The difference between a potting shed and a greenhouse is down to how much glass is used in the construction, as well as how the space is intended to be used. Whether you want a useful bit of work space or a glorious sun-trap, the differences between these two buildings informs the key decision you need to make when deciding which you want to be your partner in gardening.
Which is more Useful?
When deciding which is more useful, it really is going to depend on what you’re working on.
A greenhouse is made for growing. Its job is to trap warmth and light so plants can flourish in a controlled microclimate, especially early seedlings, tender crops and anything that prefers consistent temperatures. You can check out our guide to what to grow in a greenhouse if you’d like an idea how many options you have available.
By contrast, a potting shed is made for working. It gives you a sheltered spot for potting up, storing tools, organising compost and seeds and generally keeping the mucky bits of gardening under cover. The workbench makes it much easier to work with your plants and while it does keep the plants warm and gets them light, there is an advantage to
Which is made of the best materials?
Of course, if you’re a little ambivalent on what you want to use it for, you can also go solely off the design, but that’s going to be a bit of a non-starter for us. Both our potting sheds and greenhouses both use 4mm toughened glass and slow-grown spruce with a ten-year guarantee. I’m afraid that we have outstanding quality and fantastic materials for both so this won’t help you with your decision making. Sorry.
Which gets the most Light?
It’s probably not hard to guess which one is going to capture the most sun here. Being made primarily out of glass, a greenhouse will help to trap heat and build the temperature up naturally, which is brilliant for plant growth but requires ventilation management.
The potting shed meanwhile is largely timber with small windows. Light is decent but it’s not optimised for growing. It is more robust for storage and less prone to overheating in the height of summer though. And while we’re on the subject of heat-
Which gets warmer?
No surprises here but more light also = more heat. Greenhouses will, as a rule be warmer and brighter than a potting shed. This makes them a great way to extend the growing season but it does run into the problem that glass is great for acquiring heat but not always the best at retaining it in winter.
Potting sheds will be cooler and drier but still warmer than a normal shed. Better for tools and supplies that prefer stable, low-moisture conditions. You can start a plant off here but you will probably extra lighting or heat if you want strong results. That said, the wood is more likely to hold what heat it does trap so it can be more useful for winter.
Which has the best storage options?
We have somewhere where the potting shed comes out ahead. A greenhouse is primarily a growing space and any storage will quickly be taken up by plants, but we do offer an optional shelf upgrade to help with getting more pots in here.
Meanwhile, the potting shed will have ample storage for tools, fertilisers, pots and equipment. After you add some shelves, benches and hooks, you can make it a practical hub for all the behind-the-scenes gardening work that keeps your garden looking amazing.
So which is the best?
Like we said at the start, best is going to depend on what you’re working on.
Greenhouses are made for growing and are almost essential for certain varieties if you’re growing in the UK, while the potting shed is made for gardening work with a side-hustle in sunlight to help some plants to get up to speed. If you’re primarily looking to help plants with a major amount of heat and sun, a greenhouse is the one for you, if you’re looking for somewhere to work when the weather outside is frightful, you want a potting shed.
Looking for more info on our new Greenhouse range? Check out our Greenhouse Buyer’s Guide and see if it’s the garden assistance you need!
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