Moving Plants

This article is part of a series bought to you by ALLSTORAGE. For stress-free storage under regional prices; in Warwick contact Harcourt’s Rural Phone 07 4661 3999; Stanthorpe contact Cec Mann & Co. 07 4681 4444; Glen Innes contact Mike Williams & Co. 02 67321855. Visit www.allstorage.com.au for full details.

Moving Indoor and Outdoor Plants
If you read our previous articles, you should now be thinking about packing up your plants before your move to the Warwick/Stanthorpe area. The cold weather and shorter days make moving a bit more difficult and you need to allow for this.
Speaking of cold weather, the winter season still brings out the Victorian holiday makers and we lost count of the number of vans on the Warwick section of the highway. Increasing tourism brings dollars even into our smaller towns and there is a new caravan park and motel opening in Allora to help cater for travellers.

Moving Your Indoor Plants
A couple of weeks before you move, prune your plants so that they can be packed easily. If you're not confident with pruning, head down to your local nursery and ask one of their staff for advice. If you already in Warwick you could contact Enchanted Gardens nursery, but we hope this means you are just moving with town and not out.
With problem plants, a week before you move, place your plants in a black plastic bag with a flea collar. Keep this package in a cool area overnight. You'll kill any pests on the plant or in the soil.
The day before you move, place your plants in cardboard boxes. Hold them in place and cushion the leaves with damp newspaper. The Trader has more uses than just being a good read! Lightly cover the plants with a final layer of damp newspaper.
If you must leave your plants behind, it's time to prepare cuttings. Wrap them in damp newspaper and put them in a plastic bag.
On move day, close the boxes and punch air holes in the top. Make sure the removalists are instructed not to take these boxes – if you have room, take them with you in your car. When you arrive at your new address, unpack your plants as soon as you can. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut the bottom out of the boxes and remove your plants through the bottom to avoid breaking the stems.
Pick a shady spot and avoid exposing your plants to lots of sunlight at first.

Moving Your Outdoor Plants
Gather any seeds you plan to take and pop them in an airtight container.
Dig up your bulbs during their dormant season. Pack them in a mixture of loose and dry peat moss and vermiculite. A lined cardboard box is ideal.
Speak to staff at Cheery Lane Nursery in Stanthorpe about the best time to transplant your favourite plants to your new address and if you are right into growing things, and might want to find some people with common interests, then contact the Warwick Branch of the Society for Growing Australian plants which meets regularly in the Council Offices (more information is available from their web site: www.sgapqld.org.au/warwick.html)


Good luck! We hope you make a successful move to our region and look forward to meeting your storage needs.☺