Are you worried about getting your houseplants safely to your new home on your upcoming move? It’s a common concern for moving families because keeping plants healthy is already a delicate task on a daily basis in normal life. When you’re moving to a new location where travel is involved, it can be a challenge to avoid harming plants.
Those who don’t do it properly could arrive at their new home with plants that didn’t survive the trip. When you hire a professional moving company, you don’t have to worry about how your plants will fare since they have the expertise at moving them safely. Whether you’re moving your plants yourself or hire a professional mover, here is a look at how they need to be preserved for the move.
Why it’s a challenge to move your plants
Moving, in general, can be a challenge, trying to pack everything just right to avoid damage and to be able to find the thing you need when you arrive at the destination, but moving your plants is a different kind of challenge. The good news is that moving your plants will make your new house feel like home in no time, bringing a familiar living thing to the new house that offers a warm and welcoming feeling.
They are part of the family, but unlike your family members, they will get moved like the rest of your stuff somewhere in the truck. They are like fragile antiques and furniture except that they can’t be shoved into a box and opened again later; they need water, sunlight, and air to stay alive during the transit.
Hiring Movers
Some people choose to hire movers for their entire move, including the plants, or call a professional plant mover to handle this portion of the job. They won’t cover any damage that is caused to the plants during the move since it’s so likely that the plants will suffer during the move, but they can provide the proper containers and tips to get things moved safely.
Moving them yourself
In most cases, families will move the plants themselves and leave the rest of the house to the movers. You can start prepping your plants by transplanting into green plastic containers rather than moving in their fragile clay pots.
Make sure to call your local US Department of Agriculture to make sure you are allowed to move your plants from state-to-state, since there are strict rules about which plants can be brought into certain states, particularly because of bugs or disease that can be brought with the plant.
You’ll need sturdy boxes to put your plants in and it’s helpful to line them with plastic. Add cushioning between the box and the plants such as foam to ensure the plants doesn’t shift during the move and keep them on the floor on the backseat of the car, depending on the height of the plant.
Most people prefer to move the plants in their own vehicle to keep a closer eye on the plant and to allow them some indoor time if there is an overnight stop in severe temperatures. Make sure to wrap or bag plants and protect fragile branches or stems.
How to adjust plants to the new home
Once you’ve successfully moved your plants, they’ll need some time to adjust afterward. Make sure to immediately remove them from the plastic and out of the boxes. You’ll want to give them plant food and water right away.
If you removed them from the original pot and into plastic for the move, make sure to put them in the original pot after about a week once they’ve settled. If you move them back to the original too quickly, they may over-stress.
Your plants can be moved safely to your new home, just be sure to do the proper prep work to ensure they survive and thrive after the trip!