Other People's Plant Haul (OPPH)

 In the past I've shared my own "plant hauls" - but what are other people ordering? Yesterday I pulled several plants for some late in the year orders that just came through... so let's take a look.

Plants pulled for several orders

In the background you can see the DIY starter greenhouse I made last year which has been abandoned for some time now. Actually it makes a great laundry drying tent! I'll be dis-assembling it before the winds make a return this Winter.

Lots of goodies

Aloe comptonii

It's nice to send off plants that have been grown from seed like the young Aloe comptonii pictured above. This has taken about 1 year to reach this size - the vast majority of growth has taken place in the new nursery space. One small lesson I've learned is to stop using mulch of any kind because it seems to encourage root growth near the surface.

Dirt removed and roots wrapped

After the plants have been "unpotted" and the dirt has been removed, I loosely wrap the roots for a bit extra protection during shipping.

Plants wrapped in craft paper

Each plant is also wrapped in craft paper to prevent aloe thorns from damaging adjacent plants. Some Agave spines will still poke through - so I have to take other preventative measures. Many of the Aloe with a loose, arching vase form will compact surprisingly well - it's the plants with a stiff form that are harder to pack well since leaves / branches are prone to breaking. Plants like Aloe rooikappie fall into this category which means they take up more space during packing.

Plants, wrapped and packed

This time of year some the shipments need a heat pack but to be honest most of the orders are coming from warmer locales.

Plants ready to make their way safely into the mail stream

Here's hoping you get something good for the Holidays!