Building a Potting Table

The garden season announces itself in myriad ways, from warming breezes that entice trees to bud and bloom to mailboxes stuffed with seed catalogs. No matter where you live, take advantage of your gardening downtime to put your gardening affairs in order.

Made from weatherproof, pressure-treated lumber, this easy-to-build potting table is spacious enough for serious gardening, yet is portable.

Photo Credit: ©Dolezal Publishing/Hildebrand Design

You can build this table in just one weekend.

Photo Credit: ©Dolezal Publishing/Hildebrand Design

If you’re like many home gardeners, gardening is a hobby that plans around – or through – all available space: basements, garages, toolsheds and the like. Organize your pastime by using the off-season downtime to construct a potting table.

If growing annuals, perennials and veggies is a large-scale activity for you, make sure the potting table is broad enough to bear several pots and trays of nursery starts; however, if your gardening is restricted to a small space, select a more compact table. Open shelving and convenient drawers are useful for storing materials when not in use, as are hanger hooks for trowels, forks and dibbers.

Planning for the garden season extends your enjoyment of the hobby, and saves work down the line. You’ll benefit from your efforts expended in anticipation of the time when sprouts are burgeoning. A potting table provides a convenient spot in the garden to transplant seedlings, clean containers, mix fertilizer, and perform other messy outdoor tasks. Many excellent models are offered for purchase at retail stores, but building your own custom table is a perfect weekend project. To make your potting table, gather your materials and take the steps shown in the following pictures and described in their captions.

Materials