Write “LIVE PLANT – FRAGILE” on the box, and clearly mark which end is up. No matter how you slice it, moving is a big deal. If you’re willing to put forth the effort, though, you can move your plants safely. Similar to the other, USDA’s Travelers Section for more information, Checklist to Follow When Moving to a Coastal Neighborhood, High Rise Moving Tips (Complete Checklist), Moving to Florida in 2019 (Ultimate Guide). You may also consider packing wet sphagnum moss over the soil before you wrap the pots in plastic. Astrid Elsen {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow. Stuff bubble wrap or foam cushioning between the pot and the box to make sure your plant doesn't shift or tip during the move. Protect your plants from direct sunlight and extreme temperature changes. Avoid squashing the roots into the hole to make them fit. Any plant that’s only been in the ground for a year or so will move very easily, since its roots haven’t had time to extend too far out from their original root ball. Pack the empty space in the pot with wet sphagnum moss to keep the roots damp. Remove more soil around the roots if not, until the plant comes away easily. Give the soil a good drench of water and ‘Seasol’. Do you have any plants that you can’t ship or transport yourself? Moving with house plants. With all your hard work, we want them to arrive at your new home looking fantastic. Swap your clay pots for plastic pots, and prune your plants as much as possible. Your local USDA office can tell you what’s necessary and visit the USDA’s Travelers Section for more information. Inside, you will find invaluable practical advice from real gardeners, plantspeople and designers. Plants are extremely delicate. The wilting/swelling balance is behind all reversible movements of plants, from the delicate closing of mimosa following a finger poke, to the tracking movements of flowers and leaves that follow the sun. Get some sturdy boxes, line them with plastic and place your plant inside. If you want to move your outdoor plants, check to confirm that they’ll thrive in their new climate. You must take great care to store your plants in a healthy environment during transportation. Hold the plant at the top with one hand and hold the roots with the other and gently pull to see if the roots will come away from the soil. Giving a plant a healthy start in the great outdoors involves much more than just digging a hole and sticking it in the ground. Remove the plant from its current pot. Are you moving plants to a different area of the country? Repot all of your plants into plastic pots of the same size as the original pot using sterilized potting soil (you can get this at any home improvement store or garden center). It’s better to lift the soil too far away from the plant than too near. To take one, use a sharp knife to trim off a healthy growth, removing any excess leaves. The bags will keep the soil in the pots if the plants tip during the move. Step 6: Prune the rootball and untangle old roots. Period. Don’t prune hard though because you may need some growth to hold on to when you pull the plant from the soil. Minimizing the water in the soil will make the plants lighter and minimize the chance of a fungal infestation. To learn about popular plants known for their movements, click here. Rotate the plant a few inches in both directions to loosen it up and allow it to fall out. If you have an outdoor plant that’s difficult or impossible to move — such as a rose bush — you may want to take cuttings from the plant and transport the cuttings instead. Muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia or Muscadiniana rotundifolia) are also commonly referred to as scuppernongs. Choose a dry day to move a plant. ADVERTISING Dig the hole ready so that your plant can go straight into the new hole without the roots being out of the soil for a long period. Don't let your beautiful, healthy house plants go to waste. Here are some tips and tricks on moving plants to your new house. Leave the paper open to avoid covering the top of the plant. Nobody wants to get rid of their houseplants when moving long distance to a new home. When moving plants to plastic pots, replace the existing soil with new, sterile soil. The soil will help to protect the plants during the move. For easier transport, you can place the burlap bag inside a plastic pot. Load plants as close to your departure time as possible. After following the above instructions to prepare your plants for transport, place the plants in boxes. A plant might be growing in an aspect that doesn’t suit it. Cut roots about 2-3 weeks prior to actual move to allow plant to adjust. To decrease the chance of a new infestation, place a flea collar at the base of each plant. If you need to move your own plants, they’ll handle travel best in the passenger area of your vehicle. EDITORIAL Avoid exposing plants to direct sunlight at any time. If you use your car’s air conditioning system, keep the temperature control on a moderate setting. Re-plant as quickly as possible. During the summer months, wet soil could harbor mold. One Week Before your Move. Some plants may not make it through the trip. Rather than pulling the plant out, turn it upside down while placing your hand over the top of the pot. Sir Harold Hillier Gardens: English Garden of the Week, Illuminated gardens to visit this Christmas, Bare-root roses: Growing tips and variety recommendations, Winter houseplant care: How to look after your houseplants this season, In pictures: IGPOTY reveals beautiful winning nature photographs, How to care for container gardens in cold weather, How to make festive dried flower decorations. If you’re moving in the summer, water plants well on moving day and along your journey. Plants can move when their cells grow as a response to either light or gravity, which they are able to detect even as seedlings. And fortunately, if you’re moving, you can probably bring the ones your already have. 3. Remember, a plant is a living thing. Having your roots, your arteries of life, removed from the soil that you have made firm contact with, doesn’t sound like a pleasant experience. Move the plants in a box with dividers to keep the tubes from shifting. The machines and equipment should be … Slide it under the pot (get a helper to lift very briefly) and ensure that the pot is sitting in the middle. Sterile soil is free of diseases and pests; it’ll help you obtain the certification necessary for transport across state lines. If you are moving a large deciduous shrub or rose, prune back the top growth by half to make it easier to move the plant. Before placing a plant in a tube, pack damp sphagnum moss around the bottom of the plant. As they grow from a seedling to a full plant, they are slowly moving. The temperature control on a moderate setting and place it in a during! 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