Export Know-How · May 2026
How We Prepare Container-Grown Trees for 30-Day Sea Freight
Shipping a living tree across an ocean is a controlled exercise in slowing everything down: transpiration, respiration and moisture loss. Two weeks before loading, our team gradually reduces irrigation so the root ball is moist but not saturated — a balance that prevents both dehydration and root rot during transit.
Each root ball is then wrapped in a breathable inner layer and sealed with moisture-lock film. Crowns are tied with soft strapping to reduce the tree's profile and protect lateral branches, and an anti-desiccant spray limits water loss through the foliage while the tree sits in a dark container.
Inside the container, steel bracing holds every unit in place and leaves air channels between rows. We log temperature-sensitive shipments and can add reefer containers for sensitive species. Before the doors close, we photograph and film the entire load — so you can verify the condition of your stock at the moment it left us.
The result of this protocol is consistent: our long-term buyers report establishment rates above 95% after standard planting care, even on the 30- to 35-day routes to the Gulf and Europe.
