Moving with house-plants
Sometimes, house-plants are the last things to which we give consideration when our move is imminent. In many cases, our lives have moved into different territory and plants have been superseded in our affections by spouses and/or children; it’s a truly strange breed of person who prefers their plants to their families. Still, plants are an important part of our lives and they deserve love, too. Moving them recklessly or carelessly can result in their untimely deaths, moving them the right way can allow them to thrive in pastures new. There are some things to bear in mind when you’re moving your house-plants so here is some guidance to keep everything on track and preserve the precious lives of your green friends.
Plants are fragile. They need light, water and air and if they’re deprived of any for too long because your attentions have been understandably diverted by more pressing concerns, then they’re at risk of expiring. Moving house surrounded by dead plants is not going to augur well for your new life in your next home, so try to make time to continue tending to your house-plants in the run-up to your move.
It makes sense to include plants in the planning phase of your move. Weeks before the big day comes, you can do some pruning and trim away the non-essential material. It’s easy to determine which plant needs what degree of pruning – the Internet is your friend in this endeavour. Also during the planning phase, you could transfer them all into strong plastic pots, which will allow you to wash and package your real pots. Just as a patient needs time to recover, so do plants when they’re transplanted – and that’s why it’s best to do this task well before moving day.
But what should you use when it’s time to move and you need to put the plants into boxes? Using a plastic container can be perilous because the temperature within the container can rise to an extent that endangers your plants. Better by far to opt for an extra-strong, fortified cardboard box. If it’s necessary to close the top of the box, then cut some holes into it to allow for breathing and temperature control.
