How to pack plants for moving

You need to be careful about how you will pack your things. This is because there are some items that movers NYC will simply refuse to pack and move. There are those that are prohibited by law, such as drugs and other illegal substances. On the other hand, there are those items that are a risk to the moving company. They might be really fragile so the moving company won't move them without insurance. Another possibility is that these items can break or go bad during the transport - and no company wants to deal with that. This is the case with food and similar perishable items - like plants. If you need to move them, then you will need to do it yourself. So, how to pack plants for moving? Find out in this article!

Check the regulations before you pack plants for moving

The first thing you need to realize is that, sometimes, you will not be allowed to take your plants with you when moving. The biggest reason for this is the law. Some states (like California and Arizona, for example) just don't allow people to bring their plants across the state lines. This is because a lot of their economy is based on agriculture, and by bringing your plants in the state, you can introduce dangerous organisms that can devastate it. So, before you start looking for free moving boxes NYC has to offer, check if your new state will allow you to bring plants there. And no - do not try to bring them in any way. In some states, they will check moving trucks for plants at the border!

Make sure you respect the law.We already mentioned the second group of regulations that you need to check. Simply put, there just are some things that your movers will refuse to move. Plants fall into this category. It is just too dangerous - for your items, the plants and the truck itself. Also keep in mind that even though some movers will move your plants, they will refuse to cover any damage that can happen. This includes packing, loading, transferring your plants and unloading the moving truck. Make sure you talk to your moving company before you start to pack plants for moving.

Gather up the supplies to pack your plants for moving

Once you have cleared everything up, it's time to start preparing for packing. You will need to gather the supplies first. The first thing will be some packing paper. Try to get the heavy 10lb. pack, but newsprint paper can work fine as well. Then, you will want to get some pots as well. Make sure that these are plastic planting pots. If you are keeping your plants in the ceramic ones, don't leave them there. Moving can often be a bumpy ride, so these can break easily.And even though you might be tempted to plant a couple of plants in the same plastic pot, we recommend against it. So, pick up the number of pots equal to the number of plants you will be transporting. Then, all you will need is a stretch wrap and some sturdy moving boxes. Of course, if you need packing supplies, then you can always contact us and we will give you a hand.You will want to re-pot your plants into the plastic pots three weeks before the move. Make sure you are using healthy, sterilized potting soil that will keep your plants strong. Then, a week before the moving day arrives, prune your plants. This will keep them away from the moving stress - which plants do suffer.

The moving day

The next steps apply either to the moving day itself, or the night before. This really depends on your moving schedule - and how much time you will have to pack plants for moving. So first, use the packing paper to wrap your plants. You can also use an old bedsheet for this - just make sure you do it gently. This will help protect all those smaller branches and twigs from snapping.

Use a lot of bubble pack when you pack your plants.If your plants are tall, then you should also consider getting sphagnum moss. You can pack the pot with it to protect it from spilling the soil around the box or the truck. Once you do, just wrap up the pot using your stretch wrap. For smaller plants, you will want to use a moving box. Put a couple of pots inside and fill up space between them with some padding materials like packing peanuts or a bubble pack. Make sure you don't overstuff the box. The padding should be pot-high.Finally, don't forget to cut air holes in the moving box. If they do not have enough oxygen, then harm can befall your plants. To finish everything off, secure the box with packing tape.

Things to keep in mind

There are a couple of things you should also keep in mind when packing your plants. Even though they are great when you want to decorate your dorm room, for example, plants can be pretty sensitive. This is especially true for temperature changes. So, if you can, you should make sure that the truck you are transporting them in has temperature control. For example, if you are taking them with you in the car, make sure you put the A/C on.

Plants are sensitive to the temperature.Then, keep in mind that you should not leave your plants in a small place for too long. On a long distance move, take them with you when going to a hotel or a motel room. Otherwise, damages can appear - just like we mentioned before. Finally, even though this doesn't have to do too much with how you pack your plants for moving, make sure you bring your plants inside first after the move. They (just like you), have been through a lot of stress, so water them and let them rest.