Moving plants when moving house: what you need to know

If you think moving is stressful for you and your family, it’s perhaps even more stressful for your plants! No, really - plants need consistency and stability in order to remain healthy and lively, so moving around can actually be damaging.

Some movers also won’t be able to move plants, as some will be considered fragile items.

So, how to go about moving plants when moving house? From the preparation process, moving day and all the way to your first week in your new home, here’s how to take care of your plants when moving house.

Before moving day

So, what steps do you need to take to prepare your plants for the moving day? Here’s what to do:

Inform the movers

The first thing you should do when transporting plants during a move is inform the removal company. As plants are often considered to be fragile items, there’s a chance your removal company won’t be able to transport them.

In any case, if your plants are not too large, the best way to transport them is in your own vehicle. That way, you’ll be sure that they won’t get damaged in transit, and they’ll most likely have more access to sunlight in a car than in a removal van.

We often help our customers in Kent to move their plants. Get in touch with Goodfellows removals company in Maidstone today.

Check for insects and pests

A few days before moving day, you should give your plants a thorough check for any pests, insects. If you’re going to be transporting all of your plants together, you don’t want one infestation to infest all of them.

Check for insects and get rid of any if found. This is best done a day or so before your moving day, so you don’t miss any.

Prune the plants

Another good idea is to prune your plants before transporting them. Pruning your plants will make them easier to transport and also help avoid damage. Long, unpruned plants are more likely to get damaged in transit, so it’s a good idea to give them a quick trim before moving day.

Don't over-water your plants

While pruning is a good idea, it’s not a good idea to water your plants in the days before your moving day. Watering your plants will make them heavier and more difficult to transport, so water them a final time before moving around 4-5 days before the big day and very lightly on the day.

On moving day

When it comes to the day of your move, here’s how to pack and prepare your plants accordingly:

Take your plants out of their pots or vases

It’s much easier to transport plants when they’re out of their pots or vases, so remove the plants from any heavy pots before preparing them for moving. Make sure they still have their plastic pot (or nursery pot) to keep them secure and stable.

Protect your plants

Each should be wrapped in a protective fleece or material before being stored away for transit. You can use protective items such as packing peanuts or a horticultural fleece - this will prevent any damage while your plants are transported.

Bubble wrap your pots

If you’ve got ceramic, glass, or any other pots made with fragile materials, it’s a good idea to pack these safely and securely using various protective measures. Protect your pots from damage by wrapping them in bubble wrap or newspaper and marking each box as fragile.

Don’t forget that you should wrap each pot individually - you don’t want the pots clanging against one another in transit and causing damage or breakage.

Protect plants during the winter months

If you’re moving during winter, make sure to protect your plants accordingly. You can wrap them in a horticultural fleece if you’re traveling for a long time to your new home. Any temperature under 5 degrees can be damaging for your plants, so a horticultural fleece will prevent this.

In your new house

When you’ve arrived in your new house, here’s how to unpack and organise your plants:

Prioritise unpacking your plants

Plants aren’t going to enjoy being cooped up in boxes or covered up in the dark for long periods of time. For this reason, you’ll need to prioritise unpacking your plants when you arrive in your new home.

While you might want to go straight to unpacking your own items or filling up the bathroom cupboards, your plants will be relying on you to get them to a warm, bright space as soon as possible. To avoid wilting or damage, unpack them right away.

Don’t feed them right away

Your plants are going to take time to adjust to their new home, so it’s not a good idea to water them right away. If you water your plants, they’ll revert into growing mode, which you don’t want.

You also want to avoid any pruning or trimming during this period. When you first move into your new home, your plants are going to simply adjust to their environment. Avoid all feeding and pruning for a few days. To keep them healthy, simply give them a few sprays of water mist after a day or so (once you’ve chosen a spot for them to live.)

Find a good place to put them

Finally, you’ll want to find a great spot to house your plants in your new home. You’ll want to do this right away, so your plants have the time to adjust to their new environment while you go about unpacking your belongings.

The best place to put your plants is somewhere where they have sufficient light, without being exposed to direct sunlight (which can be too powerful for certain plants, and can even kill them.) Once you’ve found an appropriate space for them, leave them a few days so they can adjust to their new home.

Final Thoughts

In general, moving plants shouldn’t be more difficult than the moving process itself. Simply be prepared to make a little bit of effort and treat your plants as fragile items. With a little bit of TLC, your plants should survive the transit and thrive in your new home.

Goodfellows removals specialise in both storage and removals - so we can handle your move from start to finish! If you’re looking for a reliable removals company in Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Maidstone or West Malling, get in touch with us today.