When we started planning a permanent greenhouse I knew I wanted shelves on the walls. Our portable greenhouse did allow for that option. I also knew I wanted to use the cinder block shelves for the floor shelving. In this article, well talk about everything you need to know before setting up greenhouse shelves
Why A Greenhouse Needs Shelves
Greenhouse space is limited to the confines of the structure. Shelves allow you to maximize the space in your greenhouse. Without shelves, you are limited to using the space on the ground. Unless everything growing in the greenhouse is tall that's a lot of wasted space.
Plan Before You Buy
You need to have a plan before setting up greenhouse shelves. While it’s tempting to put as many plants and shelves as possible in your greenhouse you need to go slow and figure out what works best. Start with a limited number of plants and shelves. Depending on the time of year I suggest Starting with some seedlings, a few bigger plants, and some shelves. As the plants grow you will get a better idea of how much room your plants need. Once you know how much room your plants need you'll know where you can add more shelves and plants and where you may need to take out shelves. Don't be afraid to move things around. It may take several reconfigurations before you find what works best for you. With our portable greenhouse I found that our set-up changed several times a year depending on the growing season.
Greenhouse shelving Material
Most greenhouse shelves will be made out of metal. Metal is our preferred shelving material indoors and out for plants. Metal shelving is stable, hard to damage, and easy to clean. You will also find wood and plastic but they are a lot less common. One reason I think some lean toward wood is that it does look softer and more aesthetic. For durability and ease of use, I would recommend you use metal shelving. The height and width of these shelves vary, so make sure to measure your greenhouse beforehand and consider that you need some room above the top shelf to be able to place plants on every level. You don’t want your plants to brush the roof of your greenhouse, as this could get too warm and will harm the leaves.
Setting Up the Palram Shelves
Why We Chose The Palram Shelves
- Corrosion-resistant aluminum with heavy-duty steel brackets
- Shelves easily attach to all Palram Mythos, Hybrid, Essence, Snap & Grow, Glory, Americana, and Chalet greenhouse frames
- Shelves can be mounted individually or in tandem
- Each shelf supports up to 90 lbs
- Shelves include three hangers for plant baskets or trellising
Greenhouse Shelving Accessories
Each Palram shelf kit Includes mounting hardware and 3 plant hangers. The hangers can be attached to the shelf undersides for baskets and trellising. These are available to purchase separately if you need more or did not purchase the shelving kit. The plant hangers also fit into the support sections of the greenhouse frame and roof supports.
Trellising kits are also available and work on most greenhouses. We have not purchased a trellising kit but do plan on making one. I think I can utilize the plant hangers to meet our needs and I only have a few plants planned that will require trellising. This is another one of the items that you may want to think about before you just purchase one.
Greenhouse Workbench
Another great addition is a greenhouse workbench. Workbenches are ideal for storing tools and will make repotting your plants easier. Our greenhouse does not currently have a workbench inside. However, I can already see where it would be useful. Right now I do most of that work on a workbench outside of the greenhouse. It's actually not a workbench but a rolling cart that we use for just about every project. For now, it gets the job done.
Learn More About Greenhouse Gardening
If you are ready to learn more about greenhouse gardening be sure to subscribe to Days Well Spent on Youtube. There you will find our ever-growing playlist dedicated to greenhouse gardening. We also have a section of the website where you can find all of our greenhouse gardening tips.