7 Tips for Moving With Plants to Your New Place In 3 Days or less
So, you’re moving. You’ve decided to leave your old place behind and venture out into the world in search of greener pastures. You’ve packed most of your belongings; the moving day is soon approaching, and – you’re stumped. You look at all of your flowers, the precious flora you’ve acquired, and taken care of over the years, and you wonder how to move them without causing any damage.
Of course, leaving them behind or donating them to friends is an option, but a fully unappealing one. Well, don’t worry, people find themselves in this position more often than you’d imagine. Here are six tips, well-tested and proven to work, to move all of your plants to your new home safely in 3 days or less.
- Check the law
Seemingly bizarre, but many states have laws that expressly prohibit certain types of plants. To stay out of legal hot water, make sure your floral buddies aren’t going to become sneaky criminals once you go over the state border.
- Preparation is key
Make sure to trim your plants, ridding them of dead branches and leaves. Remove all pests or weeds before the move, as not to bring that into your new home. Similarly, you should report them and leave behind the shiny clay ones and put them into light, durable plastic pots. It is a crucial step during the move, to preserve them in one piece. In a similar vein, consider the temperature: the best for plant transportation would be cold weather. 
- Before the move
Make sure to water your plants for the trip ahead. Next, many moving companies will not transport plants, and breaking their rules may invalidate any coverage you may have. As such, you have three options remaining: ship them, find a plant mover, or move them yourself.
- You plan on shipping them?
Get a sturdy box and fill it with bubble wrap or plenty of newspaper. Make sure to put the appropriate stickers on top, such as “fragile,” “this side up,” and “live plant.” This method can be risky for your plants’ health, but it’s efficient, and usually, you can recover any damage caused. Advice from professional packers and movers is essential to making sure your plant is going to be safe and sound.
- The second option is to move them yourself.
That has significant advantages, but also some downsides. You get full control of the whole process, but the onus is on you to learn how to pack a truck for long distance moving. That can be daunting, but ultimately, very rewarding to you and your plant friends.
- Or you can look into plant movers.
Like any other moving company, this one would specialize in moving plants. Once you find one, assess their credibility expectations and associated costs. If they fit your standards, all that’s left is telling them when to pick the plants up. If they handle the packing, then you’re set! If not, refer to the packing instructions in the previous sections. There are several long distance moving companies, so pick the one that fits your needs best.
There isn’t any real alternative to letting professionals take care of your troubles when it comes to moving, and that is doubly true when moving hard-to-transport objects.
- The days of the move and what comes next
Once you’ve made all the preparations – it’s time to head on towards your destination. If your plants are traveling with you, there are some critical considerations for taking care of their health. Firstly, make sure they’re in sturdy, open boxes and surrounded by packing material, so they don’t tip over. Avoid direct sunlight. If you’re moving during the colder seasons, keep the vehicle warm during transit, if not – during your breaks, find a shaded area and open the windows to let in some fresh air.
Finally, make it a priority to unpack and repot the plants once you move in. Follow all of these points, and your happy and healthy plants will thank you.
