Are you known for your green fingers? If you have a collection of pot plants, moving house might feel like more of a hassle than a happy time. How can you safely transport your plants from your old home to your new one, minimising damage and making sure that you have the same flourishing greenery you had before? While they are often hardy, plants can be quite sensitive to the smallest change, so knowing how to transport them is key to keeping them healthy.
We have collected some handy hints on how best to move house with pot plants. Read on to discover how to make that move as easy and safe as possible.
Think about transport
If you have a car, you may wish to transport your pot plants yourself so that they are taken completely out of the moving day madness. In this case, you will want to ensure they are kept away from the items being moved by your removalists. This might be a good option for smaller plants, but for larger and heavier ones, they will need to go into the removal truck.
Make enough space
While your pot plants might be of varying sizes, you definitely need to consider how much space they might take up in the moving truck. Larger plant pots can easily fall over and break, so this needs to be accounted for during the move. They cannot be stacked like boxes can, meaning they need more space than other items – even larger furniture items can usually be stacked.
Provide protection
It is vital that plants are protected from falling so that ceramic pots do not break and the plants within are not damaged. Moving blankets are a great way to pad plant pots and ensure that they do not fall. However, you also need to think about keeping your other items protected from your plants.
What do we mean by this? Simply that plant pots are usually filled with damp soil and water, which can easily get onto furniture and boxes, causing damage. While moving blankets can help with this, you should also prepare your plants for moving in advance.
Consider preparation
Consider how you can best prepare your pot plants ahead of time. If your pots have drainage holes, this can cause water and soil to leak out. Get some plastic bags and secure them around the base of your plant pot in order to keep your other items safe, and to make sure that your plants do not lose any soil or moisture. You should also avoid watering your plants on moving day, so that the pots are less heavy and less likely to spill.
What size are your plants?
You will need to think about the size of your plants, especially if you have large planter pots to consider. If the pot plant is very large, it may be too heavy for even skilled removalists to lift. Discuss this ahead of time with your removal company, but it is often advisable to remove the soil from the large planter pot and store it in sturdy plastic bags, or in smaller pots. The plant should be stored in a heavy-duty plastic bag with soil to keep it safe during the journey. Plan to re-pot the plant as soon as you possibly can in order to ensure its survival.
Have a discussion
Even if you have primarily smaller pot plants, it is worth discussing this with your removalists, and seeing if they have previous experience. They will be able to plan ahead and let you know what size of truck you are likely to need to safely accommodate your leafy friends. Do not box plants up, as this can lead to them being handled less carefully.
Get in touch
JD Movers have a wealth of experience moving all sorts of items – including people’s precious pot plants. We know how important your plants are to you, so we can guarantee that we will transport them with care and attention, providing plenty of space for each plant while keeping them well-padded and safe. Get in touch to discuss your exact needs so we can provide the best solution for you.