Whether you are relocating across the country, the state, or a town or city, properly packing your houseplants for a move is an important part of the process. Relocating can be stressful enough and the last thing you need is for your plants to die during transit due to improper preparation. Have no fear—packing houseplants for a move isn’t as daunting as it sounds and it can be done successfully no matter how long your journey.
Just like your fragile antiques and furniture, moving plants need special attention. Take some time to consider if it's best to move your plants or if you don't think they'll survive, then make sure you find a good home.
Here are tips for successfully moving your plants and keeping them happy.
Plants and Hired Movers
If you've hired movers, they will not cover damage to plants. Plants are too fragile and are likely to suffer from the move. Some moving companies will not even allow plants on their trucks. Ask before you move if the company has any rules on plants.
Prepare Your Plants for the Move
If you are moving out of state, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's office can help you learn about the regulations on bringing plants into your destination. Certain states, such as California, have strict regulations on importing plants. Here's what to do with the plants you can take.
Repot into Plastic Pots
Three weeks before your move date, transplant all of your houseplants out of breakable clay planters and pots and into plastic containers. This will prevent breakage of clay pots. It also makes your plants lighter and easier to pack and carry in moving boxes.
Don’t Bring Pests Along for the Ride
Before you move all of your houseplants, thoroughly inspect them for pests, such as mealybugs or spider mites. Even if you don’t find evidence of pests on your plants, apply a dose of insecticidal soap as a precaution before moving.
Prune Your Plants
About a week before your move, prune your plants so they will be easier to transport. Trimming encourages new growth which will help them to acclimate to their new environment. Avoid pruning ferns, cacti, and succulents—these plants will be happier if they are left alone.
How to Pack Your Houseplants
Pack up your plants the day before your move. Doing it this late in the game will expose your plants to less stress, especially if they need to be placed in a box with no light. Different plants require different packing methods. Here are essential packing materials and methods.
Utilize Bubble Wrap
Bubble wrap and box up prickly cacti and succulents which can damage nearby plants if they come into contact with them. In addition to bubble wrap, use old bedsheets, newspaper, and brown packing paper to cushion and hold your plants in place in the boxes.
Suspend Hanging Baskets from Back Seat Grab Handles
Use the overhead grab handles in your vehicle for hanging planters and baskets or temporarily place plants into macrame hangers just for the ride. Make DIY plant hangers from string or yarn.
Gently wrap vining hanging plants and place them on the top of the pot. This will ensure that the vines are not accidentally snapped, ripped, or snagged in transit.
Stand Tall Plants in the Backseat
Your largest plants will likely need to be positioned directly on the floor or seat of your vehicle. Fold your seats to create more room in the backseat. Put a plastic bag around the base of a pot or put a drip tray under your plant to protect your car from spilled dirt or water. Ensure the plants are secure and won't fall over by placing other items or plants firmly around the base of the pots.
Wrap Leafy Plants With Wrapping Paper Or Plastic
Mimic how florists and nurseries wrap plants for transport by using wrapping paper or plastic to protect leafy plants from getting pinched or ripped. Bushy plants such as dieffenbachia, dracaena, monsteras, and some philodendrons will benefit from the protection.
How to Take Plants From Your Garden
If you want to take some of your outdoor plants with you, take cuttings. Purchase some floral tubes, fill them with water, then cap them as an ideal way to transport plants.
Help Your Plants Adjust After the Move
When your plants arrive at your new home, remove the plastic immediately, take them out of their boxes, and give them some water and plant food. If you had transplanted them into plastic containers and you want to put them back into their original pots, wait a week before doing this. Moving plants is very hard on them. You don't want to over-stress them by changing their location and then re-potting them, which could result in stunted growth or even death.
Observe any garden plants that you plant at your new home to see how they are adjusting to the difference in soil, climate, and air quality.
When You Can't Take Your Plants With You
If you're moving from state to state or from one country to another, sometimes your plants aren't allowed to move with you. Before you take plants with you, find out what species are allowed into your new state or country before you attempt to smuggle them in unknowingly. This way you have time to rehome plants instead of the possibility of having to abandon them at the border.