# Frozen plants



## MissMinerva (Aug 16, 2004)

Anyone know if plants that got frozen in shipment will survive? I had an Amazon Sword and a couple bunches of Wisteria ship to me on Wed. They arrived today frozen. There was a heat pack but it wasn't warm anymore. I do have an email sent to the shipper.

Just wanting to know if the sword, especially, will make it. The only thing that looks bad right now is discoloration on the leaves.

Thanks for any input!


----------



## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

As long as the root system/bulbs are not damaged then they will recover. The leaves may die off but they will grow back.


----------



## gnatster (Mar 6, 2004)

If the entire plant was frozen, like a block, then it's chances are slim. When plants freeze solid the water in the cells bursts the cell wall. Place a leaf of lettuce in the freeze sometime and then defrost it, mush. 

But as trenac said, if the base/bulb is not frozen then the leaves wil probably fall off and it will come back. Plants are amazingly resiliant.


----------



## MissMinerva (Aug 16, 2004)

Crud! The whole plant was rather "stiff". I think what happened was the heat pack shifted away from the plants. The mailman had the box upright outside when I got home. It was probably outside a good 3-4 hours. Crap! 

So, is it my fault that I wasn't here when the mail came? Or should it have been packed better? Should they have used a better heat pack? I know I shouldn't have even ordered it in this weather. But, wouldn't they know if it would make it or not?

I guess I just don't know who to blame. Me or Shipper or Mailman!


----------



## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Personally,

if a heat pack was used I feel they are not to blame. I have left notes so many times for my mailman to leave tha packages inside the front door that they always do so now Best advice I can give anyone in the winter is to ask the shipper to write on the box "Please leave inside door" or other suitable place away from the elements. You can also have them shipped to your place of work, friends house, neibghors, etc. The plants are more likely to survive an extra day someplace warm that the front poarch when it is bitter cold. HTH


----------



## fishfry (Apr 15, 2004)

Be careful shipping in weather like that. I don't believe you would want the heat pack directly next to the plants because the heat packs do get hot. Other than a heat pack, the only thing the shipper could have done was use a styrofoam box or overnight shipping (all at an extra cost to you of course  )


----------



## MissMinerva (Aug 16, 2004)

Yeah. I should have known better.


----------



## opiesilver (Dec 30, 2004)

Always use overnight shipping this time of year. You have to sign for it and the mail carrier cannot just leave it at your door. It's never a good idea to order plants in the winter and try to save a few bucks on shipping.


----------



## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

Aw, that's too bad.... Yes, it's hard to hold the shipper or carrier responsible in these conditions. It's kind of up to you to be home to get the package out of the elements asap. 
I try to watch the tracking to see when it's going to arrive, and am sure to be home for it. If you can't be home when it comes, you can always request that your post office holds it for you to pick up so it stays nice and warm.

If I were you, I'd still stick it in some water for a while to see what happens. You never know, it could make it.


----------



## MissMinerva (Aug 16, 2004)

Hi Jan,

I went ahead and put it in the tank right away. I don't have high hopes but, at least I'll have something taking up that huge "void" for a while! :roll:


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

If it is even marginally alive looking, it should be in pretty good shape. By now, if it had been really killed by having been frozen, it would be brown and turning into mush.


----------

