stakes, shipping and care labels, tape, a puller (someone to go pull the plants and ready them for shipping), and a packer (someone to pack them). 

We don't just 'throw plants and shipping peanuts' into a box and ship.  This is what a box of our plants look like:  Packed Plants and Packed Plants2.  They arrive in beautiful condition, consistently, even in hot weather but this great packing takes time -- about 27 minutes for 6 plants!  The 'Handling' fee covers paying someone to see to it that the plant arrives at your door looking as if you drove here and picked it up.

Other particulars about Shipping and Handling:

1.  We have a 6 plant Handling Minimum.  You do not have to buy 6 plants nor pay shipping on any plants but those you actually order but we do have a 6 plant Handling Minimum which covers the Packer, the Box, order prep, labels, box, etc. -- things that are just about the same whether it's 1 plant or 6 plants.  6 plants x $1.35 or $8.10 minimum.  

1a.  This makes small orders, less than 6 plants very costly from the standpoint of shipping and handling BUT it allows people to only order 1 plant so the final amount of money they spend is much less than if we had a minimum order rather than a minimum handling fee.  

2.  Plants in containers larger than quarts may have loose soil knocked off and be placed in a smaller pot.  If you get one Gallon plant and 5 quart plants, it's very difficult to get the two sizes to pack well together, so we often knock the loose soil off of the gallon Hosta and repot it in a smaller pot, maybe a 2 or 3 quart pot.  Not Bare Root but just enough soil removed to make it 'play nicely' with the other plants in the box!

3.  A quart plant, boxed and packed weighs an average of 1.7 pounds.  It varies with the plant, amount of foliage and soil moisture content.  In summer, our plants weigh more because we have the soil totally saturated before shipping.  

4.  If your order exceeds 70 pounds, the shipping rate shown will be incorrect (no shipping will be added) due to an idiosyncrasy of the USPS online calculator. If you need more than 70lbs/about 40 quart plants, please submit a second order.  Our software will 'remember' your shipping address, etc., so it's not too much trouble.  At any time, the weight of your cart will be shown so you can keep track.  If you order more than 70 pounds, no shipping will be calculated and your total for shipping and handling will be incorrect.

Here are some sample Shipping and Handling rates for various States.

Note:  We reserve the right, with online notice, to change the shipping rates at any time we find we're losing money!