Shifting your household is difficult not just for you but even for your indoor plants as well. Unlike other furnishings and stuff at home, indoor plants are alive. Therefore, they can be disturbed by abrupt temperature change, absence of sunlight, rough treatment, excess water, and being in an enclosed vehicle for hours.
Regardless of how many and what kind of indoor plants you have – whether there are just some few small indoor plants or many potted plants – preparations can be done so that the moving process will be easier for them. In general, you need to ensure that your plants remain stable and safe during the move.
Through some simple preparation, moving your indoor plants can be done without any problem.
Plan the Plant Move in Advance
Do not wait till the last minute with your plants. Prior to the move, a couple of days before, decide on what plants you wish to move and what plants are either too big or cannot be moved because they are damaged in any way.
Inspect the plants and cut off dry or dead leaves. If the plant is already weak, and it has some problems, the moving process can cause even more stress for it.
It is also important to think about the distance of your moving. The local moving might be an easier process in comparison to the long-distance one, since your plants will spend less time traveling.
It is possible to make necessary arrangements in case you plan ahead.
Avoid Overwatering Before Moving
A mistake frequently made by people is that they water all the plants well before moving day. Plants do require water but, too much water in the soil makes the pots heavier and also increases the probability of soil leakage while transporting.
Water the plants as per their requirements and don’t soak the soil before moving unless the plant requires it.
The idea is to keep the soil stable and not transport pots that are dripping or very heavy.
In case you are not sure about what a specific plant requires, stick to its regular schedule and not make any changes simply because you are moving.
Use Suitable Pots for Transportation
The use of heavy clay or glass pots makes it harder to carry them and poses chances of damage while carrying them around.
Try to transplant delicate or very heavy plants to better pots before the actual moving exercise. But do not repot all plants just before the actual moving because it will be another shock to their roots.
Sturdy plastic pots will be better for small plants.
Careful handling is important for large plants and you should not pull them by their stem, branch or leaves.
Protect the Soil
Unconsolidated soil will leak easily when the plant is tilted while moving it around.
This problem can be prevented by using a light cover over the soil which enables the plant to stay firm. It is important to make sure that the covering material does not hurt the stem or the plant from getting air unnecessarily.
It is crucial that the pots are held upright when loading and transporting them. Do not place anything heavy on top of the plants or tilt them sideways.
Small pots can be packed safely inside a bigger box.
Protect Leaves and Stems
Plants with large leaves, thin stems, or sprawling branches will require more care.
If needed, carefully gather the branches or leaves and give them some support to prevent bending and any kind of snagging while moving.
Plants should not be tied too tightly as their leaves and stems can be damaged due to excessive pressure or restriction.
It is done only to protect the plants from unnecessary motion and from being contacted by other objects.
In the case of large indoor plants, there should be enough room around them while moving.
Keep Plants Away From Heavy Household Items
Plants cannot be moved around as any ordinary carton is moved.
Do not put any furniture, appliances, or boxes above the indoor plants as this may harm the plant even though the plant may survive the pressure.
Try and move indoor plants away from your home’s heavy belongings.
The smaller plants can be packed in a stable box, and the bigger ones can be arranged in such a way that they do not move around.
Inform the movers about your indoor plants so that they do not treat the box as an ordinary one.
Choose the Right Transportation Method
Moving plants that are shorter distances can be handled by yourself if there is adequate space and if they are stable enough for transport inside your car.
This will enable you to keep track of them and ensure they are not kept under other bulky items in your home.
When planning a bigger move, it is wise to make known the details about your plant transportation needs to the movers and packers.
There may be variations on how different companies treat plants during transportation and thus you should always be prepared.
Avoid Extreme Heat and Cold
Plants indoors may react adversely to abrupt shifts in temperature.
Do not expose the plants to long spells of direct sunlight or excessively hot cars or other unfavorable conditions.
While moving, try to minimize the duration of their stay outdoors. If there are any delays, store them in a fairly secure spot until they can be moved.
Also, once at your new place, do not keep the plants enclosed in boxes or dark corners for too long a time.
It will make things easy for them.
