Your house plants can travel for up to three days without needing any care if you properly follow our moving-plant recommendations.
BEFORE YOUR MOVE
To prepare your plants for relocating so they can withstand changes in their environment without withering or breaking, follow these instructions:
- three weeks before the actual move. Plants should be repotted from clay pots into equivalent-sized, shatterproof plastic containers.
- two weeks before the actual move. With your thumb and forefinger, pinch back younger growth on larger plants while you remove dead leaves, branches, and blossoms with scissors or gardening shears. Plants that have been pruned will be more manageable and transportable. After your move, it will also produce gorgeous, bushy, healthy plants. Never cut down ferns or succulents (e.g., cactus, jade plants, aloe).
- one week before the actual move. Verify plants for parasites and insects. Apply pesticides with caution and according to label instructions. Have a plan for donating or disposing of any pesticides before relocating since they are on our list of prohibited products.
- two days before the actual move. Regularly water your plants, being careful not to overwater. In cold weather, too much water can cause plants to freeze, while in warm weather, it can encourage the growth of fungi.
MOVING DAY
Pack your plants the night before or the morning of your relocation to get ready. Following are some moving plant packing tips:
- Wrap. To stop branches from breaking, wrap big plants in tissue paper or an old bed sheet.
- Position. A box should fit each pot tightly at the bottom. Use standard moving boxes, such as dish packs, that are offered by your Atlas mover.
- Pack. If required, lay paper around the pot’s base in the box to keep it in place. To allow plants to breathe, poke holes in the box’s sides and loosely fasten the lid.
- Label. Mark the top and sides of the boxes using a sharpie. This will lessen the chance of their accidently being loaded onto the moving truck.
- Control. Ensure that the inside of your car is at a comfortable temperature. Your plants might suffer from extreme cold or heat.
ONCE YOU’RE HOME
It’s crucial to restore your plants to the state they were in at your former residence once you’ve settled into your new one. This is how:
- Unpack. Plants should be unpacked as soon as feasible. To avoid breaking, remove the plants through the bottom of the box.
- Place. Repot plants in containers that are the same size as the ones you had before moving.
- Stabilize. Plants should not be moved until they have acclimated.
- Heal. Give your plant a few days to recover if it experiences transplant shock as a result of your transfer. Follow the advice in “Common Household Plants and How to Care for Them” if your plant still seems unwell.
To avoid breaking leaves and branches, remove the plants through the bottom of the box.
Your plants will transfer successfully if you plan ahead and pay close attention. They’ll be prepared to thrive in their new home, just like you.
Use sufficient packaging
According to Clive Harris, a gardening expert and the founder of DIY Garden, one of the most popular gardening websites in the United Kingdom, “Foliage is extremely vulnerable in automobiles, trucks, and airplanes and needs safe packaging to stand a chance of arriving in one piece.
Make sure your plants are packed sufficiently to provide complete protection in all regions of the plant throughout the journey and sufficient access to water intake. Keep fluids on hand to nourish and hydrate your plants because it is easy for them to get dehydrated both before and during transit.
According to Harris, it’s crucial to watch out for your plants’ needs during the frantic days of packing, moving, and unpacking when your attention is diverted. All houseplants, according to Harris, require a thorough soak in the sink a few days prior to packing.
Pay close care to watering them thoroughly a few days prior to the relocation and packaging them in a way that will keep them safe and secure inside a sturdy, long-lasting box for support. He says that on moving day, “make sure they’ve drained freely and their soil is still somewhat damp, as this will ensure they have enough water to last for a few days on the trip.
Wrap the foliage in newspaper if needed
The sort of houseplant you’re moving may have different packaging requirements, but there are a few typical plants that need newspaper as part of the packaging to ensure safety during transportation “According to Harris, newspaper allows it to breathe and provides some foliage protection.
“According to Harris, the best approach to prepare for moving plants with long, leafy foliage is to gently wrap the foliage in newspaper and fasten it with Sellotape.
The orchid is one plant that will require newspaper wrapping before being transported. “If you fully open a sheet and begin at the bottom, wrapping newspaper around the container will naturally wrap it around the top as well. Harris advises taking an extra step if your orchid is in bloom to make sure it is firmly clipped to the supporting stake so it won’t move around while being transported.
