Spring is slowly inching closer, which means it is time to ready your garden and spruce up your landscaping. A stop at the garden shop always yields plenty of treasures, but getting them safely home isn’t always easy. The following tips will help you safely transport your green goodies from the garden store while still protecting the integrity of your cabin.
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Prep your car
Whether you are bringing home small plants, medium-sized bushes, or flowering trees, you need to prep your cargo area. Sure, the plants you choose will most likely be in their own carrying pots, but they are unwieldy with their round bottoms. Plus, potted plants have plenty of dirt, which will be easily displaced into your carpet or upholstery with each pothole you hit. The best way to protect your cabin, floor, or cargo area is to place the plants in boxes.
“Small plants can be boxed together, but medium and larger plants should be boxed alone,” advises Moving.com writer Laura Mueller. “In addition to boxes, you’ll also want to make sure you have some extra packing peanuts or paper to fill in the gaps around each pot so that they don’t shift around.”
Padding should surround each small plant if you are packing a bunch in one box, she adds, to help prevent chips or cracks on the pots.
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Let the sunshine in
If possible, expose your plants to sunlight if they are a sun-loving species. Even if your drive from the store to your home is short, sunlight will bolster the health of your plants. For plants that prefer shade, place them away from direct sunlight if possible.
Protect them from harmful elements
Although temperatures are on the rise, spring is still an unpredictable and sometimes volatile season. Torrential downpours and strong winds can negate the joy of warmer thermostat readings and more hours of sunshine. If you are shopping on a windy, cold day, take extra precautions with your plants.
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Lowe’s recommends covering your plants with a bag or two to protect them from chilly, windy conditions. A paper bag is preferred but a plastic bag will work. Just be sure to leave the bag open a bit for some ventilation, especially if you’re using a covering made of plastic.
These tips will help safeguard your plants on your journey home.
DeAnn Owens is a Dayton transplant by way of the Windy City, yet considers herself to be a California girl at heart even though she’s only visited there once. To get through the dreaded allergy season unique to the Miami Valley, she reads, writes, complains about the weather, and enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons, and their newest addition, a Boston terrier puppy that is now in charge of all their lives. In the future, she hopes to write a novel and travel through time. See more articles by DeAnn.