Be Careful When Moving Large Indoor Plants
Big indoor plants may be difficult to move owing to their size, weight, and structure.
Clear your route and make sure there are no obstacles such as small doors, low ceilings, stairs, or sharp corners before moving a big plant.
Do not drag a heavy pot along the ground if it is possible that this will damage the pot itself or the ground beneath it.
Seek help with moving large or heavy planters, but remember not to lift a plant improperly by its stems and leaves.
If you have problems moving a certain big plant, you can consult a moving professional about it beforehand.
Pack Small Plants Together Carefully
The small indoor plants are lighter and hence easier to transport; however, they may topple due to lack of stability.
Put the pots in the correct box, ensuring that there is no space left. The remaining spaces should be filled with something soft to keep the pots from sliding.
Do not pack them in such a manner that their leaves get squashed.
Keep the box upright and label it so that it gets transported without any damage.
Do not seal your live plants in completely airtight packaging.
Prepare Plants for the New Home
Before moving day, consider how you will place the plants in the new house.
Plants require specific conditions for sunlight and environmental factors. If a plant enjoyed being by a sunny window in the old house, then the same is needed for it in the new house.
It is not necessary to place all of the plants in their permanent place straight away, but an attempt should be made to give the plants a stable place temporarily.
It is important to avoid placing plants in different rooms after the move.
A stable environment will help plants adapt to the change.
Unpack Your Plants First
Plants are not supposed to stay packed for too long upon arrival to the new location.
One must first make sure that the pots, leaves, stems, and soil are checked carefully. The wrapping material should be removed carefully and the plants kept upright.
In case of soil spillage, one can clean up the area and put the soil back to the pot where it belongs.
There is no need to get worried if the plant appears stressed during the relocation process. This is normal behavior of some plants adapting to a new surrounding.
Give Your Plants Time to Adjust
Light, temperature, humidity, and airflow are some things that vary between an old and new place.
This is why there should be some time for plants to get used to the new environment. Do not move your plants from one spot to another in the first few days.
Water the plants the way you usually do, and watch how they react to the new environment.
When plants are stressed, check what might be wrong – maybe they need more light or water, or they are placed somewhere inappropriate.
Keep Plant Care Essentials Accessible
Do not put all your plant-care supplies in the bottom of your moving boxes.
Have some basic supplies like watering cans, gloves, and any other plant-care products handy.
This will allow you to look after your plants once you get there without having to go through 30 boxes.
It is also good to have a rag close by in case any soil falls out while you are transporting the plants.
Inform Your Packers and Movers
Communication is crucial when relocating indoor plants.
It is necessary to provide clear instructions about the plants that require careful handling before the relocation process commences. It is crucial to communicate whether there are any tall, delicate, heavy or awkward-to-move plants.
If some of the plants are going to be moved by you personally, you need to ensure that they are separated from other belongings that will be moved by the moving company.
Consider the Distance of Your Move
How far away your relocation is will impact how you plan the plant relocation.
If your relocation is a short distance away, you might be able to move the plants relatively quickly and plant them at the destination all within one day.
With a long-distance relocation, however, you have to take into consideration the amount of time spent in transit and the possible conditions faced by the plants during this period.
When considering a long-distance relocation, you should ask the moving company whether or not it can handle your particular plants and whether or not there are any restrictions for the plants.
With extremely valuable plants, you might consider making alternative plans.
Final Thoughts
But moving indoor plants safely may need a bit more care from your side, yet nothing difficult and totally doable.
The first thing you need to do is to prepare your plants and don’t overwater them right before the move. Make sure that your pots, soil, leaves and stems are protected and your plants stand up straight and stay away from heavy household items.
The smaller plants can be packed very carefully in safe boxes, whereas large ones need special handling and support when being packed and transported. The most important thing here is to make sure that all of your requirements are stated in advance to your packers and movers.
At Sunrise Packers & Movers, we always make sure that all of our clients’ requirements are taken into account while packing and moving any type of households. Moving your indoor plants will be easier for you if you let your packers and movers know about that in advance.
Upon arrival at your new house, unpack your plants as soon as possible and place them in the suitable environment for adjustment.