I leave soil that the root-ball encompasses. I also try to water the plants the day before boxing so that both the plant and the root-ball are hydrated. Believe me, I go to a lot of extra trouble to ensure my plants get to the buyers in good shape. I think by now, after shipping several hundreds plants out every year, I have a feel for what is necessary to protect the plant in shipment. You might find it interesting to read some of the recommendations that have been posted about Tropical Plants & More. There's not much I can do about the change in soil chemistry though. Let's face it, every time we re-pot a plant, the soil's chemistry is changed. In a "perfect world" perhaps this is not so, but we all have to grow plants in the "real world".......
