The ABC’s of Moving Your Plants

By Scott Boone

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So, you have a green thumb.  Bravo.  You probably pride yourself on your ability to turn your home into an oasis inside and out.  That being said, what do you do when you decide to move your oasis across town or across the country?  Before you wind up losing half your precious plants in the process, you had better read my blog below.

A – Always Plan Ahead

Just as you need to plan ahead to manage the arduous task of packing and moving all your belongings, the same needs to be done with your plants. 

1-month prior to moving - Potted plants need to be repotted if they are contained in clay pots which are all too easy to break.  The solution is to transfer them to plastic pots approximately 1-month before your move.  This will allow the plants to overcome the shock of transfer, while ensuring you won’t have a mess when you arrive at your new home.

2-weeks prior to moving is the perfect time to prune your plants.  Cutting plants back prior to your move will save space and make them easier to handle.  It will also encourage new growth once they have made it to their new home.  The exceptions to the rule are succulents, such as aloe, cacti and the like, which should not be pruned.

1-week to go is when you need to check your plants for any last-minute infestations.  If found, this is the time to apply insecticidal soaps or other remedies before the insects latch onto your other plants.

2-days before departure, give your plants a final watering, making sure that you don’t overwater. 

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Moving day means you need to prepare all your plants for transport.  This means that large plants need to be wrapped and in some cases staked to prevent them from breaking during transit.  Smaller plants need to be lovingly loaded into a box together so that they fit snugly which prevents them from jostling during the long drive.  When necessary you should add padding between the pots such as crumpled newspaper.  Also make sure you punch holes in any plant-bearing box that you intend on closing.  (You wouldn’t transport your cat in a sealed container, and neither should you move your plants that way.  They also need to breathe.)  Make sure to label the boxes prominently so they are not loaded way back in the truck.  (See section C below for more on how you should transport your plants.)

B – Better Read than Dead

If you plan an interstate move you need to find out if there are State restrictions that prohibit any of your plants from crossing state lines.  California, Arizona and my home state of Florida are particularly picky about what can and can’t cross their borders.  If you are unsure of the status of your plants, you had best do a little research on one of the websites listed below:

USDA - https://www.usda.gov/

National Gardening Association - https://garden.org/

C – Cool is the Rule

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Plants are extremely sensitive to temperature variation.  This means you need to keep their welfare in mind when transporting them.  If you are moving from one side of town to the other and the temperature is a pleasant 70 degrees, you might be able to get away with putting some of them in the back of the truck then unloading them right away when you arrive at your new home.

The problem with trucking plants is that the back of the truck is not temperature controlled.  This means if the temperature outside is either hot or cold, then it is likely that some or all of your green friends will arrive DOA.  Better for all concerned if the weather is hot or cold to transport your precious plants in the family car.  When it comes to transporting plants, cool is the rule

If the trip is going to take more than an hour you should never put any of your plants in the truck.  Not only will temperature variation cause thermal shock, but being bounced around in the back of the truck for more than an hour practically guarantees that breakage will occur.   

If you are moving from one state to another or further, make sure you consider the well-being of your plants when you stop for a lunchbreak.  That means cracking the windows on a warm day. On the other hand, if the weather is cold, you may need to cover them with a bag to keep them from freezing.

 If the drive is going to take more than 3 days, you should consider bringing your plants indoors and unwrapping to let them get a little sunlight.  On a long road trip, you should avoid watering your plants unless they appear to be drooping from lack of moisture. 

Speaking of being uncool, make sure you unpack and unwrap your plants as soon as possible.  This is also a good time to transfer them back into their original pots.  If any of your green friends have suffered from the move, give them a few days to bounce back before taking any remedial action.  Just like you, your plants need a few days to overcome the stress of a move.

With over 4,000 moves, Scott's Discount Movers  has handled moves of all sizes, including local and cross country. If you are looking to move your home or office, you can depend on Scott's Discount Movers to provide a stress-free relocation.