If you’re like us, a thriving habitat of home or office plants is an important part of your home’s decor and interior design. But what happens when you move?
House plants are likely the most fragile items you’ll move during the moving process. So how do you do it without inflicting lasting harm on your plants?
We’ve outlined the process for moving house plants to your new home or office below.
Rather not chance it? Call the professional house plant movers at ANC Movers to do the job for you. Our movers are experienced, professional, and will make sure your plant babies make it to their new home safely and securely. Contact us today to learn more.
Get your plants ready with some maintenance
Before you transport a plant, make sure it’s healthy. Moving is tough for a plant. It will take a lot of adjustment time to get back to full health after the move. If the plant is not in good condition prior to the move, the adjustment may be too much for it to bear.
If your plant is unhealthy, there’s nothing you can do the day-of to give it a burst of health. That said, if you know months in advance that you’ll be moving, take care to ensure that you plant is getting its basic needs met during this time.
These needs include:
- Consistent water: There is no cut and dry go-to amount for watering indoor plants. You’ll need to do some research on your type of plant and determine the frequency required for keeping it healthy. Make sure to keep your plant’s soil moist. Soil that is too dry or too wet can damage roots.
- Make sure your plant is getting light: House plants need to be in a place in your home that receives sunlight — no ifs, ands, or buts! Flowering plants will need 12-16 hours of light a day, while foliage plants will need 14-16 hours.
- Use fertilizer: Plants need food. Mixing 10-10-10 balanced fertilizer into your pot will give them the nutrients they need and keep them healthy and strong.
- Regular pruning: Pruning is the act of cutting dead or rogue growths (branches, etc) from your plant. These growths either attract bugs or suck up useful energy that could be going to the parts of your plant you want to grow.
Get them ready for the move
We do not recommend moving your house plants as is. Like a delicate wine glass or your television, wrapping and packing your house plants properly will help keep them safe and less vulnerable from damage throughout the move..
- Place them in the truck the day of the move: Your house plants should be some of the last things you place into a moving truck. They will not be able to last as long in a truck overnight or in the back of your car for multiple days.
- Place them in plastic pots: Moving clay or other fragile pots is a risky proposition. If they crack or break during the move, not only will it be a mess, but your plants will lose much needed stability during a vulnerable period.
- Wrap the pots in paper bags: Paper bags do a surprisingly good job of protecting your plants from the environment. They help lessen the effects of humidity, temperature, and wind. Once your plants are in plastic pots, either place these pots or wrap them in paper bags.
- Tie them down: Tie down your plants by the base (not too tightly or you’ll squeeze the roots) to keep them from falling over.
- Don’t transport in open vehicles: Wind, weather, and even rogue animals can harm your plants as you’re transporting them.
Know the law
Due to invasive species and pest issues, the transportation of plants across state and country lines is something that needs to be taken seriously.
If you’re moving to a new country, research if your plant is allowed in that country, and if so what preparations will need to be made in advance of crossing the border. This is a must with states, too. California in particular is quite stringent with what is allowed in their state.
Check on them during the move
A bump in the road or a sharp turn can turn even the most meticulously packed and well-taken care of plants into a pile of foliage and soil.
Make sure to check that your plants are doing okay often. Stop your car or truck and give them a visual inspection. If things have shifted, fix the issue before continuing on your journey. Don’t just check the plants, either! Make sure other items around your plants are still secured properly to avoid having them fall onto and ruin your plants.
Do a final maintenance check
Once you’ve unloaded your plants, complete another visual inspection. Once you’ve made sure there is no immediate critical issues with your plant (snapped branch, missing soil), bring them to where you think they’ll live in your home.
At this point, make sure they are receiving enough sunlight and are given a healthy watering. Prune any dead branches or foliage.
Expect an adjustment period
While it’d be great if your plants could just go back to being their healthy selves immediately, this is a bit too much to ask. Your plants just changed environments quickly! Think about that! Plants were never evolved to be moved while still living, and this very unnatural action has likely taken a toll on your house plant.
In the days and weeks after your move, you may notice a plant that looks a little more unhealthy than usual. This could be a certain wilting quality, or even the loss of some leaves. But don’t fear! This is just your plant adjusting to its new life in your new space.
In the weeks and months following your move, make sure to do all the maintenance items at the beginning of this article (water, light, fertilize, prune). If taken care of with this basic maintenance, your plant will be back to its old self in no time!
Keep your plants safe — call ANC Movers
Moving house plants is not for everyone. The planning, physical moving, and equipment can be too much to manage on top of upending your life to move to a new space.
At ANC Movers, our careful moving, honest communication, and friendly movers have made us the go-to solution for moving house plants in Vancouver. We have a number of flexible moving packages for any home or office, and can help make sure your plants — and all of your other belongings — get to their destination safely.
Contact us today to learn how we can help you move house plants safely.
Recent Comments