There are a bunch of reasons moving companies won't do this. The top two are probably liability (they don't want to be held responsible if your plants die in route) and also because the US Department of Agriculture requires inspections of plant materials crossing some state lines because of pest controls, local bans on growing particular plants, etc. So don't blame the moving companies.

That being said, if you can't drive them and you can't mail them (for similar reasons to those outlined above) you're best off taking cuttings from each of the plants that you can then transport yourself and propagate in New Haven. Give the mother plants to someone you know who will appreciate them and can send you new cuttings if those you take are not viable.

California has strict state-level agricultural laws -- I'm not sure if Connecticut does. That probably explains the moving company's hesitations.

I know this sounds crude, but given the type of plants that you have, you might consider shipping them in a box. My aunt has shipped me young Japanese maples (from Washington state to Pennsylvania) and they survived just fine. I found this website online:

http://www.plantswap.net/forum/f19/how-do-you-send-plants-mail-safely-279/

Plausibly, someone at the shipping companies might also know. Good luck!

Can you possibly find someone else who is driving cross country? Post ads at the university? Craigs List? FB?

I've purchased small succulents online. They wrapped the root ball in plastic with a rubberband and the rest of the plant in newspaper and then plenty of peanuts.

I don't mean to sound like a crook or anything...but I think I would box them like you were going to ship them and then just have the movers move them unbeknownst to them. You don't have to explain what's in each box. Write "Fragile Glass" on the outside. "This End Up" to make sure they don't end up at a bad angle. Weight the bottom of the box down so it's not too obvious. It's not like you're smuggling drugs or something! I wouldn't want to lose plants I've had that long either!! And I'm sure you're paying through the nose. Why not take advantage?

Good luck to you and your plants on your move~

You are not allowed to move plants in and out of California. Moving companies know this and will not move the plants. My mother's car actually was searched for plants upon crossing the border into the state when she moved to the Bay Area.

Another consideration: With the change in climate and weather patterns, not to mention the stress of moving, your plants would likely suffer anyway. Take this as a blessing in disguise. Donate the plants to a good home and look at it as a chance to buy or grow new plants that are more suited to the climate of your new home.

You might find someone who is driving across the country who is willing to take them by posting on FB. Those plants look pretty big though, and having them spend a week or more in a car would be tough. And as we all know, movers are notorious for missing deadlines so I would not box your plants up with the rest of your move. I think you should give them to someone who will love them. You will make new plant friends in your new home.

I think this is a 'let it go' moment. I also left some plants I loved when I made a cross-country move, but most went to good homes. :-)

Now I have plants with new memories--the first plant I bought in San Francisco, the 'valentine's day' ficus etc. I do feel for you, though.

I understand your attachment to your plants. I still have the two plants that I brought with me from Cleveland to Las Vegas to Los Angeles.

If it was me, I would take them out of their pots, remove the dirt and wrap the roots in a wet towel and plastic, pack them well and then ship them.

When I moved into California, the agricultural inspector just checked the dirt for certain pests and then waived me through.

I agree with the poster who said take cuttings. I understand how tough it will be to let your plants go, but the move will be rough if you can't do it yourself. I love the idea of getting new plants to mark special occasions. Good luck with your move.

22 years ago I moved from Maine to FL. I had a dracena I'd had for 10 years. I gave it to a good friend and he put it in his office. I was very sad. Over the years we lost touch. Last year we reconnected and I saw a picture on Facebook.... with my now 30+ year old dracena in the background. It made me feel ok about leaving it :-)

If you try shipping, use overnight (or two-day, if that's when you can "meet" them at the destination). Sending them on the moving truck, which might spend a full week or more in transit (more than that, if your belongings do not fill up a full truck), in the heat of summer?? Not likely to work. Or, fly cuttings with you in your cabin baggage.

Another vote for taking cuttings and rehoming your plants locally. You could try shipping them, but it might be prohibitively expensive. I would not try to trick the moving company into doing it for you. First, if they found out and you have any damaged items you want reimbursement for... you might have voided your contract / insurance eligibility.

Second, as someone who just last summer did a similar cross-country move (only to SF instead of from), it can take a really long time to get your stuff. Despite the one-week delivery they promised me, summer is the moving industry's peak and I didn't get reunited with any of my things for 5 weeks. Moving sucks. Save yourself stress where you can.

So, I've moved a bunch of plants across Australia (we also have restrictions about moving plants in and out of states), and I found the only way to do it was to drive them. I took the bigger ones out of their pots, trimmed the root ball down a bit and wrapped them in sacks, pruned the tops a bit, and then stuck them in the back of a 4WD (I think you call these SUVs). My parents also kindly looked after a bunch of them for a while, then drove them over on a later visit.

Having done that, I would suggest it's not really worth the bother, except for very special plants. I have a few bonsais that I've been working on for nearly a decade that I'm glad I still have, but of course they're the smallest and easiest to move. The plants I left with my parents were with them for more than a year, and in that time I stopped missing them - I was actually not sure I wanted them by the time they were brought over (I told my folks to give them away or bin them or whatever they wanted, but they insisted). It's great to get new plants that suit your tastes and space and climate in the new place.

But if you really really want to keep them, a possibly solution is to find a friend or family member to look after them until you have the time and money to drive them to your new state.

Welcome to New Haven!

Based on other recommendations, I might try shipping them and taking a cutting, just in case they don't make it. Good luck!

I think it's really sweet that you want to take your plants with you. Maybe look on Craigslist for someone else who is driving across country?

I love the way you're using the plants in your room divider!

