How to Move Indoor Plants to a New Home

Moving to a new home is stressful, not only for people, but also for plants; they spend most of their natural life sitting in one spot. Here are some tips for making the move to your new home - either across the street, or around the world - as easy as possible for your indoor plants.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Spray Bottles
• Boxes
• Cotton Cords
• Garden Shears
• Watering Cans
• Tape
• Plastic Bags
• Newspaper
• Bubble Wraps
• Paper Towels
• Twine

1. Water all of the indoor plants that are to be moved the day prior to packing.
2. Dampen newspaper or paper towels and pack them onto the surface of the soil; pack them tightly enough to prevent the soil from shaking out of the pot during transport.
3. Wrap the pots in a layer of newspaper or bubble wrap to prevent them from breaking or cracking en route to the new location. Or,
4. Lay out several sheets of newspaper and roll the plant - pot, foliage and all - into a tight cone. (You may need to first bind the foliage into a more manageable shape.) Use twine or soft cotton cord for this step. Secure the paper cone in place with tape.
5. Pack the plants tightly together in the moving vehicle. The less movement there is between the individual plants, the less damage there will be.
6. Remove plants from the protective paper cones or wraps and place in a shady, protected area immediately upon arrival to the new location.
7. Repot or repair any damaged plants. Trim away broken leaves and branches with sharp, sterile shears.
8. Water as soon as the plants are unpacked. Don't add fertilizer until you begin to see new growth.
9. Find suitable spots for each plant as soon as you are settled. Place them away from direct sun, drafts or heater vents.
10. Mist plants daily to prevent shock while the roots become settled again in the pots.

Tips & Warnings

• Pack several small plants such as African violets in a cardboard box with newspaper packed between the pots to prevent movement. Move these boxes by hand, and always keep them upright.
• Cuttings can be taken from their water filled jars and rolled in papertowels and placed in plastic bags. Unpack as soon as possible upon arrival.
• If you are moving from a temperate climate to a cold one, pack plants in recycled plastic cleaner bags after rolling in the paper cones to provide further insulation from the cold.

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