How to Install Dirt for a Green Roof Top Garden
Rooftop gardens are becoming more and more common, particularly in urban environments, where their mitigation of the urban heat island effect and energy-saving properties are most desirable. The creation and maintenance of a rooftop garden is about the same as for a traditional garden. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Build the rooftop garden so that it works ergonomically with the design of the rooftop; allow enough room for walkways and drainage. Purchase and install planters first.
Use only planters or systems that have are designed for rooftop gardens, as these will keep water and plants from dying and damaging the building. Before adding dirt, ensure that there is a layer for filtering and draining, a layer of thermal insulation, a plastic sheet to prevent water damage, a draining mechanism and a filtering mechanism. -
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Buy enough dirt and mulch to sustain the plants. Both dirt and mulch that do not contain pesticides or chemicals can be purchased; read the packaging to ensure you are buying the correct kind of dirt to maintain an organic rooftop garden. Some plants will require more dirt than others.
Use only enough dirt to properly sustain the plants, and ensure that the roof on which your garden will be built can withstand the added weight of dirt, water and plants.
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Fill the planters with enough dirt to cover the roots of your plants, varying the amount of dirt used by what each plant needs. Plant similar things near one another to keep the amount of dirt level. Once plants have begun growing, put mulch around them to help with water retention, as rooftop gardens are prone to drying up.
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Utilize the rooftop garden; these gardens can provide you with a source of herbs and vegetables as well as adding beauty and functionality to the roof of a house or building. By reducing the noise of city traffic and the urban heat island effect, green rooftop gardens are not only individually useful, but they provide an environmentally positive effect as well.
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