Best way to move my plants?

Discussion in 'Cacti and Succulents' started by raygun, Sep 24, 2008.

  1. raygun

    raygun Member

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    Hello, I am new to this board. I appreciate any help or advice you have to offer.
    I will be moving in about three weeks from Chicago to Utah. I expect the trip to take a few days. I have about 17 succulent plants that I would like to take with me.
    In order to protect them I plan on setting them inside boxes, and padding the interior so they can't shift around too much. What I am worried about is setting them inside the moving truck away from the sunlight for such a long time. Is this a non-issue, or am I going to get my plants in trouble if they are locked in the pitch black moving truck for multiple days?
     
  2. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    packing them as you describe will be fine. being stored in darkeness for a few days won't hurt them either - just ease them into the sunlight when you get to your new home. if you unpack them and put them right in the sun they could burn and it will be a shock so you may lose some leaves. especially jades - they are VERY finicky when their growing conditions change. i'd ease that one into lower light conditions - starting now - so that it doesn't drop all it's leaves after you pack it up. then, ease it into brightness once you get out to utah.

    the thing that is of most concern is cold - any way you can keep them in the car with you (where you can put heat on if needed)?
     
  3. raygun

    raygun Member

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    Probably not. I'll be driving a moving truck, and I doubt all of the plants will fit in the cab with me. The one thing I was considering doing, was placing the boxes with their tops left open inside my car (which I will be towing behind the truck). This way they still get a little light coming into the car, they don't get crushed, and the sunlight will warm them during the day.
    Thanks for the info about the jade. Like a lot of other people I know, my jade was the first succulent I bought. I would hate to have it damaged.
     
  4. markinwestmich

    markinwestmich Active Member

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    I believe you check on-line, there may be mail-order nurseries that have heat packs for sale. That is, if you are concerned about temperature. That said, most succulents will tolerate temperatures into the 40's (F) as long as they are relatively dry. I was at Lowe's home improvement warehouse a few weeks ago and I noticed that they had the large rolls of plastic bubble wrap for sale. The bubble wrap will not only protect the plants, but offer some degree of thermal stability, as well.

    As mentioned above, once they are unpacked, you must reintroduce light gradually over the following week(s).

    Mark
     
  5. raygun

    raygun Member

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    Thanks to Mark and Joclyn. I'm glad you said something. I'm glad I can avoid a nasty sunburn thanks to your advice.
     
  6. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    i thought of the heat packs later on after i posted. you could get some of them for the particular plants that are more cold-sensitive (anything that can't handle temps under 45 as it'll probably be that cold at night - especially the closer you get to the new place).

    i really wouldn't worry about the light issue during the actual moving part. actually, it's probably better to pack them up in darkness and then put them out somewhere with indirect lighting and give them a couple of weeks to get adjusted to the new place. then start moving them into better/proper lighting gradually.

    they're going to stress a bit with the move - no matter what you do to try to prevent it - so, putting them in darkness will actually be helpful because they'll go a bit dormant and that'll make the move easier on them in the long run.

    plants are shipped all the time - so being in complete darkness (even for a full week) doesn't hurt them.

    if any need watering, i'd do it now and then don't water again until you've been in the new place for at least 10 days (and more like 14 - let them get adjusted to the new atmosphere/lighting and over some of the stress before watering them).
     
  7. cactus6103

    cactus6103 Member

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    You will be fine either way you do it. They can survive some pretty cold temps in the moving truck. We are just into fall, not winter yet. As for several days in the dark, this is a non issue in my opinion. Red
     

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