How to Move Garden Plants From One Home to Another

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Moving to a new home can be exciting, but leaving behind a cherished garden is often bittersweet. If you’re planning to take some of your favorite plants with you, there are several important factors to consider first.

If you are starting over, you can see how I started my current garden from scratch here.

Empress of Dirt in flower garden with moving van

Plant Moving Checklist

Moving house can be stressful and emotional but there’s a whole other layer if you’re leaving behind a beloved garden. Gardeners know what I mean.

We’ve nurtured those plants and created a place of refuge and now we have to leave everything behind.

Or do we?

Why not bring some favorite plants along to the new garden to help ease the transition?

Or perhaps there are plants with sentimental connections to loved ones. They must come along!

The checklist (below) covers things to consider before moving a garden.

Check the Legal and Contractual Details

If you’re selling your home, ensure plant removal is specified in the written legal contract and will not cause issues with the sale.
If renting, confirm with your landlord that taking plants is permitted.

Consider Environmental Concerns

Moving plants from one region to another may be unethical, harmful, and/or illegal.

Some states and regions have restrictions on moving plants between counties or across borders.
These rules are in place to avoid transporting invasive species, plant or soil diseases, and pests like jumping worms.
Another check is to ensure the plants you do move are beneficial to the ecosystem.

Tools neatly organized along inside of shed door.

Does the Timing Work?

In our four-season cold climate, the time to transplant plants is from spring to fall when you can get a shovel in the ground.
Does the timing of your move allow time to dig up the plants, keep them watered, move them, and get them replanted before winter?

Are the New Growing Conditions Right For Your Plants?

It’s one thing to want our plants to come along with us, but will they like it?

Will they thrive in the new soil, light, and climate?
Is there adequate room?
Will the plant suit its surroundings?

Can the Plants Handle the Moving Process?

Sensitivity matters: some plants just do not like their roots disrupted and may never fully recover. Do your research first.
Size matters: a good guideline is to only move plants with root balls that will fit in your containers and are not taller than the headroom in your vehicle.

Is Taking Cuttings or Saving Seeds a Better Option?

Does it make more sense to leave the plant in place and propagate it instead?

Can you take softwood or hardwood cuttings?
Or save seeds for future sowing?

Or perhaps a photo or video recording of the garden is all you really need moving forward.

If you are leaving behind good plants that you’re allowed to remove, also consider donating them to a friend or Garden Club that will love them like you do.

Check Your Transportation Options

Many moving companies do not allow plants as cargo so be prepared to transport them yourself.

During the move, ensure the plants are well-watered, secure in transit, and out of direct sun, preferably in air-conditioning within the vehicle.
Long distance moves may require pit stops for watering and wellness checks.

Garden Grief

It’s impossible to write about leaving a garden behind without mentioning grief. It may sound odd to non-gardeners but letting go of a garden—even if there’s a new one coming—is a real loss that brings real grief.

It’s been a long time since we last moved yet I still feel waves of garden grief each spring when I recall my quirky old garden and how spectacular it was at that time of year. The new garden is “better” in many ways but that old garden and I had many good times together and I still miss it!

Also be prepared for the fact that the new owners may change everything. Even if they said the garden was one of the main reasons for buying the house—odds are they will undo all your good work.

If this is your first move, know you’re not alone and time will bring some healing.

Plant Packing Tips

In my experience, a lot of people start out thinking they’ll bring a lot of plants to their new garden but ultimately find it’s a lot of extra work during an already stressful time and perhaps not a realistic option.

If it’s safe and legal to move your garden plants and you’re up to the task, cheers for that!

How One Gardener Moved 500 Plants

One of my friends opted to bring around 500 plants to her new home several hundred kilometers away. The removal of these plants was written into the house sale contract.

To reduce the stress, she got to work about 6 weeks before moving day, digging up plants whenever she had spare time. The plants were placed in labelled plastic pots or plastic grocery bags with their original soil. Everything was kept in deep shade and watered as needed. This timeline allowed adequate time to repair the old garden before moving day.

For the actual move, she used a rental van (with air conditioning) and placed a makeshift plywood table inside. This allowed a double layer of plants for each trip to the new house, reducing the number of trips required. The plants were secured in cardboard boxes stuffed with newspaper and rags to ensure they would not jostle during the drive.

At the new house, the plants were kept in a shaded area beside the new house and gradually planted in the new garden over the coming weeks.

More Plant Moving Tips

Plant health: do not move any plants showing signs of stress, disease, or pests.
Containers: use non-breakable containers such as plastic pots, grow bags, or shopping bags. Ideally the containers have drainage holes or you can add some.
Bare root transport is a space-saving option for plants that tolerate it. Wrap washed roots in damp newspaper and secure them in plastic bags—the same way plant sellers prepare them for shipping.
Labels: create plant tags for everything you’re transplanting so you don’t forget what they are.

If you have a plant move coming up, happy trails to you!

Watch

This video shares how Lyn from the Desert Plants of Avalon Youtube channel moved her extensive collection of cactus and succulent plants from one home to another. It’s fun to watch and there are some helpful tips including using stacking boxes for smaller plants and hangers within the moving van for others. Be sure to visit Lyn’s channel to see more videos from this multi-part series.