Moving Plants
Moving with Plants
It is important to keep in mind there are options when moving plants. Moving plants represents are great hurdle and most movers cannot be responsible for caring for your household plants. Often it is important to consider giving them to friends, local hospitals or libraries, or sell them at a yard sale. A+ Moving Team however understands years of loving care can be invested into to our houseplants’ growth and maintenance, so if you do take them along, here is some advice.
Do-It-Yourself?
If you move plants yourself, you will have more control over environmental conditions than if they are moved by any other method. Please plan for moving plants long distances, remembering that your parked vehicle can be subject to temperature extremes. Water them thoroughly before leaving, as watering them in your vehicle can become messy. Many plants can survive after even a week with no water and watering them when you arrive at your new location will make them much easier to transport.
Ceramic pots full of dirt and plants can be heavy to move and are easily breakable. In order to help protect both the plant and the expensive pots try transplanting the plants into plastic containers just big enough for the size of the plant two to three weeks before moving day. A plastic pot just large enough for the size of the plant will be much easier to move. Be careful as a newly transplanted household plant will experience some degree of transplant shock. This is simply the plant reacting to having been moved from one pot to the next. It is generally caused by damage to the roots of the plant during the transplant so it is very important to transplant your household plants as carefully as possible.
Environmental Factors
Many environmental factors can affect moving your plants. It is important to think of such factors as shock, temperature, light and other environments factors. Listed below is just some of the environmental factors that can affect moving plants.
Shock: Some houseplants are susceptible to shock when moving because of transplanting or other factors. The distance moved or time in transit does not necessarily make the shock greater. However with care moving plants will be successful, it may simply take the plant longer to recover and become as vibrant as it once was.
Temperature: This can be one of the most important factor in moving plants. Temperatures below 35 degrees F or above 95-100 degrees F for more than one hour can be fatal to many household plants. Plants in cardboard cartons that are properly wrapped will withstand quite a variation in temperature and is highly recommended for transporting sensitive or delicate plants.
Light: Plants left in darkness too long may become pale and weak causing them to “etiolate”. Moving plants in cardboard cartons for an extended amount of time can cause your household plants to show abnormal growth that is more susceptible to disease. Even though it is suggested to transport delicate plants in large cardboard containers remember prolonged darkness can shock your plants as well. When exposing plants to light after a lengthy period in darkness, avoid possible wilting and sun scald by limiting direct sun exposure for the first few days.
Cuttings
You may be quite fond of your household plants but for convenience and space saving, you may wish to only take cuttings of your favorite houseplants. Make sure to research if they can be propagated that way as not to kill your beloved plants when moving. Most cuttings will survive for several days if kept in a plastic bag containing damp vermiculite, peat moss or perlite, or even wrapped in a wet paper towel. It is important to know potted plants, however, have a much greater chance of surviving a long trip than do cuttings.
Professional Moving
A+ Movers and Removers as most professional moving companies will accept plants under special rules that provide that the plants are transported not more than 150 miles and/or delivery is completed within 24 hours from the time of loading; no storage is required; and no enroute servicing or watering is required by the mover.
If you are planning to move plants to another state, you should be aware of federal and state plant regulations. Plant quarantines may be in effect in certain areas to restrict the movement of plants that may harbor destructive pests. Before these plants can be moved, they must be cleared by the appropriate federal or state plant protection official. Several states require that indoor plants be inspected and certified “pest free” before they can be brought into that state. Other states do not require certification as long as the houseplants are the property of the individual and are not for resale. Still others refuse all entry of specific varieties. Many states permit “thru-transit” of uncertified, healthy houseplants. It is very important to ask your A+ Moving Specialist to assist you or do your own due diligence in researching applicable state and federal laws.
When moving plants in some states, vehicles are stopped at random on the highway, and any plants carried are inspected for pests. Several states stop vehicles at their borders and inspect all houseplants. Much time can be saved if the plants are accompanied by state-of-origin certifications.
You must personally arrange for inspection of your houseplants by an inspector with the state’s agriculture department. Call the department’s county office and schedule an inspection prior to moving plants. In some cases, you may be able to take your plants to the nearest office for inspection and a possible treatment in a fumigation chamber.