Lightweight Soil For Roof Gardens

Normally used at depth of 8 12 inches.

Lightweight soil for roof gardens.

Rooflite extensive the ideal growth medium for extensive green roof systems with hardy and drought tolerant vegetation. Criteria for growing media for roof top gardening. Rooflite offers a full line of lightweight soil products meticulously engineered for a diverse range of green roof applications and designed to optimize green roof performance. Fourth keep in mind that your rooftop garden will be considerably windier than a normal garden.

Dry and saturated weights of growing medium components. The high proportion of leca light expanded clay aggregate reduces density and enhances drainage characteristics. Use styrofoam peanuts for drainage rather than rocks or pottery shards. Supports growth of ground covers perennials ornamental grasses shrubs trees.

Soil mix for your rooftop garden must be lighter than a regular soil mix but only lightweight soil can t solve all the issues. Amber freda home garden design. These materials are available throughout the west coast of north america. This 6th floor pre war rooftop garden had weight restrictions of 35 pounds per square foot.

Specially made rooftop garden soil generally contains a highly engineered blend of minerals and organic matter that is genetically designed to be lightweight retain water and ensure proper drainage. Use lightweight potting soil rather than garden dirt. If your garden area receives enough rainwater during the growing season and the average rainfall ratio is higher you would need a soil mix that dries out quickly. Lightweight soil is a blend of screened sandy loam 40 coir 20 pas100 green compost 20 and leca 4 10mm 20.

Unless you have a lot of space to create your own compost system a lightweight soil specifically made for green roofs is ideal. The loam complies with bs 3882 2007 and is screened to 10mm. Lightweight volcanic aggregate such as pumice or lava. We designed around the weight restrictions by using lightweight potting soil and putting a false bottom inside the planters to reduce total soil volume.

Lightweight intensive roof garden soil. For the best green roof medium the growing media should contain the following. These aggregates make a good basis for a growing medium. There have some other factors to be considered.

You will need to incorporate windbreaks into your rooftop garden design.