Many people are keen on growing and breeding flowers. But when it’s time to move, difficulties arise with their transportation. And then you have to make a choice: give your home flowers to friends or transport them so that they “survive” the change of habitat.
The same problem arises for gardeners who worry about the safety of young plants when transporting seedlings from home to the dacha.
If you properly prepare flowers and seedlings for the move, carefully pack them and carefully transport the plants, they will “withstand” any move.
Preparing Plants for Transportation
You can start preparing 7 days before the move. If the flowers are in a durable plastic household container, then you can not worry. But if in ceramic and clay pots, you should think about whether it is possible to transport plants in such a container. Ceramics, clay can break during transportation, so it is worth transplanting the plants in advance into a plastic container. You should also stop watering the plants in advance.
What you Need to Pack Plants
1. Thick cardboard boxes
This is the most preferred material for transporting houseplants (including long distances). The box will protect the flowerpot from impacts, and if the pot is damaged, it will not allow the flower or seedling to die. If the pot breaks during transportation of plants to the dacha, the soil from the box will not go anywhere.
2. Wooden or plastic boxes
Boxes can be used to carry plants more easily. For example, when there are many flower pots, but they are small, carrying them one by one is too long. With the help of a strong box, you can carry out several plants at once.
3. Plastic containers
You can transport plants over a long distance (for example, to a summer house) in plastic containers, but if transported carelessly, they may crack. If the plants are small, place them in a plastic box, placing an additional protective layer of bubble film or newspaper between the flowerpots.
4. Paper or newspaper
You probably have some paper at home that you wouldn’t mind using to transport flowers. Regular newspapers and magazines are quite suitable for this. When placing pots with plants in a container, put a paper protective layer between the flowerpots — the thicker, the better. This is necessary so that the ceramic pots don’t break during transportation. If you are moving in the cold season, you will also need paper to cover the crowns of the plants.
5. Stretch film
When choosing a film for wrapping the leaves and crown of a plant, it is better to give preference to food film – it is considered “breathable”. For tall tree-like plants (for example, palms), packaging of leaves is often required for safe transportation. Therefore, it is better to correctly and carefully wrap part of the plant in stretch film so that its leaves and trunk are not damaged.
6. Bubble film
This type of packaging for transporting plants is useful for wrapping pots and boxes in which plants are already packed. It is especially important to carefully wrap small plants and seedlings in bubble wrap when moving to a summer house.
7. Scotch tape
Scotch tape is useful for sealing boxes when transporting seedlings, fixing stretch film and bubble film on pots, and quickly “repairing” packaging containers if necessary. Scotch tape can also be used to make improvised handles if packaging indoor plants for transportation is not very convenient.
Tips for Transporting Plants
Features of Transportation of Large Plants
If you need to transport mini palms, seedlings and other tall plants, it is recommended to handle their crowns with the utmost care. This can be done by laying the plant horizontally and wrapping the pot well so that the soil does not spill out.
Features of Transporting Plants in Winter
To safely transport indoor plants in the cold season, you should insulate the pots and crowns well with a special material. Regular insulation can be purchased at any hardware store. You also need to think about how to transport plants when moving if the body heating does not work. If you cannot find a warm car, place bottles of hot water in boxes and crates with plants. During a long trip, the water in the bottles will have to be changed as it cools down.
Basic Actions Immediately after Transporting Plants
To prevent the plants from deteriorating, they should be brought into the house first (this is also why they should be loaded into the truck last – so that they can be unloaded first).
It is recommended to remove the packaging material immediately to ensure a good supply of oxygen to the flowers, and also to water them with a small amount of warm water. Depending on the type and variety of plants, they should be placed in a sunny or dark place, since there are shade-loving flowers.
Related: How to Transport Plants When Moving
You should not fertilize or replant the plants for about 2 weeks – this is the optimal time for them to adapt after transportation.
What to do if you don’t have the Time or Energy to Transport Plants
With all of the above, in order to transport indoor plants or seedlings truly safely and without incidents, ensure high-quality packaging, careful loading and careful transportation, it is better to contact professionals.
Packing Indoor Plants for Transportation is not the Easiest Task.
But if you do everything according to the rules, carefully, gently and without rushing, then there should be no problems with this. However, given the high pace of modern life and great busyness, it is not always possible to devote the proper amount of time to preparing for the move and transporting plants correctly.
