Fulltiming with houseplants

[Shelia]

I'll be traveling light when I retire but I do have one houseplant that I am attached to at the heart. It's an ivy my sister gave me before she passed, and the pot is pretty good size. I'd like to figure out a way to take it with me in my Casita.

What did you all do with your houseplants?

I'd also like to have a sprouter and a small tray of microgreens growing. I was thinking about a shelf of some kind either at the foot of the bed by the kitchen (extra counterspace) or across the back. I'm short and alone and don't nearly take up that much bed space. My dogs can sleep under the shelf.

Thoughts? Ideas?

[Triker]

Might you consider rooting a small piece of the original ivy and taking that with you? I would imagine most any pot would have to be placed in a secure place and braced somehow when moving the trailer, unless you plan to move the plants to the tow vehicle when you travel and have a secure spot for them to ride. If you are planning to be in a hot climate, you may want to watch the temperature, too.

Perhaps a friend or family member would take a cutting and keep the plant growing while you start your journeys, just in case!

[Shelia]

Leaving a rooting behind is probably a good idea. I don't have anyone I trust leaving the plant with - it's a miracle it didn't die last time I did. Have been nursing it back to health for a year. I'll have to make sure the camper is a comfortable temperature because my dogs will be there too.

[tractors1]

I think the sink is by far the safest place for travel.

[Jack L]

I know California and Canada have some restrictions on bringing live plants and plant material across their respective borders. Not sure where house plants fit into any of this.

[Gilda]

Check out this article which happened to appear on the very bottom of our FGRV forum page today! You searched for california inspection - RV Life

We are California natives, San Francisco to be exact, and lived in Boston for six years. My DH is an avid gardener and houseplant devotee. Our homes have always been brimming with houseplants. Well, imagine the reaction of the California inspector when my husband "gunned it" when waved through at the border when we returned home with a car loaded with houseplants (and one caged parrot)! Good thing he had had all the plants inspected, and passed, while in Boston because, sure enough, we received a notice in the mail asking to show proof of inspection.

I suggest you research what you need to do to have your plants pass the California border inspection. Note: It's not very hard. The rules are there for good reason as "California's agricultural abundance includes more than 400 commodities. Over a third of the country’s vegetables and two-thirds of the country’s fruits and nuts are grown in California." https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/statistics/

Best of luck in full-timing!

P.S. All the plants arrived in good shape after the cross-country trek. I might add, that my DH brought all the plants and the parrot inside our motel each night because he did not want them subjected to freezing temperatures in November. Oh, he also let his 8-month pregnant wife inside too! That trip provided us with some great memories as you can imagine.

[Shelia]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. I think the sink might be too small and/or shallow. I've been thinking that the Casita Liberty might be a better floor plan for me for several reasons. If that's where I end up, the floor between the twin beds/dinette might be a good place for it to ride. Or the shower.

[Joy A]

Originally Posted by Shelia

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. I think the sink might be too small and/or shallow. I've been thinking that the Casita Liberty might be a better floor plan for me for several reasons. If that's where I end up, the floor between the twin beds/dinette might be a good place for it to ride. Or the shower.

If you are just worried about where to put it while moving from one spot to another, how about the Tow vehicle. I once took a fish on a 3 week trip.
I used a cardboard box, inverted it and cut a hole the size of the fish bowl, placed the bowl in it and in the foot well of the right rear passenger seat. I could see the little fish as I drove and it did just fine, in fact I was surprised how little water movement there was.

[June Bug]

This brings back a memory of being just out of college and taking a coming of age road trip with three other housemates. June is peach season in Texas, so we stocked up on wonderful Fredericksburg peaches on our way west. We hit a vehicle inspection station at the Arizona border. When we got the shocking news we ended up sitting on a curb gorging on those wonderful peaches rather than throwing any of them away.

Back to the discussion at hand. How big is the pot? Ivy plants can grow and grow. Could you trim it back to be more manageable? I like the idea of taking a cutting and starting a smaller plant.

If you do get a cutting going and depending on how long you'll be gone, is getting some type of automatic waterer for the original plant an option?

[Gilda]

I second the idea of keeping the plant in the TV while on the road as your plant(s) will get sunshine. Houseplants are comfortable in "room temperature", which will be your car, not your trailer. In addition they, and you, will enjoy your company. I trust you will play classical music while you ride as plants LOVE and thrive with classical music!

[Shelia]

Love the peach story. And I've used the inverted box trick to transport flower vases. Good suggestion.

My home base will be a big storage shed on my lake lot. In Texas summer heat, locked in a shed, it will fry. I hope to be able to travel several months a year, and will most likely live in my RV full time. I'll have 3 dogs riding in the tow vehicle with me.

Another reason I'm thinking of a Liberty is that I could remove the cushion next to the frig and put some drawers and the plant there. The pot is pretty good size. Since it almost died last year, it's pretty short. No long tendrils. I figure when it does grow, I can trail the ivy on the rat fur with drapery hooks. The 16' Liberty has no side cabinets so the extra storage will be welcome too.