How to Care for your House Plants when Moving
There are so many valuables and fragile items to carefully pack up when moving that the last thing you may be thinking about are your house plants. However, if you’d like your treasured greens to make the journey safely and thrive in your new home, it’s critical to properly prepare them for transport. Here are five steps to take from Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook:
– First, if you’re moving far away, be sure to contact your new state’s department of agriculture, as there may be restrictions. Certain plants might be considered a threat to a particular crop; however, if your plant is strictly an indoor plant, this shouldn’t be an issue.
– Before you pack your plant for the move, replace the old soil with new, sterile soil to ensure you’re not transporting any pests. Two to three days before leaving, give the soil a good watering so that the roots remain damp while you’re en route.
– Protect plants from heat, cold and sunlight that is intensified through car windows by wrapping them in cones of craft paper, a technique referred to as “sleeving.” Make the width the same height as the plant and wrap it around, leaving the cone wider at the top; then tape or staple the paper sleeve together. Slip the plant with its pot from the top of the cone so all the plant leaves and stems get pushed upwards.
– When packing plants in the car, avoid placing them in the trunk. The best place is on the floor of the back seat where there is less chance of them tipping over.
– When you arrive at your new home, prioritize tending to your plants. Take them out of their sleeves and water them as soon as possible. Keep in mind, they’ve been through a shock and will need a few weeks to recover, so don’t worry if they lose leaves or wilt – this is a defensive reaction that should be temporary. After a few weeks, they should recover and adapt to their new home nicely.
Information provided by The Seay Realty Group, dedicated to service and exceeding your expectations. Call us today!