For the major move, monsteras also require newspaper wrapping. “According to Harris, if your plant is tall and perched on a mossy pole, hold it firmly in place and slowly wrap the newspaper around its container as it rises. “According to Harris, if the plant has a trailing vine, wrap the vines gently around the plant’s base so they rest on the earth, and then wrap newspaper around the container as described above.
Put all of the indoor plants that have been covered in leafy newspaper in a tall box with a secure lid for an even easier transport. Fill the spaces between the pots with extra newspaper to keep the plants upright. “According to Harris, this provides a secure, comfortable setting for them.
Package some plants individually to protect the others plants as you move
According to Harris, “Succulents and cacti, for example, should be placed in a separate box with thick foam or packing paper between pots to hold them upright, and upon arrival, you should immediately open the lid and put them in bright sunlight to recuperate.
Succulents’ spiky exteriors can be harmful to other plants if they are packed close to one another during transportation. Keep them in separate boxes and away from the others as their spines can regrettably rip leafy plants apart!
Label your plants to keep track of them
Keep all box lids open until the very last moment, and then name each box appropriately to ensure that you don’t forget which plants are in which containers. Before they are plunged into darkness for hours or even days, this will increase light absorption.
To make caring for and unloading the plants at your destination easier, don’t forget to write down the names. Line the base with plastic bags as a final step. According to Harris, “lining the base with plastic bags reduces leaks as well, which is beneficial since if the foundation crumbles, your plants would fall out and crush. You can stop any damp soil from decaying cardboard and triggering a calamitous fall out by lining the base of boxes with plastic.
How can houseplants be moved without harming them?
control. Here’s how to be ready for shipment with USPS, UPS, and FedEx.
- Take plants out of their containers.
- I need a haircut! Trim the roots and any dead leaves.
- In a damp paper towel, enclose the roots. Then cover once again with plastic. For added security, secure it with tape or a rubber band.
- To prevent it from shifting during transport, secure the plant in a box with plenty of newspaper and bubble cushioning roll.
- Pro tip: To make your box more stable, add weight to the bottom.
- Stickers for fragile, live plants, and this end up should be added to your box.
- Wish your flora-friend luck on their upcoming voyage.
When bringing houseplants home, what should you do with them?
Your lovely new plant is ready to be placed on the windowsill now that you have it, fertilizer, and a ceramic container (with drainage holes!). Wait a minute. You need to take a few precautions to make sure your plant flourishes in its environment and that you don’t end up throwing away yet another pot of dried-out dirt and withered leaves in a few weeks.
- Always repot your plant, first. According to Satch, “Go about an inch or two larger than the plastic pot that they’re in.” Since the objective is always for your plants to grow, a 6-inch plant should be placed in a 7- or 8-inch pot so that it has room to grow.
- Apply insecticide by misting it “According to Satch, you should spray it with an insecticide or pesticide. “You can use a variety of materials; I like horticultural oil, a petroleum distillate. Spray the plant top to bottom and in between the leaves after mixing it with water. Before integrating any insect with your other plants, whether it be a mite or a mealy bug, you need make sure it is dead to prevent an infection.
- Put your plant in quarantine. When you get it home, quarantine it for a few days before replanting it with your other plants, advises Satch. “Don’t worry if it isn’t by a window; they can tolerate that kind of light environment, but only for a few days before they start dropping leaves.”
Change in amount of light
The quantity of light the potted plant receives may change if you move it around. The health of the plant may be significantly impacted by this.
The leaves of the plant may burn if you move it from a low-light region to one with more light. The plant’s growth will be inhibited if you relocate it from a site with good light to one with inadequate light.
This is a big issue, especially if you relocate interior and outdoor potted plants. When compared to the full sunlight experienced outside, the illumination inside can be subpar.
One area of your home may get more or less light depending on where you place the potted plants. This may be true whether you use artificial lighting or keep the objects close to a window so they may get natural light.
Change in amount of water
It’s possible that moving your potted plant will affect how much water it gets.
You might relocate it to a place that is difficult to get to. This will hinder the plant’s growth because it will receive less water than it did previously.
