Tree delayed with delayed shipping. Odds of survival?

[Scrogdor]

I had a smaller 12ish" japanese maple shipped to me last monday. There was a shipping delay and now it will not arrive until tomorrow. This is going to equal about 8 nights and 9 days in a box with only what ever water it was shipped with. What effect will this have on the tree? I've heard 7 days is max.

 

[TimberLakers]

Going to depend a lot on how well the tree was packed, and where the box is / has been spending it's time.

Good luck to you! Nail the aftercare when it arrives.

 

[CptnGlyn]

I don’t think there is a simple way to determine the maximum time. The type of substrate, the ratio of root to substrate/space in the pot, the species/subspecies, the initial quantity of water in the soil, the quality of packing and the ambient temperature of the vans/warehouses etc on route will all be variables.

In your favour you have the fact that the dark (hopefully cool) confines of the packaging will reduce the trees rate of transpiration, and any transpiration that does occur will saturate the air in the box, further slowing the transpiration rate. It seems usual to wrap the pot and roots with film in my experience, so soil evaporation will also be at a minimum.

As above comment, aftercare will be key!

 

[Rivian]

The tree most likely has more energy stored than it needs in 8 days and there will be no issue with water for reasons mentioned.
What you might see is some disease

 

[QuantumSparky]

I doubt water will be an issue, as long as the container has some type of plastic wrap around it all to keep the soil from spilling out. That should trap whatever moisture was present during packaging. As stated above, I think disease is the more worrisome situation. I hope they all arrive healthy!

 

[Scrogdor]

So it arrived. The box looked like it had been body slammed, the top was open, one side of the top was pushed in, sides crushed. No idea how long it was open for during transit.

Some leaves were wilted. Some branches broken

 

[Cadillactaste]

So it arrived. The box looked like it had been body slammed, the top was open, one side of the top was pushed in, sides crushed. No idea how long it was open for during transit.

Some leaves were wilted. Some branches broken

Hope you took photos for a claim. Assuming insured.

Where there is life there is a story to be written. Remember...we chop and find new leaders all the time. Sorry it came in such mishap condition.

 

[Scrogdor]

This guy on eBay is being the worst. He didn’t insure the tree when he shipped it, now wants me to pay to ship it back for a refund. Never buying off eBay again, this is a nightmare.

 

[rockm]

This guy on eBay is being the worst. He didn’t insure the tree when he shipped it, now wants me to pay to ship it back for a refund. Never buying off eBay again, this is a nightmare.

Live and learn. Ebay sellers mostly suck and sell junk.

 

[CptnGlyn]

You may have some kind of protection depending on how you paid? I’m not sure all couriers (in the uk at least) will entertain insuring live trees.

 

[Rivian]

Photos?

 

[Paradox]

If you paid via paypal you can get your money back. Put a complaint in with ebay.

 

[Njyamadori]

Photos ?

 

[Scrogdor]

Lots of broken twigs on the side of the tree taped to the box. Almost every leaf will need to be removed. Also is this die back on the trunk?

 

[Scrogdor]

I’ve had a bonsai shipped to me before, it was shipped with literally no damage. It was packed with packing peanuts, had fragile live plant all over the box, and “this side up”. This box literally no external indication that there is a live plant or that the package is fragile. Super frazzled over here haha.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I guess...I didn't notice major broken branches. But the image was not the best.

The tree still seems viable.

 

[Paradox]

Did you unwrap the pot?
How does the soil feel?
If it's still moist the tree will probably be ok

 

[TimberLakers]

I guess...I didn't notice major broken branches. But the image was not the best.

The tree still seems viable.

Agree - lighting makes it hard to see if the top of the trunk is bark development or dieback from a cut.

But you've got healthy branches all the way up... tree does look viable. You have this setup well now?

Sorry your experience was lackluster. Anything beyond eBay feedback seems like more trouble than it's worth.

 

[Rivian]

This is just something to get over

 

[Scrogdor]

Should I defoliate it? Here’s a picture from above. Wasn’t so much major branches but a lot of the little ones were bent in half with some hard folds. Hard to picture. I’ll get over it, just frustrating to receive a tree with such poor packing. Most of the leaves have necrotic spots on them that are grey and black, not brown.