Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rhonda Fleming Hayes on March 3, 2010 at 12:15pm

I've moved...a lot. I've taken plants some of the time. Moving out of CA is probably easier, than in. Most moving companies will not take plants, especially that far. A friend of mine took a pickup load of plumerias out of CA with her. If you move during mild temps, you could fit them in a car, trailer or something. Once it gets hot that is harder, cars get super-hot. That's all I can offer. Hope it helps.

Permalink Reply by AnnLouise Myers on March 3, 2010 at 5:33pm

Thank you Rhonda for your input, I actually hadn't even got to the part of traveling in the heat-good point, something more to think on :-)

It seams the general opinion is that leaving Cali is easier and I don't recall any check points driving east in the past probably taking I-20 across.

At this point the annoying thing is with the calls and emails I have made not one "agency" can give me an answer. Perhaps I'll just document all my attempts to get the information and use that as my "permit/certificate"...lol

Permalink Reply by Nina Williams on March 4, 2010 at 9:04am

I would never even thought about NOT being allowed to take plants across state lines. Unfortunately, it does make sense because of disease and pests. Anyway, have you tried the following site: www.nationalplantboard.org/laws/index. Good luck, it would be awful if you couldn't take your plants.

Permalink Reply by Dale LaForest, zone 8 VA on March 4, 2010 at 12:49pm

I've moved from NH to RI; RI to OK; OK to GA; and GA to VA with my plants in the backseat of my car. Mostly, summer driving but the plants did well as long as I kept them watered and shaded (if necessary). And, I never got any kind of permits for doing it. Navy life moves you a lot! :) Good luck moving with yours!

Permalink Reply by AnnLouise Myers on March 4, 2010 at 4:24pm

Hello Dale,

Thank you so much for your feedback. I am hoping that the actual drive is less than two days time and with all the feedback and stories from other plant lovers I think everything will work out just fine.

California is one of the most strict states to come into and if you are ever heading out this way be careful of the plants you might bring as I have lost some due to the stateline officers not allowing my rose and dwarf fruit tree. Later to find out that they really didn't need to confiscate them but I had no recourse after the fact.

Thank you for being part of our armed forces and I wish you the best as well.

Dale LaForest, zone 8 VA said:

I've moved from NH to RI; RI to OK; OK to GA; and GA to VA with my plants in the backseat of my car. Mostly, summer driving but the plants did well as long as I kept them watered and shaded (if necessary). And, I never got any kind of permits for doing it. Navy life moves you a lot! :) Good luck moving with yours!

Permalink Reply by AnnLouise Myers on March 4, 2010 at 4:31pm

Very Cool!!! Thank you Nina for the information.


Nina Williams said:

I would never even thought about NOT being allowed to take plants across state lines. Unfortunately, it does make sense because of disease and pests. Anyway, have you tried the following site: www.nationalplantboard.org/laws/index. Good luck, it would be awful if you couldn't take your plants.

Permalink Reply by Deborah Harvey on May 1, 2011 at 9:16pm

I've moved quite a bit also ~ PA to OK; OK to TN; TN to PA; PA to RI; RI to MI; MI to NY this doesn't include  the many moves we've made intrastate. It never once occurred to me to look into permits ~ooops! I had the cutest dwarf Alberta Spruce & 2 dwarf boxwoods that I had made into topiaries. All were planted in lightweight planters, but they still were pretty big. The moving companies (we've pretty much used them all) told us that company policy was NO live plants. However, when the drivers and movers showed up we were told that they would move them but there would be no guarantee that the plants would survive the move. So they were loaded into the back of their vans and off we went. Those plants were moved in both frigid cold and very hot weather and each time they were in the vans for approx. 4-7 days. Each time were advised to water them heavily before we left and those plants did just fine! They are now living very happily in the landscaping of our last home in Kalamazoo, MI ~ only because they grew too large for their big pots and we planted them into the ground. They also moved our large house plants ~ we did lose a couple of them because they aren't as hardy. We have found that even though the moving companies give you "the book" of moving policies most drivers will move just about everything that you own if you treat them well ~ coffee, donuts, soft drinks, water, snacks, lunch, etc. and of course a tip :)