Collection: Staging

What Greenhouse Staging Is

Greenhouse staging is tiered benching built for growing rather than storage. Surfaces are slatted or mesh so water drains straight through and air circulates around each pot, and tiers hold trays at different heights so seedlings sit close to the glass.

The difference from ordinary shelving is the surface and the height. Staging is set at working level and built to be wet; shelving is set above working level and usually built to be dry.

Why Drainage and Airflow Matter

Pots standing on a solid surface sit in whatever water runs out of them. That keeps the base of the compost saturated and creates a layer of still, humid air across the bench, which is precisely the condition that damping off and botrytis need.

A slatted or mesh top removes both. Water falls through and air moves underneath, and the difference in losses among seedlings is noticeable within a season.

Types

• Single tier benching gives a working surface at standing height for potting and sowing.
• Multi tier units stack two or three levels, using height to multiply capacity in a small footprint.
• Modular systems can be reconfigured as the house is used differently through the year.

Multi tier staging is the efficient choice in a small house, though the upper tier shades the lower one. Put the shade tolerant plants underneath rather than fighting it.

Material and Load

Aluminium resists the damp better than untreated timber and needs no maintenance at all. Treated timber looks warmer and is easier to modify. Powder coated steel is stiff and heavy enough to stay put.

Check the load rating before filling a tier with wet containers. Full pots weigh considerably more than most people expect, and a long run adds up quickly.

Planning It Before Assembly

Staging is sized for standard house widths, so a run can be planned before the frame goes up. Retrofitting around an established layout is harder than setting it out from the start.

Leave the path clear enough to work along. Above ten square metres it should take a barrow; below that, enough to pass with a watering can in each hand. For a dedicated potting surface, a potting table or bench keeps compost off the growing tiers, and wall mounted shelving adds capacity above without taking floor.