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Moving To Create Memories

7 Tips to Help You Move House Plants

9 October 2017

Harper Flores

Moving plants long distance can be challenging, and if you want your plants to survive the move, you may want to check out these tips. These tips are designed to help you get potted plants from one home to the next with as little damage and stress as possible.

1. Check the Laws

First, check the laws on bringing plants into your new state. Some states have restrictions on which plants you can bring in. For example, California has strict laws about plants. The state is trying to stop foreign pests from coming in, and certain plants even need to be quarantined.

Obviously, you don't want to be in a situation where your plants get taken from you or left on the side of the road near the state border. To prevent that, you need to research the laws first. Some moving companies are willing to do that for you.

2. Prepare the Plants for the Move

Just as you purge unwanted items from your closet, you should also take some time to purge unwanted items from your plants. In particular, you don't need to move dead leaves or branches.

A couple weeks before the move, take some time to prune your plant. Also, look for unwanted pests, remove them, and treat your plant as needed. If you have pests crawling all over a plant, that can make it harder to bring into certain states.

3. Consider Repotting

If your plants are in very heavy, breakable pots, you may want to repot them. Just put them in a lightweight plastic pot a few weeks before your move. This makes the plant itself easy to lift and carry around. It also means you can pack that breakable pot into a box with lots of packing material. That can be essential for its protection.

4. Don't Put the Plants in the Back of a Moving Truck

If possible, don't transport your plants in the back of the moving truck. Unless you pay for a special climate-controlled truck, most moving trailers are not insulated. That's fine for furniture and clothing, but living plants may get too hot or too cold. That can lead to distress that they may not be able to survive.

Instead, consider moving the plants yourself in your own vehicle. That way, you can monitor their temperature and keep an eye on them throughout the move.

5. Consider Bringing the Plants Inside Your Hotel Room

If you have to stay overnight at a hotel and it's winter, bring the plants inside so they don't freeze in the car. If it's above freezing, you can leave your plants in the car. However, if it's really hot, remember that the interior of your car will get even hotter than the outside temps, and that could "bake" your plants. As a result, you may want to bring your plants inside.

6. Take Care of the Plants Through the Move

Moving is busy and hectic, but if you want the plants to survive, you need to focus on their care throughout the move. Make sure to water them. You may want to bring jugs of distilled water to make it easier. Also apply plant food or other nutrients at the same rate you normally do when at home.

7. Just Take a Bit of the Plant

In some cases, you may want to avoid moving the plants altogether. If you don't have room for the plants in your car, if you have to put your stuff in storage for a couple months, or if you are in any other scenario that makes moving the plants seem impossible, you may just want to donate them or give them away.

However, you can still take a small cutting with you. Then, you can nurture that into a plant at your new home.

Contact companies like Bekins Van Lines Inc for more moving tips and suggestions for moving your house plants.

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