Introduction and potting shed questions

12 years ago

This is my first post, but I have been lurking and learning since moving to Fort Myers in January. So, I feel like I know some of you already.

Since moving in, I've been busy filling out a large empty flower bed in the front yard with blanket flowers, beach sunflowers, celocia, fountain grass, box wood, jasmine, prickly pear, agave, a dry river bed and bridge...and probably some others I'm forgetting. I threw together a spring veggie garden, which considering my knowledge and effort, did OK.

I've designated an "orchard" area. I put it in quotes because I live in a subburban neighborhood, but to me, it's my orchard. :) I've put in blueberry (using bamboorabbits "rules") and blackberry bushes and two apples and a peach tree.

I've created a small shade bed with caladium, ginger, coleus, and coontie. I've also done some italian cypress along the property line, and filled in a corner of the lot that had palms with a fire bush and necklace pod bushes. ...shew, I'm tired just thinking of it all. Oh, and of course, I'm following Silvia and Tom's posts closely these days as I excitedly plan my fall garden!!!! Tomato seedlings are doing great!

I'm a mom of two toddlers, who love playing in the dirt (of course), so it works well for all of us. And I have a job I do from home. So, when it's too hot to be playing in the dirt and I can talk the kids into getting out of the pool, I can still keep busy. ha!

I'm very new to Florida gardening. Except for the above, I did live in Palm Beach County and tried a veggie garden one year in June....yeah, you can imagine how well that went. ha! But I love it, and have immersed myself in websites by UF and this Forum and well anything I can find time to read.

So, now for the question! Since the rain has started and all my efforts are looking mighty nice, if I do say so myself. ;) My carpenter husband has told me he wants to build me a potting shed!!!! While I'm new and really don't think I'll ever match up to some of you, I certainly want to think the design through and not have him build something that I will outgrow in a few seasons. So, what would all you master gardeners want or have that you can't live without in a potting shed. The idea is to have shed with work table off to the side, like a kitchen peninsula, where I can work with the children on our projects.

Please, lots of ideas! And thank you so much for all I have already learned from reading current and archived posts!!!!

Becca

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Comments (12)

whgille
12 years ago
Hi Becca

Welcome to the forum! and congratulations for all the things that you are doing, it sounds wonderful!

Your husband is very nice to volunteer to build the potting shed for you, I am sure it will become in handy for you to start seedlings, transplanting and such. Including the children is always a good idea, even when small they can do small gardening chores, cooking and crafts.

I don't have a potting shed but I am sure a lot of gardeners do and hopefully they can give you their input and maybe pictures?

Good luck with your next fall season!

Silvia
hester_2009
12 years ago
Welcome Becca,
You certainly have been busy - it sounds like you've learned a lot and are putting it to good use. I hope you will post pictures at some point although I don't know how you will find the time! I appreciate your energy level lol...
I miss my potting shed I had at my former house and these days make do with the garage and an outside table.
What I miss most are shelves - you can never have enough and a table with a hole cut out in order to hold a bin with soil. (I used an old recycle bin). It makes it so easy to pot things up without making a mess. Make sure it is good and deep.
I'm sure others will chime in with ideas.
Keep up the good work!
Hester
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loufloralcityz9
12 years ago
One idea is look for a used sink at MFG home salvage parts place.
You can plumb up the faucet to your garden hose(with parts from Lowe's or Home Depot). The drain can be plumbed through the wall to a catch bucket outside to be used to water plants during the dry season. You'll be amazed how handy a working sink in a potting shed can be.

Lou
gardengimp
12 years ago
Welcome Becca! Sounds like you are having a lot of fun. Pictures :)

I'll link a shed for you to drool over, though I could never keep my shed so neat and clean.

Indoor lights! Windows that open for cross ventilation! A fan! And yes, a sink would be real handy.

My project this fall is going to be adding gutters to our shed and building a rain storage system on the backside of it. Our garden shed is conveniently located within the back veggie garden proper, and that is nice.

