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Home » Gardening » The Wrap Around Potting System.

The Wrap Around Potting System.

Published : November 9, 2016

8 Comments

Wrap Around Potting System.

Wrap Around Potting System.

My life of potting benches truly has involved.  For years and years I used a “Legless Potting Bench” and I pretty much made that bench famous when I shared it online so many years ago.  That started with me resting one end of the bench on my potting soil pile and supporting the other end with a saw horse or a few concrete blocks stacked up.

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Mike's Famous

Mike’s Famous “Legless Potting Bench.

That worked well because back then I did everything pretty much by hand and had to shovel the potting soil on to the bench by hand.  So having one end of the bench actually sitting on the pile of potting soil that made loading the bench pretty easy.

A new potting system at Mike's Plant Farm, Perry, Ohio

A new potting system at Mike’s Plant Farm, Perry, Ohio

When I started My New Nursery one of the first things I did was build myself a new legless potting bench.  But this time I made a stand for it to sit on since I now had a tractor to load the bench.  But moving that thing around was a chore so I actually made it Mobile by Putting Wheels Under it.

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https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/rsz_dsc_0001.jpg

Mike’s Legless Potting Bench on Wheels.

But I had a couple of problems.  Loading that small bench with a tractor was tricky, it was really easy to load it too heavy in the back and the bench would just flip over.

Secondly, it really wasn’t big enough for two or more people.

So this spring I decided to build my “Wrap Around Potting System that you see here.

The Wrap Around Potting System.

The Wrap Around Potting System.

This new bench system is right up front in the nursery where customers mill around and check out and pay for their plants.  I felt that was important for a couple of reasons.

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1.  We can work and still keep an eye on the cash register and the check out area.

2.  I think it’s important that when customers come to our nursery they “Get the Feel” that this is an actual working nursery, not just a retail garden center where plants come in on a truck from who knows where and get set out for sale.

People are curious and they like to see what we are doing on any given day when they show up.

3.  And of course this potting system is just a few feet away from The Donkey Pen and Finnegan and Fergus love to watch us work and they bray occasionally letting us know that they haven’t had a snack in a while.

Finnegan and Fergus sunbathing.

Finnegan and Fergus sunbathing.

The day that I took these photos I wanted to get up high to get some good shots and I looked over and caught the donkeys sun bathing.  When it’s cool but sunny they find a spot where they can just soak up the sun.

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You can tell that this is an early spring day because we haven’t even set any plants out for sale yet.  By late April this area is surrounded with beautiful plants awaiting eager buyers.

We can’t talk about potting benches and not mention potting soil.  Lots of folks have questions about the potting soil that we use So You Can Check Out My Secret Potting Soil Recipe Here.

Not only is this potting system right under an oak tree that provides some shade while work but it is also covering up a great big stump from a wild cherry tree that we had to cut down.  You can see the stump under the middle bench.

This potting system is basically made up of three of my legless potting benches connected together with four by fours as legless.  Pretty simple really.

I made a movie about how to build a “Legless Potting Bench” you can see that here;

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As you can see I took most of these photos before we started using and “dirtied up” this new potting system.

Pam McGroarty loading potting benches at Mike's Plant Farm.

Pam McGroarty loading potting benches at Mike’s Plant Farm.

Pam is loading the benches for the first time and she hates it when I take pictures of her in work attire, hair askew!  You know, it’s a girl thing.

Loading the potting bench.

Loading the potting bench.

 

And now it's time to go to work!

And now it’s time to go to work!

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So there you have it!  The Wrap Around Potting System.  If you have questions or comments just post them below.

P.S.  I am writing this the day after the 2016 Presidential Election and The Donkeys would like to Thank You for Your Support in Their Bid for the White House.

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Comments

  1. Bruce says

    April 4, 2020 at 5:15 pm

    Tell your wife that a woman running a tractor is a beautiful thing! I’d take that over fancy hair and makeup any day. Dirt under the nails is the sign of a good woman, not nail polish! Lol

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 5, 2020 at 10:17 am

      Bruce,

      I agree 100%.

      Reply
  2. John says

    April 26, 2017 at 3:48 pm

    Mike, which Kubota is that? Trying to figure out a proper size Kubota for my small growing operation/farm

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 26, 2017 at 5:49 pm

      John,

      37 Horse, I think the L3700. Great machine, perfect size for me. We cleared the entire nursery with it, see this video, https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2011/07/mikes-new-nursery-from-the-beginning/

      Reply
  3. Monique Joyal says

    November 14, 2016 at 10:35 am

    I have a question and cannot find your blog. I need an answer soon before my husband burns down any more trees!!! My husband thinks it’s a good idea to burn a tree stump or tree, then dig a hole, spread the burnt tree pieces and ashes in the hole and then plant the fruit tree in that hole right next to the burnt tree stump because the burnt wooden pieces and ash are good for the tree???!!! Is this true??

    Reply
    • Mike says

      November 15, 2016 at 6:59 am

      Monique,

      For the most part wood ashes are considered good for the soil, many people put them in their gardens or compost piles. They tend to be a bit alkaline which is fine because most soil is a bit on the acid side. I consider them for neutral than anything, pretty much harmless.

      Reply
  4. Eddie Wilson says

    November 11, 2016 at 8:20 am

    Mike
    Nice bench. Like you I decided to put my potting area under the oak trees for shade while working.
    Well…Then the acorns started falling….probably a semi load, most I’ve ever seen fall in one year! I’ve dumped raked ,blown and raked again. I’ve decided to not charge for the oak seedlings! Just kidding!
    Lots of extra work for me, but worth it in the summer.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      November 11, 2016 at 5:37 pm

      Eddie,

      Yeah, that could be an issue during acorn season.

      Reply

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