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Protect and Transport Plants

Valerie Albarda

By Valerie Albarda
Updated July 14, 2025

You've found the perfect plants but transporting and protecting them from the elements can be a challenge. Whether you are moving them in hot or cold temperatures or need care instructions for an upcoming vacation, this guide will keep your plants alive and healthy.

Plants and garden tools in truck

Tips to Get Your Plants Home Safely in Cold Weather

Exposure to temperatures from 45°F -50°F for as little as one hour is enough to kill many plants. Here are some quick, simple tips on transporting plants in cold weather. If these tips sound like overkill, consider them a small investment of your time in return for years of enjoyment of your new plants.

  • If possible, make the purchase of plants your last stop of the shopping trip.
  • Pick a day when the weather forecast is relatively mild.
  • Put them in a bag. Double-bag them if it's really cold or windy out. Paper is a better insulator than plastic, but plastic is better than nothing. If the trip home is long, open the bag slightly for ventilation.
  • Have your vehicle warmed up before you put the plants in.
  • Be sure to provide ventilation if using plastic of any kind as a covering for your plants.
  • Do not transport plants in the trunk.
  • Do not let foliage touch the windows of the vehicle. The cold will "burn" the leaves.
  • If you buy larger plants, don't let them stick out of the window.
  • Put a layer of newspaper or cardboard on the floor of your vehicle for added insulation.
  • Vans are preferable for transporting larger plants. If you must use a truck, lay the plants down and cover them to keep the wind and cold out.
Caution

The colder it gets, the more your plants are in danger. This is especially true when cold temperatures are combined with wind. Even a carefully bagged plant can be damaged during a short walk across a cold parking lot.

Transport Plants in Hot Weather

Succulents in a planter.

Greenhouse plants (especially those purchased as gifts) and bedding plants need special attention to prevent damage during their trip from the garden center to your destination. Here are some quick tips on transporting plants:

  • Wind can be deadly. For larger plants especially, do not stand them up in the back of a truck where they can be whipped and stripped by the wind. Tall plants need to be transported lying on their sides. Cover with a cloth or tarp and secure them to keep them from rolling around in the truck bed. The best method of transport is a covered van.
  • Smaller plants can be cooked in automobiles or SUV's, even with the air conditioner running. Sunshine through the vehicle window can be intense. Provide shade from direct sun with paper or cover with a cardboard box. Car trunks are not the solution either.
  • When moving large plants into or out of a vehicle, always lift plants by the container, not the trunk or stem.
  • It is a good idea to schedule your day so that the garden center is your last stop.

Vacation-Proof Your Plants

Water fountain surrounded by potted plants.

The green-hearted may feel hardhearted when they go on vacation and leave potted plants to fend for themselves. Then they’re brokenhearted when they come back to find the neglected plants on life support.

Here’s how to prevent container garden mishaps:

 

  • Group plants. Cluster containers so they shade each other and don’t dry out as fast. Use saucers to hold excess water.
  • Give them shade. Place containers in a shady spot -- under a tree or on the east side of the house for protection from the hot afternoon sun. Even sun-loving plants can take a week of shade while you’re away.
  • Hold the water. Use a potting mix containing water-absorbing crystals, which will take up excess moisture and make it available to plants as the mix starts to dry out. Exception: succulents and cacti.
  • Time your waterings. Hook up a timer to a drip irrigation system and run the spaghetti-like irrigation tubes from container to container
  • Grow succulents and cacti. By nature, these plants are water-thrifty to the extreme. It won’t faze them to go a week or longer without water. And potted succulents can double as winter houseplants.
  • Ask for help. There’s nothing wrong with asking a friend or family member to water your plants. Just be sure to ask them to water deeply; light watering won’t allow moisture to penetrate the soil and reach the majority of plant roots.