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Moving with Plants

Moving with PlantsIf you are moving to a new home, you may well be moving with plants. Today, many people develop attractive indoor or outdoor gardens, carefully selecting plants to tend and painstakingly nurturing those plants so they grow beautifully. For some people, plants are like pets, something to care for and even talk to. Obviously, if you have spent time and effort on your garden or indoor plants, you will be moving with plants rather than leaving them behind.

Before the Move

Before the MovePlants are living creatures, so many moving companies suggest that gardeners plan well in advance. When you first consider moving services, ask potential movers whether they will even transport your plants. Some movers cannot insure that plants will not get damaged and some moving companies do not move plants across long distances of over 150 miles. Knowing this in advance allows you to make your moving plans accordingly. If your movers will not move your plants for you, you will need to take them with you yourself.

If you are moving between states, keep in mind that some states have strict regulations about importing plants. If you are moving to California or Florida, for example, those states have very strict rules about what plants can be brought into the state. Contact your U.S. Department of Agriculture to learn about any rules that may affect your moving activities. Many states require that your plants be grown indoors in sterilized soil. Well before your move, therefore, you may need to visit your local nursery in order to buy pots and sterilized potting soil so that you can transplant any outdoor plants to meet requirements. While at the nursery, you can also ask staff for moving advice that will keep your plants healthy during the move.

During the Move

During the MoveIf you will be transporting plants yourself, keep in mind that your plants will require air, water, and comfortable temperatures. If you are transporting exotic plants, you will need to keep them warm. You will also want to keep your plants safe from breakage, so make sure your plants are in plastic pots or have their pots carefully padded.

When moving with plants, keep your plants right side up and try to ensure that you are not transporting plants that have been freshly repotted. Both repotting and moving are stressful for plants, and combining the two can prove too much. Ideally, plan to transplant your plants at least three weeks before moving day so that your plants have time to adjust. Always transplant your plants into a container that is just large enough, so that when you are moving with plants your plants are not expending energy trying to grow rapidly.

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