Growing Plants On Your Roof

Plants can t grow without moisture.

Growing plants on your roof.

If you re considering a rooftop garden there are a couple of directions you could go in. Monarch caterpillars will eat the foliage of this plant so don t worry if you spot a few holes in the leaves. An all purpose soil less peat free potting mix is fine for growing herbs and other edibles but mix in plenty of perlite to both improve drainage and save on weight. When roof drains scuppers and gutters are blocked by environmental debris and growing plants they cannot divert water away and ponding water and or leaks are likely.

Fully planted green roofs where the roof is covered with soil and the plants are in the ground make great environmental sense but they are too difficult for homeowners to undertake on their own. Rooftops are tough place for plants. If water isn t draining off your roof properly there s an opportunity for seeds to germinate. Now comes the growing medium which for a sedum roof should be at least 8cm 3in deep and for a roof of wildflowers herbs salad and strawberries at least 15cm 6in deep.

When choosing plants for a green roof they need to be able to withstand wind and frost be drought resistant tolerate living in poor soil and be maintenance free. Tropical milkweed 7 joyful. Also be careful when handling this plant because the milky sap can irritate skin. Options for your rooftop garden.

It needs a regular watering schedule but is otherwise wonderfully low care. Finally moving onto installing the growing stuff. They re vulnerable to intense heat cold wind and drought plus they can t support a lot of weight so the plants need to grow in just a few inches of. Meadow saxifrage saxifraga granulata erupts in snow white blooms between april and june and the kidney shaped leaves offer a stunning display for a green roof the plants grow up to 50 cm tall offering volume to your home.

To 3 feet or more. Hardy in zones 5 9 the evergreen brightens corners on a rooftop garden or works well with other plants in container combinations. Extremely slow growing the evergreen will reach only 3 feet tall at its mature height. Green roof plants should also be attractive and offer food and.

Lay out the bark on the roof this is another layer of damp goodness to stop the soil drying out too much when buying the bark make sure its not chemically treated to stop weeds etc as this will not be good for the plants. Plant in well drained soil. Green roof plants need to be chosen with care however as not all plants are suitable for growing in this way.