November 27, 2008

Shelves And Benches Are Helpful Greenhouse Accessories

by: Michelle Torres

There are some greenhouse accessories that you can live without. Some of these items could even be considered luxuries and are used mostly to enhance the greenhouse. Shelving and greenhouse benches are greenhouse accessories that are necessary for gardeners to make the best use of their greenhouse space.

Shelving is generally something that you attach to the interior of your greenhouse walls or they lay on top of built in framing. These are not the same things as greenhouse benches, which are free standing and can be moved throughout the greenhouse.

Benches and shelving do have some things in common. Both can help you organize the greenhouse. Making good decisions concerning the use of these greenhouse accessories will allow you to function efficiently while you are gardening. Shelving and benches are used in combination to give the gardener choices as far as working, storing things and providing areas for the flowers and plants.

You can use benches and shelving for growing plants, flowers and vegetables and use the undersides of the benches for storing your pots and tools. You could also use this area for additional room for your plants.

Some greenhouses come with the benches included and others have shelving and benches available as options. Before you purchase benches and shelving for your greenhouse you will want to take some measurements and do some careful planning. Whether you have a very small greenhouse or one that has lots of room you will want to take some time to figure out the best use of the space and coordinate the placement of the shelves and benches.

Be aware that when you use shelving and want to have plants on the lowers shelves you will have to take shadows into consideration when you have a greenhouse with clear covering. Shadows caused by upper shelving can delay plant growth because the plants will not receive as much light when they are on the lower shelves. If you have a greenhouse with translucent covering that provides diffused light, then you won’t have to worry about shadows, so you will have much more room to spread out your plants.

Look for shelving and benches that are well made and are built to last. Find shelving and benches that are easily cleaned and have holes for drainage and air circulation. Without drainage, your plants will sit in pools of water which can be a breeding ground for disease.

Shelves and benches are greenhouse accessories that help the greenhouse gardener use space to the fullest.