Smarter, healthier, and more productive nurseries – that’s a daily theme we hear from our customers! We admire the industry’s dedication to these goals, and it’s our priority to help them achieve it.
One of the answers lies in a well-designed Benching System.
Fine-tuning your greenhouse operation or nursery with a smart benching system will elevate your results, quite literally! From space efficiency to healthier plants and smarter workflow, we have seen a real increase in growers raising their growing systems and enjoying the comfort of working at hip height, along with its many other merits for plant health.
Why Use a Benching System?
Benching isn’t just about getting plants off the ground. It’s about transforming the way they (and you) grow.
- Maximise growing area: Better use of floor space means more plants per square metre.
- Healthier plants: Improved airflow and drainage help prevent fungal issues and root rot.
- Cleaner and more uniform crops: Raising plants above ground reduces contamination and encourages consistent growth.
- Better ergonomics: A comfortable working height saves your back and increases efficiency for tasks like pruning, fertilising, or potting.
- Simplified pest management: Easier to spot and isolate problems before they spread.
- Improved wind protection: Especially important for outdoor benches. Our Smartgro system can cradle wind-prone pots by removing a mid-section cross bearer.
We are committed to stocking a wide range of bench systems, from plastic, rolling, heated and galvanised, and you may be curious about the best solution for your operation. In this article we look at the merits of each system. As always, we’d be very happy to talk through your options, so please just get in touch if we can help.
Cost-effective Smartgro Benching System
The Smartgro Benching System is a cost-effective, lightweight, and modular solution designed with NZ nurseries in mind. It’s quite a portable system, making it perfect for seasonal setups or permanent installations because it can be easily dismantled, moved, or stored when not in use.
- Use directly on the ground or mount on optional steel legs
- Made from UV-stabilised, durable plastic
- Semi-permanent, easy to dismantle and store, and light enough to move around
- Easy to clean for a more hygienic growing environment
Plastic Benching Tops
Our Plastic Bench Tops pair perfectly with the Smartgro frame or other setups, these interlocking trays are built for simplicity and hygiene – with no protruding wires or sharp metal to worry about.
- Clip-free interlocking design
- Easy to clean and disinfect
- Designed to withstand NZ conditions
- Great for a simple upgrade throughout your nursery
Watch Kevin Farrell who is making the most of the plastic bench tops at GrowHQ.
“We’re using the tabletops for our germination and find them easy to put together, we can build the tops ourselves – just clip them together and there you go. I find them durable and a quick way to get tables set up,” says Kevin.
Rolling Bench Systems
Ideal for medium to large greenhouses, our Rolling Bench Systems maximise space while minimising labour. These modular benches move sideways to create aisles only where needed, significantly increasing usable growing space.
Made with welded aluminium profiles and protected roller bearings, these benches are built for performance, safety, and longevity. Available pre-welded or in flat-pack kits to suit your space and budget.
Annton Nurseries are one of the largest wholesale nursery operations in NZ and Monique is the Team Leader for propagation. Watch how she’s putting the rolling benches to good use at Anntons.
“The reason we chose this product was because of their durability and they’re easy to use. For us the biggest impact they’ve had on the business is that they allow us to maximise space capacity, provide airflow beneath the prop trays, and reduce any risk of potential floor bound diseases.” Adds Monique.
Galvanised Steel Benches
A fantastic heavy-duty, modular solution for greenhouses.
Our Galvanised Rolling Bench Kits are designed to fit most standard-sized NZ greenhouses. Each bench can hold 16 seedling trays (540L x 300W). The leg stand supports are designed to be bolted down for stability.
- Transfer trolley carts for moving benches onto any row and easy loading and unloading.
- The benches are 800mm off the ground for a comfortable working height.
- Easy to self-install, or we can provide this service for you.
Heated Bench Systems
If you’re ready to take your propagation game to the next level, our greenhouse heated systems can be completely tailored to suit your operation. Heated benching supports faster germination, stronger roots, and greater success rates in crops like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, ornamentals, and more.
Our range allows you to choose:
- In-Bench Heating – Delivers heat directly to the potting media for root-zone efficiency
- On-Bench Heating – Designed to sit on top of benches for easy retrofitting
- Under-Bench Heating – Heats the air below plants, letting warmth rise naturally
- Water-Heated Tubing – Proven, energy-efficient, and ideal for propagation
Our team can help from concept to installation, ensuring you get the right solution for your growing needs and energy usage goals.
Ready to level-up?
Whether you’re looking for a simple, portable setup or a highly efficient rolling or heated system, we’ve got the gear and the guidance to get you growing smarter. Let us help you choose the right benching solution for your site, crops, and future goals.
Get in touch to discuss your benching needs today.
