Moving with Plants

If moving State to State, find out if plants can cross state borders

A few agricultural states have strict rules about bringing plants into their state. Florida and California grow valuable cash crops they are very protective of and worry about bugs or disease that may be on any kind of plant you may bring in. They even ask if you have any fruit in the car before you drive across their boarder.

If you are moving from one state to another, it would be best to find out if your plants will be allowed across their border before preparing and packing them up to move. Call your local U.S. Department of Agriculture to check on regulations.

Generally, most states require plants being transported across their boarder to be grown indoors in sterilized potting soil and not soil taken from outdoors. You would want to transplant any plants you might have planted in containers using outdoor soil. Transplant them using sterilized potting soil you can buy at local nurseries or garden center before you attempt to move them across state borders.

Transplant Plants in clay pots to Unbreakable plastic Containers

Ceramic pots full of dirt and plants can be heavy to move and are easily breakable. To protect both the plant and the expensive pots, transplant the plants into plastic containers just big enough for the size of the plant 2-3 weeks before moving day.

Transplanting is a shocking experience for plants, and moving day is going to be tough on them too. Best to transplant enough time in advance to let them bounce back and be strong for moving day.

Transplanting your plants into clean plastic pots and sterilized potting soil also gives you a chance to look them over for any kind of pest you want to take care of about a week before you move.