When you are moving to a new home, there is a lot of planning and preparation for your move. If you have house plants you want to take with you on the move, they will need some extra care and packing to ensure their safe arrival. Here are some moving tips to help you pack and transport your houseplants using several different methods.

Moving Truck or Vehicle

If you will be packing your plants onto a moving truck, pack them into a box that allows the entire plant's height to fit inside. Water the plant the night before, so the soil stays moist during the move. Place sphagnum moss or crumpled newspaper into the top of the pot and secure this in the pot with plastic wrap or packing tape. Then, place the pot inside the moving box and pack newspapers around the base of the pot to keep the plant from shifting around. Cut plenty of air holes in the box and label the box well. 

Ask the movers to pack any plants last during moving day. Then, the plants can be unpacked first at your new home.

If you can take your plants in your vehicle, pack the potted plants into an open box or laundry basket, packing crumpled newspaper around the base of the pots. Then, place the box or basket on the vehicle seat and secure the container with the seat belt. Don't leave the plants in a hot car; always make sure they have access to fresh air or air conditioning. 

Airplane

Not every household move allows you to travel to your new home in your own vehicle, for example, moving overseas or other long-distance moves. If you are to be traveling to your new home by airplane while the movers ship your household belongings, it's not a good idea to pack up your plants with your household items, as they can become broken and damaged, or they can die due to a lack of water and sunlight during the move. 

Carry-On

In this long-distance moving situation, if you have several plants of various sizes, choose a small-sized plant that you can take with you on the flight. Make sure it measures within your flight's carry-on requirements, as your plant needs to be able to fit in an overhead bin or under your seat. To prepare it for the flight, place crumpled up newspaper onto the soil in the top of the pot and wrap plastic wrap around the pot and plant's stem to secure the soil and paper. 

If you are moving to another country, check with the country's customs website to determine any specific regulations for bringing plants into their country. Then, upon arrival, be prepared for a customs agent to inspect your plant before passing through the checkpoint.

For any other plants that are too large to carry on, take a cutting of the plant to bring on the flight in your bag. Then, give the original plants to friends, family, or neighbors.

Cutting

To take a cutting of one or more of any plants you cannot take on your flight, first, make sure your plant is well-hydrated and healthy. This will give you a healthy cutting, or start, you can take to your new home from which to grow a new plant. Select a healthy section of your plant that is three to six inches long and cut it off with a sharp blade. Wrap the cut stem end with wet moss or newspaper and place this in an open plastic bag. Carefully pack the bag, surrounded by crumpled newspaper or other soft items, inside your baggage. You can also place the cutting inside your carry-on bag in a similar manner so the cutting does not become crushed.

When you are ready to pot your plant cutting at your new home, snip off any leaves on the bottom of the cutting that you will plant into soil. Dip this bottom section of the cutting into a rooting hormone, which you can find at most gardening stores. This will help the cutting start to grow roots more quickly. Then, place the cutting into its new pot filled with moist potting mix, sand, perlite, or vermiculite, and allow a month or two for the new roots to grow. Be sure to keep the potting medium moist by spraying it with water in a spray bottle.

Use these tips to move with your house plants.