Settling houseplants after your move
So…you’ve managed to ready your plants so that they’re all set for moving, having read our earlier blog on the subject. But the question remains: how do you manage them on moving day itself? And what about afterwards, when you need to help them adapt to their new surroundings. It isn’t only humans who need to be flexible and get used to a new home; plants need sympathetic support and a kind pair of hands to help them get through the adjustment phase. Here are some guidelines to help keep your houseplants in rude health, not just on the day of the move but well beyond, so that they can enjoy long, happy and productive lives, their wellbeing undiminished by the stresses of moving house.
On moving day, make sure that any excess water has been drained from your houseplants and then get a roofless cardboard box or carton and use a bin-liner to create a lining around the interior. Stand the houseplants within. If your pots are fragile or could chip one another, then plug the spaces between them with newspaper. Don’t forget to mark the box ‘fragile’ too. Apart from the benefits of ventilation, there is another good reason for not using boxes with lids – your movers and packers will be able to see that there are plants inside and will therefore not attempt to stack anything on top. If there are any houseplants whose soil you are worried might spill out into the box, then place them in plastic bags before putting them inside the box.
One reason it’s a particularly good idea to pay special attention to houseplants is that in all likelihood they will not be covered by insurance because they’re considered to be living entities. It’s worth double-checking this with your provider.
At your new home, settle your houseplants quickly and give them a good drink of water to make up for their time in transit. They should remain in their packaging until all your boxes and cases have come off the vehicle and into the house. If you unpack them while your removals team is still carrying things into the house, they’ll be exposed to draughts because of the front door being kept open. Now sit back and enjoy their luscious beauty o
