Three Tips For Moving Long Distance With Houseplants

When you're moving across town, you can usually just throw your plants in the back seat of the car and call it good. However, the same can't be said if you're moving to another state. There are several precautions you must take when relocating with plants to ensure they make it to the new home alive and healthy. Here are three tips for moving long distance with houseplants.

Check Local and State Laws

The first thing you should do when moving to another state with plants is make sure it's legal for you to bring them to that state. It's not unusual for states to regulate plant importation to prevent the spread of disease or pests that may damage native flora or have a negative impact on crops. For instance, California bans the importation of all citrus plants, likely because oranges are a major crop in that state. Therefore, you'll need to rehome your mini indoor orange tree before moving to that state.

If a state doesn't outright ban plants, you may be required to declare what you have at the border and provide contact information in case the state government needs to follow up with you about any issues related to your plants. Whatever you do, don't try to sneak your plants in the state if they're not allowed. Border guards do conduct searches, and you can get into legal trouble if you attempt to smuggle in a banned plant.

You can find out about a particular state's plant prohibitions and requirements by contacting or visiting the website of that state's Department of Agriculture. Do this at least a month before you're scheduled to move to give yourself plenty of time to find a new home for your plants if you can't take them with you.

Prepare Plants for the Move

A couple of weeks before the move, relocate the plants in breakable containers to ones made of sturdy plastic. This is to reduce the risk the pot will break during the move and make a mess. Make sure the pots are the same size, because some plants will become sick or die if they are placed in pots smaller than they're used to.

The day of or the night before the move, water the plants like normal and place sphagnum moss on top of the soil. This moss will help the plants retain moisture, so you won't have to water them as often while on the road. Wrap the pots in plastic and tie loosely, then place the plants in open boxes. Not only will this make it easier to transport and pack the plants in the car, the plastic will contain any mess should the plants tip over.

Taking Care of Plants While on the Road

To keep plants healthy while you're on the road, you'll want to treat them as if they were your pets. Avoid leaving them in a vehicle that's too hot or cold. For example, whenever you stop for food, crack the window to prevent the car from getting too hot during summer days. If you're traveling during the winter, wrap the plants in newspaper to protect them from the cold. Arrange the plants in the vehicle so they can get some sunlight during the day.

Check the plants every so often to determine if they need to be watered. As noted previously, the sphagnum moss will help the plants retain water, but eventually you'll need to replenish the moisture if you're going to be on the road for several days.

Relocating with plants can be challenging, and it may be worth the additional expense to have a household mover take care of this issue for you. For more information about moving with plants or to set up an appointment to have movers pack up your home, contact a local moving company like Wheaton World Wide Moving.

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