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Tips for relocating plants long distance

Moving advice - May 18, 2019

Relocation is a complex task that needs to be done with a lot of planning. And aside from your entire household, having plants that need to be moved adds another level of complexity to your relocation. But, no matter how many of them you have, or how big there are, relocating plants long distance is possible. With enough time to prepare and a little bit of patience, your plans will soon enough thrive in your new home and you will pull off your residential move with success. Here are some tips on how to prepare your plants for relocating and transport them safely.

Relocating plants long distance is stressful both for you and for your plants

Plants are not used to moving. And so, relocating them requires a lot of careful planning and preparation. You’ve spent years tending to those plants, and the last thing that you want to happen is for them to die in transport. So, make sure to properly prepare both yourself and your plants for the trip. There are many things that you can do to help them. And the first one is to find the proper assistance.

relocating plants long distance is stressful for them
Moving is stressful for the plants

Find a moving company for relocating plants long distance

Due to many complex regulations, many moving companies will simply refuse to transport potted plants. They might require special inspection before crossing the border. And they also require a lot more effort. So, before you even start preparing them, make sure to find local movers Massachusetts who are willing and able to transport your household plants. You also want to be sure that the moving company of your choice is reliable. While many other items can always be fixed if damaged, plants usually can’t. You’ve probably spent many years tending to them. And handing them off to an unreliable moving company can be pretty stressful. So, choose movers who are experienced with relocating plants long distance. And make sure that they know how to handle different types of plants.

Make a list of plants you will be relocating

After you’ve found the moving company to help you do it, it’s time to start thinking about relocating plants long distance. That’s a task that takes a long time. So, to minimize the time required, it’s advisable to separate the plants that you will be relocating as soon as possible. That way, you can start preparing them for relocating early on. Which will, in turn, give them the best possible chance of survival. The plants that you will be leaving behind should be in a different room than the ones you plan on moving. So, no pests or diseases can cross from one to the other.

checklist on a paper
Make sure to keep track of all the plants that you are relocating

Preparations needed for relocating plants long distance

The preparation process for relocating the plants long distance should start as soon as possible. Weeks, even month in advance. The sooner you start it the better chance your plants have of surviving. So, a few weeks before your planned relocation clean your plants. Prune them and tidy them up. The less stressed by disease, dead leaves, and brunches they are, the better chance they have of surviving. Also, the less foliage there is on a plant, the less effort it has to put in maintaining its health. And, on the plus side, they will be much easier to pack and transport.

Re-pot your plants

If you have plants in large and heavy clay pots, you should definitely re-pot them in plastic ones. You should do this at least a few weeks before you relocate plants long distance. That way, they will have enough time to adjust to the new environment. By re-potting them into plastic pots they will be much easier to carry and transport. And your moving quote will also be much lower.

person planting a cactus
You will have to re-pot your plants for the relocation

Clean them of pests and weeds

About a week before you are scheduled to relocate, clean your plants of any pests or weeds that they might have. For one, they will have a much better chance of survival. And secondly, you don’t want to be carrying any of them to your new home. It will help if there is a need for a plant inspection when crossing state lines. Also, all your plants will be stacked close to each other. And you don’t want to have a mass infestation on your hands.

To do this quickly, you can place the entire plant and the container in a plastic bag. Then put a pest-strip in it. Leave it overnight and check your plan again. It should now be clean of any pets. Just make sure to remove the plastic bag in the morning.

Find suitable boxes for your plants

When you are relocating plants long distance, they will probably be closed in a box for a long period of time. So, you need to find appropriate containers to put them in. Cardboard boxes are the best solution here since they are sturdy, but allow the plan to breathe. You might also want to consider making some holes on the box for extra air-flow.

Putting the plants in boxes

It’s important not to put your plants in boxes too early. Give them as much time as you can. The best solution is to put the plants in boxes on your moving day. Put a newspaper on the bottom to give the pot a sturdy foundation. And use folded newspapers to keep the branches from moving too much. It’s important that your plants have enough room to breathe, but not enough to move around the box. Especially when relocating plants long distance. That way you will maximize their chance of survival.

Label the boxes

Once the plants are safely in their boxes seal them. It’s also very important that you properly label the boxes. It will not only help you unbox easier but your movers Worcester MA will know what is inside. And they will be able to take proper precautions to keep the plants safe. That way they will know not to put any more boxes on them and to secure them so they don’t tip over.

Take care of your plants once you arrive

Once you arrive at your new location it’s important to pay attention to your plants. If it’s hot, make sure you water them right away. And don’t re-pot them right away. Give them some time to adjust to the new circumstances. Again, check them for pests or weeds and clean them. By doing this you will give them enough time and a good chance to recover after a long trip.

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