We reached across the aisle and held hands. “United,” I said, and to her: “I just left after taking care of my brother, who died this morning. My brother is dying of brain cancer in Florida.” “American,” she said, turning mournfully in my direction. Drizzle and traffic caused delays, but our elfin driver navigated the trip and asked us which terminals we needed. I saw that she bid a sorrowful farewell to the man seeing her off. Only one other person got on, a white-haired woman in a sweater set. At 6 o’clock I boarded the van for the airport. The mortuary people came and removed Jay’s body. The work felt tender, holy, a last act of intimate kindness. We toweled him dry, dressed him in long underwear and wrapped him in the duvet cover from our childhood farm. I repurposed the battered teapot to pour water over his body, starting with his head and moving to his feet. We removed Jay’s pajamas, removed the drain and bag, all the while using a clean sheet to keep his frame covered and dignified. This might mean a few weeks or even several months.When the sky was fully lit, I called his friend, and we performed the tahara. “In the majority of cases, it’ll take a few weeks for a plant to adjust and recover completely,” says Harris. Much like with all things related to humans and transitions, whether into new roles of responsibility, living spaces, or within new relationships, you must be patient. “A very weak feed of houseplant fertilizer will boost their nutrients, especially in summer,” says Harris. Make sure the plants are in their optimal living spaces in the new home for ideal levels light. “This will scorch its leaves, and when combined with moving shock, may well kill it,” says Harris. You’ll be busy moving into your new home and might not notice your monstera is catching direct sunlight in the late afternoon, but you might regret that shortly after. “ Ferns bounce back well if you remove damaged or browning foliage,” says harris, providing an example. If plants start to wilt or tend to look sick after the move with your plants, remove the flowers so their energy can go into recovery. And make sure to mist your leafy plants to increase their humidity and moisture, as well as to rebuild strength. “Leafy rainforest natives like the light shade and succulents or yuccas prefer full sun,” says Harris. Place each plant in a location it enjoys most So, let them out into the sunlight ASAP once they arrive. “Plants don’t like the permanent night of a sellotaped box and will start to shut down almost immediately,” says Harris. Your plants need light and air to thrive, so give it to them as soon you're unpacked. Be patient and attentive when you move with plants, especially those requiring extra love and support. “For example, fiddle leaf fig plants shed their leaves to adjust to new light conditions and don’t even appreciate moving from living room to bedroom in the same house,” says Harris. They’ll need help adjusting to their new environment to feel more at ease and comfortable (just like you). Houseplants don’t always appreciate the shock of moving. How to help your plants recover from moving Line the base of boxes with plastic, and you’ll be able to prevent any damp soil from rotting cardboard and causing a disastrous fall out. “Lining the base with plastic bags stops leakage, too, which is helpful since if the base disintegrates, your plants will fall out and smash,” says Harris. And as another final step, line the base with plastic bags. This will maximize light absorption before they are plunged into darkness for hours or even days.ĭon’t forget to write the names down to make caring for and unloading the plants easier once arriving at your destination. Leave all box lids open up until the very last minute, and be sure to then label accordingly so you don’t lose track of which plants are in which containers. Their spines can unfortunately tear leafy plants apart, so keep them in different boxes and away from the others! 4. Since they’re spiky in nature, the exterior of the succulents can be dangerous to other plants, if packaged together during the move. “ Succulents and cacti, for example, should be put in a separate box with sturdy foam or packing paper between pots to keep them upright and upon arrival, you should open the lid as soon as possible and put them in direct sunlight to recover,” says Harris. Package some plants individually to protect the others plants as you move “This creates a safe, humid environment they’ll feel comfortable in,” says Harris. For an even smoother move with plants, put all leafy newspaper-wrapped houseplants together in a tall box with a strong lid, and then stuff gaps between pots with more newspaper to keep them upright.
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