Moving Advice for Moving Houseplants and Garden Plants Part 4
- Preparing to Move Plants: 2 Weeks Before Moving Day
- Preparing to Move Plants: 1 Week Before Moving Day
- The Day Before Moving Day
- Moving Day Tips for Houseplants
Moving Houseplants Moving Day for your Plants
Packing your Plants for the Move
Leave your plants as one of the last things to pack when you move, so that they don’t get crushed too long in boxes and they’ll be one of the first things unpacked at your new place.
Plants will suffer from long exposure to extreme heat or cold and lack of fresh air. Moving van temperatures can be freezing in winter and unbearably hot in summer months. Some movers may not accept to move plants very far, since plants are perishable items. Moving your plants yourself in your car may be the best solution, then you can give them the care they need along the way; but, you should try to avoid putting plants in the trunk of your car for long. It lacks air and could expose your plants to extreme temperatures.
Plants can take up a lot of space, if not in boxes. Dishpack boxes are great for packing small plants, they have adjustable compartments that work well for holding a few smaller plants. Put a plastic bag in bottom of box if bottoms of pots are moist. If the season is very warm, wrap some damp newspapers around the plants to help keep them cool on the road.
Large tall cartons, like wardrobe boxes, work well for tall plants. A few tall plants may fit in together. You’ll want to steady the pot bottoms so that they fit snugly and don’t jiggle around too much by scrunching damp newspaper around the base of the pots. Next, use tissue paper to cushion branches and leaves of the plants.
Punch holes in the sides of your plant boxes for them to breathe and mark them: PLANTS, with instruction to pack on van or in car last.
Caring for your Plants on the Road
Keeping in mind how hot cars can get on a sunny day, pack your plants in last and be sure to park in the shade during any stops along the way to your new home. If it’s cold weather, try parking in the sun.
Your plants should make it to your final destination without being watered if you watered them a day or two before moving day. But during a long trip, if you notice they seem a bit too dry, give them some water as soon as you can.
If your trip takes longer than 3 days, and all your plants are packed in covered boxes, they may need to get some light. Opening the boxes for just an hour during the day while you have lunch could help or taking them into your hotel room at night, opening the boxes and leaving them in the bathroom with the light on will help them survive the trip in good health.
Getting to Your New Home
Your plants are one of the first things you should be sure to unpack when you arrive at your new home. Try opening their boxes from the bottom and removing your plants from underneath instead of pulling them out from the top of the box. This will help to avoid bending or breaking their leaves and branches.
Your plants will initially be in a state of shock from their moving ordeal. Try to find a spot you can put them away from box and furniture moving traffic, where they can settle in undisturbed while you complete your move. They wont like being in direct sunlight at first, let them become accustomed to it gradually, by letting them have indirect light.
After a little tender loving care in your new home, your houseplants should bounce back to the beauties they were before the trip.
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