Heat Packs


About Heat Packs

Heat packs are free of charge, we feel this is something that is required in some circumstances for plants to arrive safely, therefore we have always made this a complimentary add on for customers with open orders, but you do have to request it through our site (not via email).

Our heat packs are designed to service one cubic foot package for up to 96 hours. We use the longest lasting heat packs in the industry, but they are not without fault. They do not always last as long as they are designed for and if they are not used correctly can overheat the plants inside your shipment. We replace our heat packs at the beginning of every season (regardless of expiration dates, as we find that current year's stock tends to perform better and are more predictable than old stock). We store them as instructed by the manufacturer during the cold season.

We never position the heat packs directly against the plants in our shipping boxes. This is intentional and this tactic is employed to prevent the plants from overheating. The goal of the heat pack is to keep ambient temperatures in the box from the freezing point, but we do not want to necessarily warm the plants in the middle of cold season. We always try to put some filler between the heat pack and the boxed plants in our shipments.

Heat packs are only advisable when weather in your local area is going to be below 35F on the Thursday or Friday of your scheduled delivery week. This would include daytime or nighttime temperature forecasts. We have visited some UPS hubs to see firsthand how shipments are stored before delivery and while the plants are protected from the elements, they can be exposed to short periods of storage in the elements before being loaded onto a truck. This period can be up to six hours and depending on your location and regional hub this can be a cold area in the winter months.

If you are not going to be home to accept your delivery please be sure to sign up for UPS My Choice and you are able to route your shipment to a local UPS Store for pick up at your convenience. This will keep your plants from getting too cold on your doorstep on delivery day.

These plants are designed to withstand very cold temperatures. Most are imported from South Korea where winter temps are very, very cold and they are shipped to us without heat packs. We are strategic about importing and we look at the forecasts with the farms, but most of these plants will do just fine in transit for short periods of time. We only advise the use of heat packs when the temps are very, very cold in your area on delivery day. And if the cold snap is short you're always welcome to postpone your shipment for delivery the following week.