When space is limited, having the ability to grow your own food requires some ingenuity. You can find all types of different plans and ideas for gardening when land is in short supply, such as stacked beds and vertical planters. Some people completely do away with their manicured lawns and replace them with garden beds, or perhaps implement edible landscaping for a less extreme effect.
While these ideas are all great, especially for the urban homesteader, there is one place that is often overlooked despite it offering a sizeable space for plants — the roof! Homeowners can literally use the roof above their heads as additional space for garden beds. Apartment owners may find this trickier but don’t worry, more and more commercial and residential buildings are using their roofs to grow ornamentals and edibles.
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Why They Are Beneficial
Green roofs offer so many benefits that it’s a bit surprising they aren’t more popular in the United States. Here are some of the main reasons why a living roof is a great idea, aside from having more gardening space:
Increases the longevity of a roof by two to three times.
Provides excellent insulation, so you will save money on air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter.
Helps control flooding and water damage during heavy rains.
Offers wildlife more habitat and natural food sources.
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Types of Green Roofs
There are three classifications that you’ll commonly hear when reading about green roofs:
Extensive: These roofs are very low maintenance and often used for aesthetics and to conserve energy in the home. Extensive roofs don’t use any special irrigation and aren’t very deep in terms of soil build-up. These roofs are the most expensive to set up, ideal for a wide range of pre-built homes, but aren’t suitable for food production. Generally, you will use different mosses, grasses and herbs.
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Creating a Green Roof
The amount of planning and designing you’ll need for your green roof depends on the type needed and what you wish to achieve with it. While some people put up a sod roof in a weekend, unless you are familiar with architecture or construction and know that your roof can support the weigh, you need to consult a professional. The last thing you would want is a failed green roof along with a structurally damaged house.
…………You’ll need to take into consideration that plants growing up on a roof will be dealing with hotter temperatures and more sun that plants on the ground. For this reason, some people choose to grow only drought-hardy plants that require full sun.
Other Related Articles:
- 3 Ways To Grow Your Garden Up
- 9 Tips To Help Optimize Your Limited Garden Space
- Video – How To Grow organic Herbs On A Patio In One Month
Article Source: Off The Grid News
Image Source: The Maisonette