How to Move Your Plants

Suppose you are moving soon and want to take your beloved plants with you. In that case, it’s essential to know all the correct facts and most common misconceptions regarding this issue. Especially because plants are, in a way, living beings that require specific conditions to survive the move. Packing and moving plants is not complicated, as long you understand our advice and handle them with care. So, please read the following tips and take these pieces of advice into consideration.

1. Understanding

First, it’s important to understand that plants are breathable, living beings with a system that keeps them alive. Second, depending on how long the move will be, there are various approaches to handling your plants with care.

2. Preparation

For example, a long-distance move requires some preparations, and the same goes for your plants. You need to make sure your plants arrive at the new estate intact.

Wilting and breaking is quite common during transport, so try to follow the next steps to prevent any risk of injury:

Twenty days before moving — Approximately three weeks before the day you plan on moving, repot your plants into a plastic pot of a similar size which should be shatterproof.

Fifteen days before moving — About two weeks before the moving day, make sure you remove dead leaves and pinch out the newer growth and flowers. Again, we recommend using gardening or sharp scissors. The main reason behind this is making the plants more compact for the move. Skip these steps if you plan on moving cactuses or aloe plants.

A week before moving — In this time, check the plant for insects and parasites while avoiding using pesticides since, in some states, you won’t be able to cross the border.

A day or two before moving — Water your plants, but make sure you don’t overdo it since an excessive amount of water can cause freezing or the appearance of fungus.

 

3. The Size

There is a difference in moving when it comes to the size of the plants meaning that moving small or large plants will require a different approach.

Moving small plants

Moving small plants includes a couple of options depending on the species and the conditions it evolved in.

• Wrap the pot while leaving the plant exposed.
• If you own a few, place the wrapped plants in one box whit no lid, enabling the plants to breathe.
• Try to pack them last and put them on top of the other boxes since they are very fragile.
• Another option includes hanging them in the front seat of the moving vehicle as long as you set the right temperature during transport according to the conditions the plant is used to.
• Have it delivered by mail, but before you hand the plant to the courier service, make sure the plant is appropriately wrapped in order to survive the trip.
• Shipping is the least considered option because the risk of possible damage is very high.

Moving larger plants

Most guides recommend similar steps when it comes to moving larger plants in comparison to small ones.

However, most differences revolve around:

• The fact that larger plants have more dirt meaning it’s very easy for it to spill during transport. So, we recommend putting and fixating cardboard over the soil.
• Taller plants tend to get tangled, so make sure to replant them according to the instructions mentioned above.
• Since the pots of larger plants are way bigger, consider wrapping them in newspaper to prevent scratches or even breakages.
• In contrast to small plants, larger ones shouldn’t be placed in the front of the vehicle, so we recommend making enough space in the back.

4. Packing

Packing is usually done the night before the settled moving day, although some tend to choose the morning before.

Wrapping is the first step where most people use used-up bed sheets, newspaper, or any kind of paper you can find in your household.

When it comes to placing them, smaller plants can be put in one bigger box, while large plants should be placed in an individual box.

If the pot is not fixated, you can put some cushioning inside just to make sure the plant will stay in place.

It’s important to label all the boxes that contain plants. This way, there will be no possibility of overlooking.

Keep the temperature in the moving car stable according to the terms the plant is used to.

5. Guidelines

Every state holds different laws and guidelines. The same thing goes for importing plants. Fortunately, you can look up online the guidelines and regulations that apply to the state you’re moving to. If you can’t find or aren’t sure about the right regulations, give the customs a call and ask them directly what the rules are.

The main reason behind these regulations consists in the control of pests, insects, and diseases some plants carry with them, so it’s in your favor too to be well informed.

6. Unpacking

Unpacking is just vital as packing since plants are living organisms that don’t thrive during transport. Therefore it’s essential to get them in the exact same conditions before you left.

Make sure to unpack as soon as possible, meaning that unpacking your plants should be among the priorities when you arrive at your new home.

We recommend getting the plants out of the bottom to prevent any injuries and breakages.

Place the plants in the same pots they were in at your old home.

Don’t move them around since they need some time to adapt to the new surroundings and acclimatize.

In some cases, it’s possible that the plants suffer from some form of shock, especially if you made a mistake somewhere. Don’t worry, and give them a couple of days to heal and adapt.

When that couple of days passes, if your plants are in no better condition, seek professional help.

7. Hire a Professional Service

We understand that moving your plants is very important to you. For some species, moving them while staying in the same condition as you left is a risky issue. To prevent any damage, we recommend hiring a professional moving company Brooklyn to do it for you. Also, the right moving company can do the packing part for you, especially if you are inexperienced on the subject at a fair price as long as you choose the right moving company. In any case, best of luck.