Greenhouse Shelving Ideas to Show Off Your Plants

2 March 2023 | Matt

If you want to make the most of the space that’s available in your greenhouse, there are several steps that you can take to make this happen. There are many things you can do to ensure your greenhouse looks great as well as highly organised.

Investing in shelving is a great idea when you want to make your greenhouse appear neat and tidy. When you add shelves to your greenhouse, you can make the most of the vertical space as well as the floor space. You have more options than you might think when it comes to greenhouse shelving.

Top Greenhouse Shelving Tips

Create a Potting Area

You have so many options when it comes to crops and flowers. If you have big growth plans, you will need a special area where you can sow seeds and pot. Potting shoes can be very convenient due to the way they enable you to store compost towards the back whilst you carry out work towards the front.

When you have potted everything up later on in the season, you can remove the shoe to create more space for lining up plants.

Stick to a Colour Scheme

When you’re styling your greenhouse shelving, one of the most important things you need to think about is colour. Many people opt for white due to its traditional charm. If you want a colour scheme that will blend seamlessly into the surroundings of your greenhouse, consider opting for soft greens and browns. Grey is also a popular option.

By including your shelves in your colour scheme, you can create an immediate sense of harmony. Think about opting for powder-coated metal shelving or painting parts of your greenhouse.

Create More Space with Wraparound Styles

Wraparound shelving can help you avoid wasting corner space inside your greenhouse. Maximizing the space that’s available in your greenhouse can help you achieve more and make the most of the space.

tiered greenhouse shelving with cacti

Opt for a Central, Freestanding Design

Many keen gardeners have invested in central freestanding shelving units in order to create fantastic focal points. It’s not common for gardeners to add larger plants like citrus trees in the centre of their greenhouses. You can use the space around your freestanding unit for potting and smaller plants. Tiered designs are also popular.

Use Strawberry Boards

Strawberry boards have been used since the Victorian glasshouse growing era. The closer your plants and foliage are to your glass, the more they will benefit from solar energy and the sun’s rays.

This can be particularly helpful when light levels are lower during the spring and autumn. These boards are ideal not only for strawberries and can give you essential extra space during the busy growing season and give you afantastic display shelf throughout the year.

Use a Mini Greenhouse Shelving System

If you do not have space for a full-sized greenhouse, you can use this kind of shelving system to build a mini greenhouse in any location. These systems are perfect for balcony gardens in particular and enable you to create a sheltered environment where your seedlings can get off to a fantastic start. You can place established plants on the top to add an extra dash of greenery to your environment.

Add Triple-Tiered Shelves

Tiered structures can be ideal for use in prominent positions and showcasing your plants in style. These units also allow you to make full use of areas that have lower light levels, such as the back of your greenhouse. You can fit these shelves to standard benching or a free-standing central bench.

Choose Ornate Details

One way to add extra flair to your greenhouse space is to add ornate details to it. These details can vastly improve the appearance of your greenhouse.

Add a Comfortable Chair

Once you have finished organising your greenhouse, it’s likely that it will feel much more inviting. This is why so many people use their greenhouses for relaxation as well as work. Adding a quality chair to your greenhouse will enable you to take in glorious views of your flowers and foliage even on the wetter days of the year.

wooden shelves in a greenhouse

Look for Shelves that Offer Easy Drainage

Easy drainage shelves can give your greenhouse a more modern look. They are noted for their durable design and can come with galvanised panels and shelves. It’s often possible to configure easy drainage shelves towards your specific needs.

The holes in the bottom of these shelves make the watering and drainage processes simpler. They can also boost airflow around your plants and help you overcome problems with mould and mildew. You can also attach metal hooks to many of these shelves so you can hang tools.

Related:

Which Kinds of Greenhouse Shelves Do Experts Recommend?

Many specialists recommend that you opt for a mix of bench and shelving levels to meet the needs of different plants. Lower benches are widely agreed to be great for “resting” plants.

Shelves that are placed close to ground level can be ideal for watering cans, sticks for plant supports and spare pots. Top-shelf staging can be great for orchids due to the way they can mimic their natural environment. High-level shelving can give you additional storage room and can be highly effective when it comes to showing off low-hanging plants.

When it comes to the depth of your shelves, high-level shelving will not only give you more storage space but help you to add low-hanging plants. Your shelves should give you the optimum growing area.

Choose staging and shelves that you can use for practical jobs and can also work as potting benches. Seek out shelves that are ergonomically designed to be waist-height.

What Are the Best Materials?

It’s best to opt for robust materials like metal due to its minimal maintenance requirements as well as its durability. It also tends to be easy to move shelves made out of metal. Nonetheless, you can also opt for wooden or plastic options if you prefer the way that these look.

FAQs

Can I Put Gravel on a Greenhouse Shelf?

Yes. There are several advantages to adding gravel to your greenhouse shelf. It will give you drainage to stop your plants from becoming waterlogged and can boost humidity levels. You can also bury pots in deep trays filled with sand and gravel. These will prevent your pots from drying out.

Are There Any Cost-Effective Options for Greenhouse Shelves?

If you are seeking garden storage ideas on a budget, you can re-use materials including wooden pallets for shelving. Pallets tend to be rather sturdy, and you can configure them to create benches. These may not be the ideal permanent solution, but they can work well whilst you’re in the process of looking for long-term shelving. You could opt for second-hand shelves if you’re on a tight budget.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our post on greenhouse shelving ideas.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, or contact us at support@swgreenhouses.co.uk