Potting Shed vs Greenhouse

 

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Making a decision on choosing a potting shed or a greenhouse can be tricky. So we have made the ultimate guidance list for you to understand their differences and to ensure that you make the right choice.

A greenhouse is a place for plants to grow whilst keeping them protected from the outside weather conditions.

A potting shed is also a place for plants to grow whilst keeping them protected from the outside weather conditions. However, a potting shed contains a separate area that can also store other items such as tools, soil, pots and seeds. Also, it has a sheltered space for you to complete your gardening.

The list below will guide you in making the right choice for you.

Temperature Control

A greenhouse is poor at retaining heat. So when it gets cold, and temperatures fall during seasons, so it will cause you to put extra work in. One example of this is wrapping plants in insulating materials, to protect them from frost and keep them alive.

Potting sheds are generally warmer, this is due to the fact that they have three wooden walls which retain the heat better than glass or perspex. As they are warmer, they will be useful for temperature, sensitive plants and for overwintering plants. When gardening in a potting shed it will feel warmer in the colder seasons as opposed to gardening in a greenhouse.

Exposure to Sunlight

Greenhouses retain more light during the day, as the walls and ceiling are made from glass or perspex. Therefore, it has a transparent shell. So greenhouses will always provide the plants with the most sunlight in order for them to grow.

A potting shed will also be exposed to sunlight, however, it only has glass down one side, which restricts the total amount of sunlight it will get. Therefore, certain plant types that require more sunlight, may not be appropriate to grow in a potting shed.

Practicality

A Greenhouse aims to grow as many plants as possible and therefore, there is very little surface area to complete your gardening inside. A greenhouse will require shelving and staging which could incur additional, hidden costs.

A potting shed aims to grow plants and has dedicated hooks and walls for tools. Also, benches inside the shed allow potting up whilst keeping plants in close proximity. In short, they have the practical space to carry out your gardening. Therefore, potting sheds offer a lot more options for the same space than a greenhouse.

Type of Produce and Growing Requirements

If your aim is to grow as many plants and vegetables as possible, then the growing space that a greenhouse provides will be most beneficial. This will get the optimal harvest from your crops.

On the other hand, if your aim is to plant seedlings, then a potting shed would be most suitable. Also, a potting shed will offer you more flexibility if you want to grow a variety of different plants and have stages of growth going on.

Positioning Restrictions

A potting shed will require the windows facing south, in order to ensure that plants can get natural light during the day.

A greenhouse can generally be placed anywhere that’s practical in your garden, so you have very few restrictions there. So if you’re restricted to a non-south facing direction, then you will want a greenhouse.

Strength/Longevity

A greenhouse is prone to having glazing smashed through accidents. So it is more fragile in general when it comes to moving it around, and is likely to get damaged.

A potting shed is far more robust, with the three wooden secure walls keeping it very sturdy, and it has a lot less glass to smash. A potting shed can be moved easier if you wish to relocate it.

If you want to discover more about potting sheds, visit our potting sheds page, where you will find our range of different sizes available to buy. From single to double door potting sheds and apex and pent potting sheds.