Gardening should be about getting dirt beneath your nails, not straining your back carrying around heavy horticultural items. The best potting benches offer a balance of storage and function while making garden work more efficient and enjoyable. Whether your garden is big or small, potting benches will help you perform your gardening tasks with ease.

What Are Potting Benches & Potting Tables?

In horticulture, the terms potting benches and potting tables can be used interchangeably. A potting bench is a type of raised outdoor workbench comprising a flat-top work surface and storage for gardening essentials. It is a dedicated space to help streamline your gardening. The top surface should be equal to or slightly lower than your kitchen counter. A potting table that’s too high will prevent you from being able to see inside of your pots as you work with them. If it's too low, it may cause stooping or back strain.

Potting Bench Materials

When selecting the best potting bench, consider a type of material that is easy to maintain and that complements your patio decor style.

Wood: If you’re after a rustic feel, wood is the way to go. A firm favorite among gardeners, specially treated wood is durable, sturdy, and natural looking. However, dirt and dust can stick to the wood – allowing bacteria, molds, and fungi to grow on the surface – so it's important to clean thoroughly. Although wooden potting benches are usually insect- and sunlight-resistant, we recommend painting yours annually for added protection and to extend its life-span. Keep in mind, wooden potting tables are the heaviest of all, making them more difficult to move around once setup.

Steel: Most commonly made of stainless or galvanized steel, these are the best potting benches for an industrial look. Long-lasting and easy to maintain, steel doesn’t soak up water and can be cleaned with a quick hose-down. It’s important to remember that steel is prone to rust, so make sure to dry your steel potting table completely after cleaning. Because these potting tables are lighter than wood but still somewhat cumbersome to move around, try to place them in a semipermanent position. The initial cost of installing a steel potting bench may be higher at first, but this is considered a one-time expense due to its resistance to rot and decay, resulting in less maintenance. The surface is also easy to slide pots across, for easy transplanting.

Plastic Potting Tables: Plastic is the most affordable and lightweight material of all the potting benches. It is easy to move around and requires less upkeep than wooden benches. The plastic/vinyl coating only needs to be hosed down and wiped dry. Unfortunately, plastic potting tables tend to have a shorter life-span because they are often not as durable or able to support as much weight as other bench materials.

Tip!

It’s important to ensure the base of your potting bench is sturdy enough to hold the weight of your heavier pots and fertilizers.

Potting Bench Features

The best potting bench needs to meet all of your gardening needs. Whether you pot or transplant often, grow seedlings, or trim regularly, you will want all of your tools within easy reach.

Cabinets: Cabinets easily neaten your work area, especially great if you want to keep certain items (like the unsightly trash can) hidden. Preserve your garden tools with organized storage. A lockable cabinet is a great way to keep little hands from getting hold of any pesticides or other products they shouldn’t have access to.

Paintable/Stainable Potting Benches: If you want to customize your potting table, why not choose a paintable/stainable option? You can stain the wood to your liking or even paint the potting bench in a bold color to make it a standout feature. Remember to seal the paint after it dries to make sure it can withstand the elements and regular cleaning.

Shelves: Shelves provide multiple tiers of storage. Be sure to place items you use regularly at the front of the shelves to make them more easily accessible. A potting table with various shelves is especially useful because of the large array of tools and equipment they can hold. It’s even possible to add additional storage with baskets, mason jars, and hooks where you can hang your tools.

Sink Basins: A basin is a fantastic potting bench feature which aids the cleaning process. Choose from a variety of water-access options. The most costly option is to attach the sink directly to your plumbing line. The most cost-effective option is a basin that only needs to be filled with a garden hose. And an in-between option is a bench with a faucet. These are filled with the garden hose that is attached to the faucet. Many sink potting tables have removable closed tubs for easy cleanup. Once the tub has collected your excess soil and debris, you can remove and empty it in the garden. A sink gives you fast water access without the need to run to and from the nearest tap.

Tip!

If you are entertaining outdoors, fill your potting bench basin with ice and drinks and enjoy!

Assembled Potting Tables: Make both your gardening and the installation of your potting bench easier by opting for an assembled potting bench. Take away the hard work and get straight to gardening.

Whatever your preferences are, a potting bench will prune away your worries and add that extra green to your thumb.