What are the protocols? Do you label your box "Live Plants"? I know they are strict on some plant life entering the state.

Wanting to send some bearded iris to a cousin of mine.

Thanks!

I have sent rhizomes in priority mail boxes with no problem. I think labeling them "live plants" will probably cause them to be held up.

Lestv said:I have sent rhizomes in priority mail boxes with no problem. I think labeling them "live plants" will probably cause them to be held up.

Especially from Cali..

I had one shipped there last year that got held up until they could ask permission to inspect them. The dogs sniffed them and they knew they were plants. They told me that they check for insects, and that in the future I should write on them Plant material, OK to open for inspection. Once they checked them over they sent them on their way. So that's what I do if I ship to Calif.

I just sent an unmarked box to Rob that got there right on time.

I pay $30 to the Mass Ag dept for inspection each year & put the ok labels from them on the box. After all I ship to Winterberry in VA to be introduced & ship next year to CA for the convention in 2019.

I had sent several before that one got sniffed by the dogs, but happened to get a good sniffer one time and they pulled it.

Do it is a matter of odds.....

Lestv said:I have sent rhizomes in priority mail boxes with no problem. I think labeling them "live plants" will probably cause them to be held up.

Especially from Cali..

I've only had the one box that Tom sent last year get held up. It was weird having the post office call. I asked how they got my number, and they said "We have access to these things..." But they were very nice.. They asked if I knew what was in the box and if it was ok to open. They were respectful of the rhizomes, and if they hadn't called me, I wouldn't have known the box was opened.
They sent a letter explaining the dog-sniffing program and a little brochure about the dog himself.
I haven't had it happen again...

I had 2 boxes get stopped last year, but they contacted the senders and sent me a not so nice of a letter. I think the holes in the box also draw attention to it. So I've been writing "Iris Bulbs" on the top of the boxes I send out. I forgot to write it one the last boxes I sent out on Wednesday, but of course I remembered as I drove away from the post office.

I haven't had any iris only boxes open, nor seeds. But when a box contained some bread seed poopy pods the drug dog sniffed it out. It was interesting actually. I got a letter from the PO in Woodland which is nesr Sacramento. The drug dog seems to be located there. They opened the box and checked the seeds.
Because I was then quite curious, i read up on those poppies and discovered the pod is what is used to make opium. Not the seed as I had thought. Thus the seed pods were picked out by the dog.

Charriet
Our mail distribution center was taken away so all our mail has to go through Sacramento too. So far no problems with the iris I've received. Just curious if you were able to keep the poppy seeds?
again

Yeah, you don't want to do a drug test after eating a poppy seed bagel

Rob, I remember the letter I got as just being informational.. I wonder if they have a different letter for recipients and senders?

Charriet, I didn't know that. Those are pretty flowers. I bought some dark purple ones to try next year.