Gardening on your hands and knees can be uncomfortable. A potting bench provides gardeners with a raised worksurface from where they can prepare pots and soil in comfort.
Potting benches are designed specifically for gardening jobs. On the durable work table, users can fill pots with soil, prune their potted plants, add fertilizer and more.
Special features like a soil mixing bucket, storage drawer and tool hangers allow the potting bench to adapt to a variety of jobs.
These benches usually have a large storage shelf on the underside which holds pots and other supplies until they are needed.
Cedar is typically the material of choice when making these benches, as it very hard and resists rot.
Comfort While Gardening
A true gardener would tell you that getting your hands dirty is the most natural way to enjoy gardening. However, sitting or kneeling on the ground can be painful and uncomfortable for some people.
Potting benches allow gardeners to work on jobs while standing up or sitting in a chair. This is far more comfortable than working on the ground.
A variety of tasks can be completed on a potting bench, including transplanting, soil mixing, trimming and seeding. Pots are kept on the bottom storage shelf for quick access. Users can grab a bag of soil on the shelf and immediately get to work.
Some models have special storage feature to keep your tools close at hand. Tool hooks can hold small hand tools such as pruners and shovels. Storage drawers keep sensitive items like sunglasses and garden gloves out of the sun and dirt.
Garden Potting Benches Help Ease Lower Back Strain
When gardeners need an extra hand around the garden, they turn to a product called a garden potting bench. Although called a bench, they are actually tables which act as a raised working platform for gardening tasks.
Filling pots, mixing soil and other tasks can all be completed while standing or sitting comfortably.
Gone are the days when a person needed to bend and stoop for every little task, dirtying their clothes and causing pain in the joints.
While not every task can be done on a potting bench, many things can.
They are most commonly made of cedar, a type of beautiful hardwood which blends in well to garden environments. comfortably
Design of a Garden Potting Bench
What sets these pieces apart from a regular table is the unique design intended just for gardeners. A raised working surface provides ample room to work, while several storage shelves keep everything you need close by.
Underneath the main surface is a deep platform which can hold items both large and small. Stacks of pots and bags of soil can be kept on this sturdy shelf until needed.
Just over the table surface is a smaller shelf which acts like a hutch-style storage shelf. This shelf can support smaller pots, tools and accessories.
Some of the more advanced models have tool hooks which keep small hand tools organized and safe. Any type of hand tool which has a storage loop can be placed on these tool hooks.
When up off the ground, your metal tools will be less likely to come in contact with water which can create rust.
Storage drawers, usually kept underneath the table surface, are great for keeping the smallest of items contained. Things like seed packets and work gloves are kept safe and organized within the confines of these drawers.
Available on some benches are folding table leaves. These leaves are basically extensions of the main working surface and create more room to work. They can be folded down for storage when not needed.
Soil Bin Basins for Mixing
Advanced gardeners mix their soils before putting them into pots. Some potting benches have soil basins where the mixing can take place. Soil, dirt and plant feed can be mixed in the proper ratios before being placed into the pot.
One bench from the company Eclipse Cedar Creations has a soil bin recessed into the tabletop with a lid. When the lid is closed, the entire table surface becomes available.
Design and Function of Potting Benches
The design of a garden potting bench can vary among manufacturers but the concept remains the same. Four sturdy legs hold up a large work surface and at least one storage shelf.
If storage drawers are present, they are usually installed just under the main table. Soil mixing buckets are either installed into the table or mounted on the side. Storage hooks on the front or sides keep tools right at your side.
Cedar is chosen in many cases because it is resistant to rot and is very strong. Since water is present in gardening conditions, water-resistant material is a must. Cedar is not only strong but has a great natural garden look.
Surfaces should be wiped down after use to prevent staining.
Wood Construction
Wood is used in garden potting bench because it looks great and it quite strong. Cedar, the most common wood used in potting benches, is weather resistant and can withstand impacts from tools.
Users don’t have to worry about damage from water or dirt, although regular cleaning is recommended for prolonged life.
These benches ship unassembled and must be built on arrival. The wood pieces come together with steel hardware that requires a few basic tools to create the finished product.
These benches are sturdy enough to be placed out in the open, although most people place them up against their house or shed. Wheeled models are much easier to move around as needed.
Gardening with Potting Benches
Potting benches consist of a raised platform from which a variety of gardening tasks can take place.
Many of the tasks that require painful bending and kneeling can be completed on one of these benches.
Transplanting, mixing soil, preparing pots and more can be done comfortably while standing up or sitting in a chair.
One large shelf underneath the work surface provides storage space for large items like pots and soil bags. A hutch style shelf above the work table can be used for small pots, gardening tools and more.
A potting bench is a welcome addition to gardens of all types and stages.
Design of a Potting Bench
Despite being called a garden potting bench, these pieces are actually a sort of table with multiple storage shelves. The raised working surface is perhaps the most important part of this bench, as it provides a sturdy and flat place for gardeners to work.
Things typically done on the ground can be transported to the work surface and done there. The best part is that you can keep everything you need to complete a job close at hand.
A large storage shelf under the table is used to keep heavy items close by. This includes large terra cotta pots, bags of soil or compost, and large garden tools.
Just above the work table is a hutch-style shelf that keeps small items within reach. Hand tools, smaller pots, packages of fertilizer stakes and more can be organized right in front of you.
Tool Accommodations
Tools are a gardener’s best friend. Nobody likes to make several trips from the tool shed to the work site, which is why potting benches have many accommodations for tools.
Tool racks and hooks are a common sight on a potting bench. Tool hooks can be used to hand small hand tools with hanging loops on the handles.
Creative gardeners can place a garden tool caddy on one of the shelves or hang it over the side for extra storage.
Cedar Potting Bench
Cedar is the wood of choice in these benches for several reasons. A natural cedar potting bench simply looks classy. Cedar blends in well with garden environments, unlike industrial products made from metal.
Cedar is a hardwood that is very strong, allowing users to place dozens or even hundreds of pounds of product on their benches. And finally, cedar is resistant to rot and decay caused by bugs and moisture.
Users can safely spill dirt and water on the bench and expect easy cleanup afterward.
Extra Features
Extra features are always a bonus, and potting benches do not disappoint.
Some models have a special mixing bucket built into the table that can be used to prepare the soil before use. Plant feed, sand, soil, and compost can be mixed to the proper ratios before pouring them into the bucket.
A side-mounted drop leaf can instantly increase the amount of table space of the bench. These leaves fold up or down in seconds and lock firmly into place.
Drawers are essential if you have small items which could roll around or fall through the cracks of the table.
Things like gloves, plant markers, and sunglasses can be kept within the drawers so they do not get lost or damaged.
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