A change in the water source could result in the addition of extra minerals and salts to the potted plant. Over time, this may lead to an accumulation of contaminants in the potting soil. And each growth season will require a flushing out.
Change in the temperature
Moving the potted plant, particularly when going from indoors to outdoors, can significantly alter the amount of heat it receives. The time of year you relocate the plants will determine this.
If you move the indoor plants outside during summer they will get a lot more heat and can get sunburned. Fall is a stressful time to move indoor plants outside because of the chilly weather.
When you bring indoor-growing plants into your home, the reverse may occur. The heat that is present outside is nothing new to the plants. Moving them indoors would therefore cause stress and impede their growth.
Change in the environment
If you’re transporting the potted plants from indoors to outdoors, this is a major problem. The environment in which you are putting the plant has undergone a significant alteration.
The two environments have significantly distinct climates in terms of temperature, wind, and wetness. Before transferring indoor-grown plants to the outdoors, they need to be hardened off.
They will experience stress and stunted growth if you don’t do it. In the worst situation, the stress will cause the plant to die.
The potted plant can be hardened by spending a few hours outside each day. Make sure to keep it out of direct sunlight and high winds. The potted plant will be in a better condition to be put outside after a week.
You won’t need to worry as much about pests if you move plants outside because they will be controlled by natural predators like helpful insects and animals.
Moving plants indoors, however, increases the likelihood of pests attacking the plant because it is more difficult for helpful insects to enter your home.
There is a possibility that pets in the house will tamper with the potting soil or the plants. Therefore, you’ll need to think of strategies to keep them out of your potted plants.
Can plants withstand movement?
Making any significant move is stressful enough, but when you include actual live things like pets and plants, the stress of moving becomes even more difficult to manage. Have you thought about how to care for your plant buddies while moving? You may already be planning on how to keep pets content during the move.
Here are some excellent tips for keeping your plants happy and healthy on the lengthy journey to a new home.
Plant preparation. Remove all dead leaves and branches from your plants a few weeks before the relocation, and give them a good pruning. Dust, vermin, and weeds should be removed one week prior to your move.
Pot again in plastic. Take plants out of their heavy pots and planters a few weeks before your move and give them new homes in lightweight plastic pots to make transporting plants easier on your body.
Keep an eye on the weather. Transporting plants in a temperature-controlled space, such as your automobile, is preferable. Bring your plants inside with you if you spend the night at a motel (this is especially important if the weather is unusually warm or cold).
Provide the correct amount of water to them. Plants do not like the mix of cold and wet or hot and dry. Plants have a difficult time remaining comfortable, even in an air-conditioned vehicle. Water plants thoroughly on moving day and during your trip if you are moving in the summer. If you’re traveling in the winter, water your plants one last time a few days before you leave to keep the soil dry.
learn the law. Check with customs if you’re relocating to a new country to be sure you can bring your plants with you; some nations won’t permit particular species over their borders. Moving across states necessitates some planning as well; due to pest control measures and regional restrictions on growing specific plants, the US Department of Agriculture mandates inspections of plant materials crossing some state lines. Although California is known for being particularly stringent with its botanical visitors, other states also inspect plants upon arrival (a chart is available on this page).
Avoid depending on relocation companies. Many moving firms decline to carry plants with the rest of your household due to the aforementioned laws as well as potential liabilities. Be careful, too, because packing up your plants and having the movers transport them unwittingly could breach your agreement with them and void any insurance you may have for damage to your other equipment during the move.
Post them. You can mail plants ahead of you, but there is undoubtedly a risk to their health. Plants should be removed from their containers, with the roots pruned and the root ball wrapped in a moist cloth and then plastic. Put the entire plant in a strong, new box and secure it with lots of newspaper and bubble wrap (seriouslyfill every space in the box and lock that thing down). Send the box on its way with plenty of “Fragile,” “Live Plant,” and “This End Up” stickers after adding some weight to the bottom of the box, if necessary, to keep it upright.
And if you can’t move your house plants…
Observe a cutting. Keep a cutting and try to re-grow your favorite botanicals at your new house if your plants are entrenched in the yard or are too large to transport.
Send them out. Your plants may be portable, but if you think they won’t make it, make plans to gift some of your healthy, happy plants to your friends and neighbors before you leave.