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Garden sheds for california?

Kim Ladin
14 years ago

I'm trying to plan a garden shed for my urban Bay Area garden (mostly vegetables, fruit, & natives), and I'm wondering... do I really need the traditional enclosed, four-sided affair? It's not like it gets that cold here, or that I need a major greenhouse operation. What about just a shelter with roof and a couple of walls for storage? Thoughts? Pix?

Thanks!

Kim in Campbell, CA

Comments (10)

  • deep___roots
    14 years ago

    If you have rafters that extend from your house, you can attach 2x4s to these to give you a frame for a roof for your shed. The ends of the new rafters can rest on a nearby fence or you can put a couple of posts in the ground. Then you can build sides if you want or shelving off the posts or shelving off the side of your house.
    A cool way to do the roof is to put raised slats on top of the rafters that you can slide bender board slats through so you can make shade (kind of like a lattice). You can add or subtract slats to make more or less shade. Then in Winter you can buy sheets of that hard plastic wavy roofing stuff and put those over the roof frame to keep that area dry and a bit warmer. Just placing some lumber on the plastic sheets will keep them in place and secure from most windstorms.
    Your design depends on what you want to use the area for, and what kind of space you have available.
    Sunset books used to have quite a few books that detailed plans for garden structures like this. Maybe a library might have these old books or others like them.
    Or, I could build you a structure but I'm not cheap! Ha!

  • Kim Ladin
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks! Unfortunately, the shed needs to be freestanding; it won't be against the house. I actually want it to look kind of cute, since it'll be very visible from the house and garden.

    -Kim

  • gardenguru1950
    14 years ago

    Sheds aren't just to protect things from the cold (and, as you hint, compared to Wisconsin, we don't get "cold").

    Sheds are to keep things dry.

    I don't know just how much to actually need to "store dry" nor what else you need to use a shed for but I think what you're looking for is a "work station", essentially a covered area with bench/counter, bins to store potting soil or such, high cabinets/drawers to put handtools and stuff that really needs protection and maybe a self-enclosed "closet" for hanging your long-handled tools.

    Easy to plan, easy to build.

    Joe

  • Kim Ladin
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Joe -- yup, that sounds about right. It's more of a shade/rain shelter and storage thing. And I do need a few cabinets to close stuff in. Eesh, every time I think about what I might need to store, the list just keeps getting longer.

    What do people do for storing soil? I always have random bags of different types & amendments lying around.

  • gardenguru1950
    14 years ago

    Don't "think" about it -- collect ALL the stuff that will go into your new "work area" and bring it to the yard where you want the "work area" to go. Put everything into appropriately practical piles and start drawing squares (or circles?) on the ground to determine pretty darn close to exactly the total amount of space you need and the sub-spaces within that space.

    As for storing soil, there are a gazillion Rubbermaid and such products out there, from heavy-duty trashcans with lids to actual soil storage bins. Take a look at the selection in the storage and trash/garbage departments of Walmart, KMart, Target etc to see what's on sale.

    Joe

  • caavonldy
    14 years ago

    What Joe said. I like keeping my potting soil, sand, peat moss and other loose stuff in plastic garbage cans. You can find them in many different sizes to meet your needs.

  • cebury
    14 years ago

    You mentioned "urban" Bay Area -- before you build anything (esp. the suggestion above about attaching to your own house across to a fence) you might want to check local building codes to make sure it's OK.

    I have no idea what the code is like in the Bay Area, but in my city it's against code to have even a free standing shed in the side yards between houses -- easement. Stupid b/c many people have 'em. I'm not suggesting you get a permit for a covered "workbench". But it just takes a call or two by an unfriendly neighbor and your hard work building it becomes hard work tearing it down to move or modify it.

  • lindasewandsew
    14 years ago

    There's a Greenhouse and Garden Structures forum here on GW that may help. The Empress of Dirt Blog has a Garden Shed Hall of Fame http://gardenshedhalloffame.blogspot.com/ with loads of shed photos. Sorry, you'll have to cut and paste this one. Maybe I'll eventually figure out how to embed a link. Linda

    Here is a link that might be useful: Greenhouse and Garden Structures

  • boozer52
    13 years ago

    I live in an area that rarely gets below 40* and I built a fully enclosed shed to store garden tools. The full enclosure ensures that the tools are protected from the elements (rain, dew, sun), which can rust and deteriate the tools. An additional benefit to the full enclosure is that you don't have to worry about critters (racoons, opposums, rats, etc.) taking up residence.

  • Karen Mickleson
    13 years ago

    Hi, Kim. What I will share with you at the link below is a shed I designed. The guy who built it was a compulsive packrat and made it all from recycled, scavenged redwood.

    The left side has a counter w/sink; a large plastic garbage can on wheels underneath for soil; shelves above to right & behind sink for books and other stuff. The right side is storage place for everything from tools to bags of soil & compost to all manner of foods and watering system supplies. It has a ramp to roll heavy bags up to it in wheelbarrow.

    Outside on one end is a wooden counter I use to keep plants not yet planted and/or do stuff on. It's mostly covered by the roof overhang above. AND, it has a front porch for settin' a spell. I love to sit there in the rocker and watch the rain.

    It was made to fit local regulations of size-without-permit-required, and was placed the correct amount of distance from fences.

    While I love it, I can't say it's all 'necessary'. But having alfalfa and other tasties away from rats in storage is a good thing, gives me more room in my garage, and keeps the ugly mess all to one side, with a pleasant space on the other. He used an old 10-pane glass door on the left side over the sink for a window & gerryrigged it with pull rope so I can open it & view the garden from there.

    If you click above on 'Recycled Rustic Garden Shed', you can see more vantage points as it was built. Each pic can be enlarged by clicking it.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Shed

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