Spring is right around the corner and before you know it, the sound of neighborhood lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, and weed whackers will be the tune of Saturday mornings. Maybe your family goes one step further than regular yard upkeep and landscaping. If you've been pouring over gardening websites, plotting out that perfect spot in the back yard, and can't wait  for that trip to the local nursery for your tomato and bell pepper seedlings, it's time to get your garage in shape for the spring.

Garage Organization Solutions for the Gardener

If you're going to take up gardening, you'll want to do it in style. If you've watched even one home and gardening show, you've no doubt seen the cool potting sheds and gardening rooms you could build, but for most of us living in suburbia this is an unrealistic option. Most backyards have just enough space for a nice vegetable garden, but a greenhouse and potting shed?

Instead of pulling a permit and spending thousands on your new hobby, you can easily create the perfect gardener's space right in your garage. Here's the plan:

-A workbench or potting bench should be your first order of business, especially if you'll be planting starter seeds or doing any degree of repotting. An average size should be about 48 inches wide and 24 inches deep. Potting benches can be ordered prefabricated and all you'll have to do is put it together, or for the handyman you can build your own. 

-Determine the location in your garage. Your gardening area will work best if it's located at the front of the garage along one of the side walls. Since you'll be working with dirt, you'll be sweeping the floor quite a bit, so the location of your bench is important.

-Potting bench shelf. You'll need a small to medium size shelf just above your potting bench for the convenient storage of empty pots, seeds, gloves, small pruning shears and other essentials.

-Sturdy garage shelving should be used for your fertilizers, potting soil, and other items that can attract bugs. Keep these items in a plastic storage bin with a tight fitting lid. There's nothing worse than sticking your potting shovel in a bag of opened soil and pulling out beetles or roaches who have decided to take up residence in the moist, cool soil.

-Treat the outside perimeter of your garage every few months with an insecticide. This will ensure that you aren't creating a home for insects with your new hobby.

-Use garage hooks for your collection of garden tools such as shovels, spades, forks, and hoes. Be sure to keep these tools off the garage floor and clean them occasionally with a stiff bristle brush. Always dry them before storing.

While this is a great start for your new hobby, we do have a word of warning for you. Like any other hobby, gardening is very fulfilling. Over time you'll accumulate more tools, need additional garage shelving, and you'll take over an ever increasing amount of garage space. Keeping your garage organized and clutter free will be your best friend in the days and months ahead. Happy gardening!