As the name suggests, a potting shed will provide you with an area specifically for potting your plants and preparing them for your flowerbeds or garden. Essentially all your yard and garden preparation work can be done in your potting shed but a properly planned and constructed shed can fill many other needs as well.
Potting can be a messy procedure and the biggest advantage a potting shed provides is containing the mess within the confines of the shed and not in your basement, your patio or anywhere else in your yard for that matter. It's not just the soil that makes a mess. Potting requires quite a list of supplies and having a potting shed gives you a proper storage area. Most likely you will have to store potting soil, fertilizer, seeds, bulbs and detergents necessary to properly clean and sterilize the pots. You will also most likely have gardening gloves, hand trowels, twine, and many other odds and ends to store away. With a potting shed you will have a place to install cupboards and shelving to properly store all your potting supplies and equipment.
In some cases, potting sheds even play a role as a greenhouse and are ideal for getting some of your more delicate plants started before exposing them to the elements. In the winter you will also have a great place to store all your bulbs for the following Spring.
Proper cleaning of the pots requires a good-sized wash area and using a potting shed sink sure beats trying to wash all those pots in the kitchen sink. Also, once you have them washed and sterilized you will need quite a large area so they can drain and dry properly. Your kitchen counter might not be the best choice for this kind of operation.
Some potting sheds are so big they actually become garden storage sheds as well and provide a space for "all" your outdoor tools. These bigger structures might house shovels, shears, lawn mowers and rakes. It seems like it would be a good plan to build potting shed on the larger side if possible just so you can store all your gardening supplies and tools in one spot and not clutter up your garage or home.
There are times when your potting shed might provide a bit of an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enable you to enjoy some "alone" time. That's most likely why some potting shed owners will make sure they have a comfortable chair, a radio or portable T.V., and even a kettle to brew up a coffee as they enjoy the quiet solitude a potting shed can provide. Some potting sheds might even have shelves for gardening books and become a place for quiet reading and inspiration.
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