Moving container plants

[habitat_gardener]

I am planning to move in a month or two and would like to take some of my container plants with me. The move is "only" about 100 miles, and it'll probably take 2 trips to move the plants I want to bring with me.

The 3 tomatoes and 4-5 peppers I want to take are in 10-15 gallon pots. If you've had experience moving tomato plants in midseason, was it worth doing?

I will probably just pick the greenies at the community garden (only 15 plants each of tomatoes and peppers this year), so I will have a bunch of stuff to ripen, and of course there are farmers' markets everywhere.

Still...it would be nice to have fresh ones to pick, if they don't all fall off in transit!!

[bower]

How tall are your plants and how are they supported?

I have moved big plants from the greenhouse to outdoors, keeping them from crashing down was the big challenge. I have used extra ropes all around the plant to keep them together, this helps a lot but I have still broken a branch or two and knocked off a few fruit. These are plants that grew inside though, so they aren't as strong as an outdoor plant would be.

But even if you cracked off all the branches it would still be worthwhile in your climate because they have time to regrow.

[Worth1]

If you move just about any plant at speed they need to be covered or you will wind burn them big time.

[dustdevil]

They have to be in something like a cube truck/van or laid down in a pickup with cover. Otherwise, the leaves may blow off the plants at speed. Think of 65 mph wind when you go 65.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by dustdevil

They have to be in something like a cube truck/van or laid down in a pickup with cover. Otherwise, the leaves may blow off the plants at speed. Think of 65 mph wind when you go 65.

Agree, exactly.

[imp]

Depending on how big, bubble wrap is good around them with some tape to hold the bubble wrap together.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by imp

Depending on how big, bubble wrap is good around them with some tape to hold the bubble wrap together.

I would suggest burlap so the plants can breath. You can find it at WM.
I would cut it into strips of 3-4' wide and wrap around the plants.

[imp]

To use the bubble wrap, you make it like a giant paper towel tube around the plant, top and bottom left open.The plant still gets air exchange and drainage, but is not beaten by the wind or weather such as rain, in transit.

Many ways to manage the plants depending on the method used to transport them, the size of the plant and the containers.

[habitat_gardener]

Transport would be in a closed vehicle -- a van or maybe a box truck. We don't own a pickup. But, hmmmm....I wonder if bubble-wrapped cages in a pickup might be easier. Once I find out how much it will cost, it may well be that I will decide I don't need the $64 tomatoes!

So far the tomato plants are about 4 ft. high with cages. Rebel Yell, Black Krim, Indigo Kumquat, Ace. Also Aztek, which is a small plant, under a foot, but is in one of the big pots. I can weave the branches back into the cages a little as they grow, to keep them inside the cages. I'm concerned about the jostling of the whole plant, not about any wind damage, since they will be inside a closed vehicle. Maybe I should also be concerned about heat! Or drive at night, when the traffic isn't as frenetic.

[Worth1]

I have hauled 100's of trees we would lay them down like shingles and put a tarp over them on a 32 foot goose neck trailer.
They were big trees we used a tractor or back hoe to lift.
Your case just put them inside the closed truck standing up tie them all together and drive.
No need to buy anything.
Look at it this way you leave them they are gone, you haul them they live or die.
Don't worry about the heat 100 miles is nothing.
Worth

[bower]

4 ft high with cages is a trivial size to move... you can do it! I have moved 3 footers in small cages in a car.... 4 ft cage was just a bit too tall and I didn't want the hassle of wrapping to lay them down. In a van or truck with 4 ft clearance you're laughing. Just jam something up against them so they don't fall over in transit. And even if they did, you will still have most of your plant.

[Ricky Shaw]

What would Jed Clampett do? That's what I always ask myself in these situations.

[oakley]

Originally Posted by bower

4 ft high with cages is a trivial size to move... you can do it! I have moved 3 footers in small cages in a car.... 4 ft cage was just a bit too tall and I didn't want the hassle of wrapping to lay them down. In a van or truck with 4 ft clearance you're laughing. Just jam something up against them so they don't fall over in transit. And even if they did, you will still have most of your plant.

^^^

Do it all the time.

Open truck bed without cover.?..

Nothing special needed except a big recycled cardboard box or lay them down
covered.

[Worth1]

The other day I saw what looked like a huge 300 dollar maple tree going down the highway at 70 miles an hour standing straight up and no cover in the back of a pickup.
You would think the place he bought it from would have said something.
Worth

[ReginaAnn]

Originally Posted by Ricky Shaw

What would Jed Clampett do? That's what I always ask myself in these situations.

Ricky!