Everyone with a hobby accumulates stuff. My wife likes to sew. She has a sewing machine, fabric, ribbon, thread and, of course, a pile of projects yet to be completed.
Gardeners are no different, as we can quickly collect a myriad of things such as tools, pots, chemicals, seeds and so much more. Of course, being a guy, I also collect power tools to aid in my gardening passion.
Finding a place for all this stuff is next to impossible. The garage can quickly overflow with all these gardening supplies. So where does a gardener store all this stuff that is so vital? Outside is a great place to store items that can withstand moisture, summer heat and freezing.
When storing gardening equipment and supplies outside, you should give careful consideration as to the location. A pile of pots, bags of extra compost or other items can quickly look like the local landfill. Many yards are limited on space and out-of-sight spots to stash stuff.
For years I attempted to hide my stuff behind a couple of large Rose of Sharon shrubs. That worked so-so during the summer. But in the dead of winter, it was not very pleasant to look out of the kitchen window and see the supplies piled up behind leafless shrubs.
I seldom have original ideas, so taking a cue from several Extension Master Gardeners I decided to carve out my own storage space in the landscape. I created an outdoor room for storage. This is a perfect idea that many can use.
The outdoor storage area is not a shed, which may violate neighborhood regulations. I used screening to create my “room.” The walls can be made from plant material, or better yet, fencing. The secret to making this room is tying the walls into some other feature. For me it was easy to purchase two panels of pre-made fencing from the local lumberyard. I then sectioned off a corner of my privacy fence in a part of the yard not visible from the house.
The screening does not always have to be in a corner. I have seen Extension Master Gardeners use a screen of fencing materials in the back of the property and out from the property line, like a curtain. This short wall then provides the needed space to hide away your gardening supplies. A nice garden bed can then be created in front of the screen.
These screening projects do not have to be expensive, and require little time when compared to the amount of time spent looking for a place to put the gardening items. When approaching this project look at the landscape from the inside out and find a location where the screen will have the least impact, and then go for it.
After a brief trip to the hardware store I am now armed with hooks for hoses, totes for potting soil and unused pots. I even rigged up an old table-like structure to use as a potting bed.
Fall is an excellent time to take stock of all the gardening supplies and for finding the perfect spot to store them. The time, energy and money will be well spent, as the gardener’s room will come in handy for years to come.
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