shipping How does one package fresh superhots for mailing?

FarmerGuy

FarmerGuy

This summer and fall, I would like to send a few boxes of assorted superhots to some friends and relatives who enjoy the art of burning their faces off. Everyone is within 1 day by UPS ground, so I'll probably do that for cost considerations.

My plan is:

- line box w/1-2" expanded polystyrene
- chill peppers in 'fridge to knock the field heat out of 'em
- put them in a mesh net or nonwoven, wicking breatheable bag
- add a cold pack or two wrapped in above fabric so it doesn't 'sweat' and get droplets on the peppers
- seal it up and get it to the UPS pickup within 30 minutes of scheduled pickup


Does this sound like a good plan or is there a better way to ship fresh peppers? Any and all help is appreciated.

Thanks!
 
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I buy from bakerspeppers.com and he just puts them in a small flat rate box and ships. They got to me in 4 days and were perfect! No bags or bull. cheap n easy (no pun intended). Fresh peppers keep for a while.
 
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That's a lot of effort and would probably work.


Assuming you're doing a small quantity, like less than the size of a loaf of bread,

Pick the chiles every so slightly under-ripe
chill them if you feel it's necessary, or just pick them in the morning
pack them into a cardboard box, (USPS flat rate boxes work good and usually ship as fast as UPS, especially to close addresses) and add a little newspaper or other packing to hold the chiles so they don't bounce around and become mush

don't wrap in plastic
If the recipents are close to you, don't ship on a Fri or Sat, it might get stuck over the weekend. Ship on Mon-Tues-Wed.

If the chiles are picked slightly green, they will travel just fine and will ripen up just fine at the recipients home.
 
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Never thought to pick them a little underripe. Thanks very much!
Guess they are easier to ship than I thought - you really don't need cold packs or anything for a 1 or even 2 day shipment (assuming its not sitting over the weekend)?

Cheers!



salsalady said:
That's a lot of effort and would probably work.


Assuming you're doing a small quantity, like less than the size of a loaf of bread,

Pick the chiles every so slightly under-ripe
chill them if you feel it's necessary, or just pick them in the morning
pack them into a cardboard box, (USPS flat rate boxes work good and usually ship as fast as UPS, especially to close addresses) and add a little newspaper or other packing to hold the chiles so they don't bounce around and become mush

don't wrap in plastic
If the recipents are close to you, don't ship on a Fri or Sat, it might get stuck over the weekend. Ship on Mon-Tues-Wed.

If the chiles are picked slightly green, they will travel just fine and will ripen up just fine at the recipients home.
Click to expand...
 
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Only problems I've heard of are if the chiles are sent first class (which is slower) or picked too ripe. or when shipping a LARGE, heavy box that has to ship UPS ground.

Priority Mail or Flat Rate Boxes seem to work for a lot of people shipping smaller amounts. Now, one trick I do know of, is....it seems to work well to ship on a Saturday if you are shipping cross-country. Local...I'd do it during the week. There are many on here who ship peppers, I'm usually on the receiving end of the delivery...:lol: so hopefully they'll chime in with their dos centavos.

Have Fun, and I hope your recipeints know what they're getting in to....:cool:
 
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#1-I second what SL said. If you put them in the fridge, then put them in a box, you're going to create moisture in the package. Es no muey bien! If you put them in a box straight from the plant, after washing them, then they will stay the same temp pretty much throughout the whole ordeal. Then add that on top of picking them slightly under-ripe, you'll be good-to-go.
#2-Ship the first box to me so I can tell you if you did it right...
 
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Nothing more to add here other then the fact I have shipped to Hawaii in a Medium flat-rate with the USPS and many places in small flat_rate boxes. I always pick just before ripe except one plant that actually tastes better fully ripe in my opinion. A crumbled piece of paper on the bottom of the box will help to pull in moisture from the air in the box.
 
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And since we're on the topic those veggie -fresh bags work really well if you're picking a few at a time and saving up for a shipment

darn it hotpooper why didn't i think of that?! Lol
 
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Great topic! Does anybody here have experience with doing this internationally? What kind of restrictions are out there to be mindful of, and where?
(For example, from the US to Korea or the EU.)
 
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