How to pack plants for moving?

Moving to a new home is an exciting life event. However, it is also one that will likely cause you stress when you start packing. Packing various items, large, bulky as well as fragile can be overwhelming. And for passionate plant lovers, packing their houseplants and moving them safely to the new house is crucial. Movers and packers Atlanta offers can do an excellent job at handling your plants properly for relocation! However, if you didn’t book packing services on time, or they didn’t fit your moving budget, we are here to help. We are sharing valuable tips on how to pack plants for moving properly and securely.

Relocations can be easy if you know how to pack plants for moving

Packing houseplants is not the easiest endeavor, but they can be moved safely if you know how to handle them. There are several steps you should follow:

• start on time
• re-pot the plants around 3-4 weeks before the move
• prune your houseplants around 2 weeks before the move
• check for insects and use pesticides if you must a week before the move
• water your plants two days before the move and don’t do it again until after the move

Packing houseplants can’t start a day before your move!

Packing houseplants for a move is a lengthy process with several steps. You don’t want to shock your plants and do everything a day before your move. That will likely be fatal for them. You need to start preparing them up to a month before residential movers Atlanta GA offers arrive to handle your relocation. Although this might sound like a lot in advance, it’s really not. Plants need time to acclimate to any change, which you certainly know.

Up to a month before the move: re-pot the plants

When you move, you need to re-pot your plants from ceramic pots to plastic ones. The reason is that plastic pots are less likely to break during the move, and even if you drop your plant by accident the pot won’t be damaged as much as a ceramic one would be. This step is necessary even if you are just moving down the street with local movers Atlanta has at its disposal. Don’t think that because you are relocating nearby you shouldn’t waste time re-potting your plants. It’s better to be safe than sorry and do this step.

Two weeks before the move: prune your houseplants

After you re-pot your houseplants, let them recover from the shock for a little while. Then, about two weeks before the move, it’s time to prune them and take off any dead leaves or branches. Carefully cut off any dead, wilted leaves or flowers, and prune the new, healthy growth by pinching it back with your thumb and forefinger. This is best for larger plants, as it will make them more compact and easier to handle for packers from packing services in Atlanta. Pruning will also result in bushier and healthier plants in the long run. 

A week before the move: use pesticides if necessary

If you need to use pesticides on your plants before the move, a week prior to moving day is the best time to do it. Check for any insects and parasites and if you need to, use products to treat the problem. The key is to do it a week before the move because moving companies don’t allow pesticides and insecticides in their moving van. You need to finish this step timely so that if you have any leftover chemicals you dispose of them accordingly or give them to a neighbor or friend. Knowing the items that moving companies don’t move is essential for a seamless relocation.

Two days before the move: water plants sparingly and prepare them for packing

Watering the plants is something you can’t skip, of course. However, it is key to do it sparingly and not later than two days before moving day. You don’t want to water the houseplants on moving day, or even the day before. The reason is that if the soil is too wet, it can freeze if it’s too cold outside, or promote fungus growth if you’re moving in summer. Even plants that require a lot of water will be better off this way.

Moving day is coming, time to pack your plants!

When the moving day is near and the time comes to pack your houseplants, you will need several things. First, you’ll need some light bedsheets or blankets to protect the branches of your large plants. Moving in your car the branches can break, so make sure you wrap them securely. Next, you’ll need some moving boxes of course. You need to fit your plants into the boxes and make sure there isn’t too much space for them to shuffle around as that can damage them significantly. Make sure to first put in your plants and then fill the empty space on the box’s bottom with some packing paper or newspaper so the pots can’t move around. Lastly, loosely shut the box and punch air holes so the plants can breathe. On moving day, make sure the temperature is nice and pleasant in your vehicle as your plants might not survive if it’s too hot or too cold.

After the move

After you’ve learned how to pack your plants for moving, and successfully settled in your new home, it’s time to unpack. Take your precious plants from the boxes, and re-pot them to the pots they were in before the move. Water them and let them heal and recover from the shock of moving. Congratulations, you’ve made it, you moved your houseplants successfully and now you can enjoy them in your new home!