It can be difficult to provide all the right conditions to grow and maintain healthy plants when you’re in the middle of trekking across the country. But if you choose the right kind of plants and keep a few hints in mind, life should be happy for you and your leafy roommates.

The six essentials: water, light, ventilation, temperature, humidity, fertilization, and soil in the proper amounts help grow and maintain a healthy plant. The needs of each plant can differ dramatically however. While a Chinese Evergreen thrives in shady corners and might be pretty impervious to the air conditioning vent right above it, impatiens would

Ask what kind of plants can best hold up to the strain and how you, as a plant owner, can help them survive.

promptly curl up in a flowery fetal position and wither away.

Describe preferred plant characteristics to your local gardener when purchasing plants for the road. Most plants just can’t cope with the kind of frequent location changes that many RVers often make. Ask what kind of plants can best hold up to the strain and how you, as a plant owner, can help them survive. While traveling, note how the plant responds to each set of conditions, so you can give it the conditions it likes best most often. Even though they may be described as hardy, don’t be surprised if you move from that bright sunny spot to a site in the deep woods or vice versa and your plants seem to look a little droopy. That’s to be expected. Almost all plants require a little acclimatization.

Many with a green thumb recommend that if you’re container gardening it’s best to use a water-soluble soil-less potting mix instead of garden soil. Garden soil loses its nutrients over time and may also carry plant diseases, insects or other unpleasant surprises.

Potted plants need to be watered and fertilized more often than their outdoor counterparts. One hint for providing some nutrients if you’re unable to use fertilizer is to save the cooled foggy water that you use to boil vegetables in and pour a little in with your plants. The nutrients in the water will give your plant an energy boost.

The six essentials: water, light, ventilation, temperature, humidity, fertilization, and soil in the proper amounts help grow and maintain a healthy plant.

Keep in mind if you frequently travel with pets, children or both, that some of the hardiest houseplants can also have unpleasant consequences when consumed. Dieffenbachia and philodendron are just a few sturdy houseplants with eye-pleasing foliage that can cause illness or even death if eaten in large amounts. That’s something to remember if the toddling apple of your eye is at the taste-testing stage of development or your furry traveling companion likes to occasionally nibble the ornamental grass. So make certain to inquire of your friendly gardener if the plant you’re purchasing could have any ill effects if ingested.

Before setting out on your first plant-accompanied jaunt, make sure to arrange an inspection with your state or federal Department of Agriculture officials for any plants you plan to bring with you. If your plants pass the test, the official should provide you with a state-of-origin inspection certificate. It’s a good idea to always carry the certificate with you and your plants just in case you decide to visit one of the seven states that requires one.

When it comes to crossing international borders into Mexico or Canada, you might not have trouble bringing Fred the fern with you, but you will have trouble bringing him back. The United States will not allow houseplants back inside the country. So perhaps it would be best to board Fred with some friends for a few weeks.

One good bet for traveling would-be houseplant owners is the cast-iron plant. The name says it all. It’s a nearly bomb-proof plant. Others with a similar constitution include: the spider plant, the snake plant, tradescantia (the inch plant is the best space saver) and the jade plant.

Or if you’d like the color and softness of flowers, there are a few who can cope better with the indoors: begonias (wax or tuberous,) impatiens or mini hydrangeas are all cheery shade-tolerant choices. With a little patience and care, an extra splash of vivid green or the blush of pink-cheeked blossoms can brighten any traveling home.