Guide
Octabins before the harvest
Harvest bins have to be on site before the first pick. Plan the bins, the storage and the need-by date in that order.
Octabins for squash and pumpkins have to arrive before the first frost, not after it. A grower who waits until the first pick to order has already lost the week. The bins are eight-sided gaylords, usually 46 x 38 x 36 in, 5‑wall or heavy triple wall, with a ventilated partial bottom. Uline lists its 46 x 38 x 36 octagon at 2,200 lb capacity and recommends it for resins, powders and produce.
A harvest calendar
| When | What | On the request |
|---|---|---|
| Late summer | Count the acres, estimate the yield, choose the bin count | Quantity and need-by date |
| Before first pick | Bins on site, off the ground, under cover | Delivery ZIP and access |
| Harvest | Bins fill and stack; check them daily | Storage place and how long |
| After | Empties: sell the dry ones, recycle the rest | Count and condition |
Storage is the limit
A full bin is heavy and the place decides how many can stack. Covered outdoors is the weakest storage place: humidity can pass 85%, where stacking strength often falls to about half. The same bin in a heated shed is far stronger.
| Scenario | Result |
|---|---|
| 5‑wall Grade B, 1,000 lb, covered outdoors, 30 days | Do not stack |
| 5‑wall Grade B, 1,000 lb, heated shed, 30 days | Two high |
| 5‑wall Grade A, 700 lb, covered outdoors, 30 days | Two high |
Tips for growers
- Put the need-by date on the request.
- Ask for ventilated partial bottoms and say how you will keep the bins off the ground.
- Do not fill to the listed capacity if you plan to stack.
- Plan the empties: dry single-trip bins are worth reselling, wet ones are OCC.
The harvest bins page has the request; growers in Carver, Scott and Dakota counties will find their county pages under areas, and produce growers covers the trade.
What to settle in August
The bins for a fall harvest are easiest to find before the first pick, when growers are still counting. Settle three things early: the number, the delivery date and the place they will wait. Bins that arrive a week before the first pick can be stacked and covered; bins that arrive the day of the pick are filled from the truck. Say which you need on the request.
After the season
Bins that finish the season dry can be stacked flat under cover and used again, which is worth planning before the last pick. Bins that finish wet should be spread to dry before they are stored, or they go soft by spring. Say on a sell request which yours are.
Counting your bins
Count full, empty and spare separately, then add a margin for damage on the first run.
Questions, answered
What are pumpkin bins made of?
Octabins: eight-sided corrugated bins, usually 5‑wall or heavy triple wall, sometimes sold as watermelon bins.
Sources and last reviewed
Facts on this page were last reviewed 2026-11-11.
- Uline: 46 x 38 x 36 triple wall octagon bulk bin: A maker's listing for the 46 x 38 x 36 octagon, with capacity, outside size and empty weight.
- AICC: strengthening corrugated against cold weather: Industry guidance on cold weather, condensation between temperature zones, and strength lost over 90 days under load.
- Container Exchanger: the gaylord box guide: A reseller's plain-language guide to gaylord sizes, walls, capacity ranges and bottoms.