Relocation projects are surely exciting, but in most cases, they are also very stressful, for everyone involved, houseplants included. Loading your potted plants into the cargo truck might seem simple and easy, but the hours that your precious plants spend in the dark can be really harmful for them. Fortunately, with a few easy measures you can prepare your plants for the journey and minimize their suffering – here is how:
- Prune your plants – start removing any dead leaves and branches about two weeks before the date of the move. Make sure to remove all weeds and pests as well;
- Re-pot them – transporting your plants is easier in plastic pots and the synthetic material is also more resistant to shocks than your precious clay pots;
- Proper watering is key – if you move in summer, the space where your plants will travel will probably be hot and dry and the cold, dry air that surrounds your plants during a winter move is not any better. If you move during the hot months, make sure to water all your plants on the day of the move. For a winter move, watering a couple of days before the relocation is enough;
- Find out about regulations and your mover’s preferences – the transportation of houseplant is subject to very rules, especially for interstate transport. Talk to your mover with to find out about the applicable rules in terms of packing, loading and carrying houseplants.
Gabriel Kierson
Founder and Owner at American Moving and Storage
Gabriel Kierson is the founder and owner of American Moving and Storage, a Boulder-based licensed carrier with 28 years of operation and more than 40,000 moves completed across Colorado and the country.
A Certified Moving Consultant, Certified ProMover, and Bekins senior-certified agent, he leads a company that maintains an annual claims rate under 1% and crew tenure averaging nearly seven years. He writes on residential and commercial moving, long-distance and mountain logistics, containerized storage, and specialty-item handling.