If you’re a good gardener you probably don’t just take care of your plants. You have a relationship with them. Maybe you’ve given them names or chatted with them when doing watering rounds. You know when they are doing well and when they are having issues. Which is what makes moving home so difficult.
You can’t just leave your plants behind. Your indoor plants will certainly go with you. You can learn how to pack your plants for moving without too much trouble. There are some tricky aspects, but you will manage. Garden plants, however, are a different story.
Some of your garden plants you probably can’t imagine going without. But it just may not be possible to take certain plants with you. There are plants that you cannot take across state lines, as well as those that require quarantine. There are plants that will not make it in the new environment.
But how do you decide which garden plants to take and which to leave behind? Here are some basic rules of thumb.
Plan your new garden
The urge to take all of your plants with you is going to be strong. But that does not mean you should go through with it. The reality is that the best gardens are those that are carefully planned. Gardens that have been planned in advance are more likely to flourish and become the havens you want them to be.
In the process of planning your new garden, you may realize that some of your favorite plants simply won’t fit the mold. It may be that there are already beautiful plants taking up the space your current plants would need. It may also be that the shape and size of the new garden are just not suited to your current layout.
Planning a new garden requires you to make some tough decisions, but you will appreciate it in the long run. Planning does require a level of utilitarianism. You will have to decide which plants you need to provide shade, which plants will get in the way of parking, and which beds are best-suited to growing herbs and veg.
Determine what your plants need to survive
Some plants will make the decision for you, simply because they will not survive in the new environment. If you are going to a different city or state, the climate may be extremely different. But even if you are moving to a house in the same neighborhood, some plants will not make it.
This may be because there is a massive tree that keeps out the sunlight or that the spots available for certain plants are too exposed to the sun. Whatever the reason, recognizing that you will have to leave some plants behind will save you from unnecessary stress and heartbreak.
Consider state laws
If you are moving out of state, you will need to consider the laws in place regarding bringing in plants. Different states have different regulations, depending on the ecology of the region. For example, California won’t allow you to bring citrus plants and Florida won’t allow non-native aquatic plants.
These laws will, unfortunately, be the decisive factor regardless of what you want. In some cases, where quarantine is required, you need to make the decision of whether it is worth it and whether your plants will survive the process.
Consider the difficulty level
Some plants will be perfect for your new garden, but the difficulty of uprooting them and transporting them is significant. You will have to spend a lot of time and money doing so – time and money that could be spent getting a replacement planted. You may also be doing the new owners of your home a disservice.
At this point, you need to decide whether the trouble is worth it. Yes, you will miss the plant you have worked so hard to grow. But you will start afresh with a new plant and give someone else the chance to enjoy the one you leave behind.
Moving is tough for gardeners. We don’t want to leave any of our plants behind, but unfortunately, compromise is necessary. Use the above tips to help make the tough decisions.