~dianne

Here is a link that might be useful: Lulabelle's Garden Shed
imagardener2
12 years ago
This house is our first one with a garden shed, so nice. My suggestion (because it's so useful) is to have a ramp at the door so you can wheel things like a wheelbarrow or dolly (with plant attached) in and out.

I use my shed for storage a lot but very useful when digging plants that are being moved to keep them under shade and scrutiny for a week or so while they re-coup and then get replanted. Some are big and ramp useful.

Ramp is also useful when you plant a heavy planter and then wheel it to it's final spot.

Another idea is overhead storage of poles used for tomatoes/beans. They hang horizontally above my head on top of a couple strips of wood spaced at 2' intervals, in between the roof supports.

Denise
FLgardenmom
Original Author
12 years ago
Oh my goodness, dianne, that shed is nicer than my bedroom! :) Love the ideas, especially storing the used water!

I'll work on some pictures, but goodness, my gardens cannot compare to the ones I've seen on here. Hester, your front yard is my dream yard. But I'm proud of all the work I've put into it. I'm certainly learning and having fun as I go. Even the mistakes have been pretty fun...since none have been too costly yet. ;)
thonotorose
12 years ago
I second the sink, but if I had someone to build me something, I'd go for a potting table (large) with shelves above it AND a shade house.
katkin_gw
12 years ago
I wanted to say welcome, Becca.

Oh my, I love that potting shed. I would love to have something like that. I do have a potting bench but it isn't anything fancy. But I do use it all the time. Hubby is going to build an arbor over it and I'll but vines on because we weren't smart enough to build it in the shade. Now it would be too hard to change everything. So plan carefully where you want it whatever you build. :o)
tomncath
12 years ago
Hi Becca,

Welcome to our family, you sure have been busy!

I don't have a potting shed, I just built some shelves off the east wall of my house so I work there. It's shaded almost all day, in the morning by a bamboo hedge and in the afternoon because it's on the east side, so it's really comfortable and I like the natural light to work by. If you consider doing this until you figure out what you want to do the one thing that is really handy is one of those 2' black concrete mixing tubs you can get at Home Depot or Lowes for about $7. I set the concrete tub on the bench, put some potting soil in it and just pot my stuff working inside the tub, keeps the bench relatively clean while I'm working :-)

Tom
Patmark
12 years ago
Hello Gardenmom. It sounds like you have been keeping very busy. I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Mark and like you I am a new gardener here in Forida, (Although I have lived here for 30 years now). I have been married to the same wonderful woman for 24 years. My wife is a school teacher here in Port Saint Lucie. I have 3 grown children, and a 4 year old grandson who is my partner in crime in this gardening project. He, (as well as my children), are absolutely loving learning everything involved with gardening. He's learning all the plants, and how to care for each of them, (Soil PH, water and light requirements, ect). He helped me plant all my seeds, and has been here everyday watching them grow and flurish. I was so happy to see that you are teaching and including your children in what you are doing, as I feel that it is very important to teach our children these skills that have been lost in many ways to technology.

It's very nice to meet you and I look forward to seeing your progress over the years to come.

Mark/Patmark

Heres a link to my progress so far if you are interested. Take care and I will talk to you soon.

Here is a link that might be useful: My garden progress
PRO
Jamaica Cottage Shop Inc
8 years ago
Becca - diy shed plans, including greenhouse plans, may be something to consider looking at, for tried and true results :) We do have a free set of plans available, by signing up for our newsletter, it could be a good initiation into considering size ideas, window placements, roof shapes, etc. Good luck! Kim http://jamaicacottageshop.com/
plantsman56
8 years ago
I have 40,000 plants here and have never built a potting shed, so you are lucky. I would want a nice sized table with plenty of room. Instead of being flat, you may want to put a 4 inch edge sticking up if you want to mix soil components on the table. Or, have a mixing table and a working table. A hole in the table where you can insert a large pot full of soil. Lower shelves to put stuff in and some Tupperware type containers to store fertilizer in and keep it from being ruined once you have opened the bag. I would want a working sink, even if the old water just dumps outside. I would want electricity, even if it isn't hardwired in, for light and I would put a fan in when it tends to get hot.

Introduction and potting shed questions

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whgille

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