You’ve decided to try your hand at pot gardening, and you are now faced with the challenge of choosing which potting bench to buy. Pots and pans have come a long way in design, but there are still some aspects of potting that are best left to professionals. If you’re a beginner, don’t be put off by the thought of needing to purchase a potting bench. It is only as difficult as you make it.

The first thing you’ll need to do is choose a potting bench. The size of your pot will largely depend on the size of the potting bench that you decide to buy. A good idea is to take a look around for pots that are the same height or slightly taller than your bench. This will give you the ideal surface to plant your seeds, vegetables or herbs in. Of course, the larger pots will make it easier to keep all your plants healthy, so you may consider investing in one of the larger pots to begin with.

Next you will need to decide what type of potting bench you are going to get. These benches range from plastic, ceramic, terracotta, wooden and many more materials. The most common materials used for potting benches are plastic, clay or terracotta. They are available in various sizes, from small 12cm pots to huge 50cm pots.

If you can’t decide which potting bench to get or how much space is available in your garden, you can always start out small. Try planting a few herbs in pots that are just large enough to hold two cuttings of the same flower. Once you’ve decided on a flower, you can then plant a few vegetables in pots that are a bit larger, such as half way up your potting bench. Once you know what you want to grow, all you have to do is put in a bit of soil and water. Then just cover it up with a bit of dirt and you’re good to go!

One problem that some people have is getting their plants to survive the initial shock of being put into a new pot. When you are buying a pot for your plants, always ask if it comes with shock pads. Simply slip these onto the rim of the pot immediately after purchase. This will help to protect the roots of the plants from the shock of being placed into a new container. Some plants can handle shocks to a certain extent, but others may need them to be especially delicate. So talk to the sales staff about your plants’ tolerance levels before you make your final decision on what type of potting bench to buy.

Once you have your pots and your soil settled in, there are a few other things that you will need to consider for your garden. You will need to get a shovel so that you can easily dig up and move the plants around. It’s very important that the roots do not get damaged. This can easily be done by simply gently shaking the plant out of the pot. If you want to move the plants around easily then get a hand fork or a spade.

When you have decided on where to put your plants, it’s time to fill in your garden with soil. Get some good quality potting soil from a garden centre or a specialist. Make sure you water the soil thoroughly but don’t drown it or else you’ll find your plants taking root in the dirt. Keep your seedlings damp but not submerged.

Once the soil is in place, you’re ready to plant your seeds. You could use a specialist potting bench to grow all of your plants from seed, but you could also choose to plant just a couple of varieties, and then keep your 50cm pot in a cupboard until they flower. When you’re happy that your seedlings are healthy enough to take on their surroundings, you could remove them from the pot and transfer them into a larger container.