If you do ship them - please, please, please pack them better than you think you would ever need to. I work for a major package company and every day see so many packages that are damaged due to improper packaging. Usually not enough packing material or an old, worn out recycled box. Do not underestimate the ammount of crushing force placed on your box as it travels through a largely mechanized system. "Fragile" and "Live Plant" stickers help, but are not fail-safe.

Live plants are shipped all of the time, I've seen large plants and small trees in boxes, and those that are packed in new, sturdy, heavy boxes with good packing materials and no voids are the ones that make it. Use some plastic where appropriate in the box to keep the outer packaging dry [wet boxes will be stopped and opened for inspection] and put an invoice/packing slip with your contact info INSIDE the box as labels become illegible all of the time.

I agree with most of the other comments: there are restrictions on shipping plants for reasons we might not agree with or understand - but they're probably pretty good reasons. Maybe you will have good luck finding them a good home? And if you do ship - taking a cutting seems like a prudent measure.

Good luck to you and your lovely plants!

Your plants are really cute, I can see why you're attached to them. Have you thought of contacting a local nursery to see if they can hold them for you, then ship them once you're settled at your new place? They would hopefully know how to correctly package them and might give you peace of mind to know they're being handled well. It would cost some money but seems to be the way to go if you can't move them yourself.

California does indeed have really strict agricultural rules! I know it sounds rather by the book of me to suggest, but the Cali Dept of Food and Agriculture gives contact info on their website. http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/pe/transport_animals_plants.html It might be useful to call them and find out if your alternative export ideas are legal. They might even be able to tell you how to get your plants out (professional plant export services?). It might come down to how much $$ it's worth for you to take them with you in their entirety.

Given the Cali border guards' penchant for confiscating even a handful of fruit from a child's lunch if they dare to bring it in the car on a trip to Cali from a neighboring state, I wish you luck!

I get stopped at the California border every time I drive to San Diego from my home in Tucson. They make it clear that while they are looking for illegal entrants, they are also representing the Dept. of Food and Agriculture.

Our moving container was quarantined just because we had garden tools in it. California is really strict!

I have actually moved with plants- there are rules and regulation and I remember getting them inspected to show that they did not have nasty bugs! Each state has its own regulations- sometimes a mover will just throw then on the truck if he is doing a door to door move but that is rare and the driver would not guarantee their well being(they were fine)- the best way is to put them into your car or u-haul and drive them there yourself- the regulations are much easier leaving California than than entering. If you cannot drive then there then you could consider mailing them- without pots and in bags packed in a box- the tough part of this equation is to get them there quickly& when you will be at the other end to receive. Honestly sometimes you will find that you plants that love California will not love Connecticut - It is hard but you can start fresh.

California is by far the most strict with plant/ produce moving issues, but since you're moving out of CA and not into it, I would try to see if there are any issues about moving plants into CT. I have flown with plants out of CA before with no problem at all - and they were under the seat in front of me and obviously a plant.

"If it was me, I would take them out of their pots, remove the dirt and wrap the roots in a wet towel and plastic, pack them well and then ship them.

Ditto. Take a clue from the nurseries who ship plants daily & ship them to yourself just before you leave. They'll survive a couple days in transit very well. Your plants may experience a short period of shock but will recover nicely if you take care to acclimate them to your new environment.

I've never had problems moving plants into or out or CA (the latest "caper"was just this summer) although they weren't out in the open and wasn't asked directly if I had anything. I know you said you won't be able to drive (what a shame since there is such amazing country to bee seen in a 4 day cross country jaunt!) so I echo others who've mentioned trying to get a college kid or someone who might be making the drive as well. You might be able to box them and have the shippers deal with it (with extra precautions for water absorbtion and heat) but if your cargo needs to be transported to other trucks this will most likely be too much time and stress on your plants.

Some of them look quite large - more like small trees, so maybe you can water well and and expedite ship them for the best results.

Best of luck!

i know absolutely nothing of the legal implications, but the website uship dot caaaam hooks up people driving cross country with stuff other people are trying to move - check it out.

I guess you could put them in boxes and ship them ups. Water well, put a bag around the pot, tie it shut around the truck to keep the dirt from spilling.

You know, those strict regulations are kind of important to the ongoing health and welfare of the agricultural industry in California, so I think trying to circumvent their regulations is selfish and narcissistic at best. (Like people in a quarentine situation trying to escape, not caring if that means they spread the plague.)

Contact the appropriate authorities. Ask about if and how you can get the plants that matter to you where you want to get them, and consider whether the probably pretty high cost is worth it to you. (Plants can be replaced. I gave all of mine away before moving from Michigan to New Hampshire, and was a bit crestfallen to discover that my huge gorgeous spider plant STARTED to bloom in it's new home, when it never did for me!)

What a great opportunity to leave a gift as you start fresh!
Maybe you could donate the plants to a nursing home, low-income senior housing, or public school classroom? Freecycle? Craigslist? The San Fran Plant Swap? http://sfplantswap.wordpress.com/

By the way I successfully moved a plant into California from out of state. It rode with me in the passenger seat of my car from Illinois. At the border they checked it for bugs etc, but then gave it back to me. It was just a small houseplant, a spath/peace lily.

Welcome to New Haven! My kitchen looks like a greenhouse and I can sympathize with you on the prospect of leaving friends behind. But the joy in growing is everywhere and you can bring that with you. There are some very nice nurseries here and you might find something that brings you joy in your new digs. Bonne chance!

If i were you I would give them to someone who would love them, just like u have and send u pictures...