A "Green Roof" Eco-Friendly Garden Can Be a Mini Grocery Store of Organic Produce

Before a roof-top garden can be planned, the building must pass an inspection from a qualified professional to determine the strength of the structure. Roof-top gardens will need a strong, weight-bearing structure to be safe. After approval of all those involved, let the fun begin.

Roof-top gardens supply good food to the grower and his family!

Imagine going to your rooftop garden and picking your own vine-ripened tomato or fresh lettuce and chives for a salad. It can be done. This garden starts with a first layer that covers the complete roof and guards against leaks. Gravel or other material makes up the second layer and is necessary for drainage. The final layer is made up of a lightweight soil-mix at the correct depth for plant growth and support. The roof-top garden is the eco-friendly layered insulator that will work to help prevent heat loss in winter and an added cooling effect in summer.

A roof-top eco-friendly container garden!

This grower's project can be made with various assorted plastic or wood containers - even a child's plastic swimming pool can be a mini-garden full of herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and more.

Scientists and the mini-plant!

Scientists have produced smaller growing vegetable plants with the idea of the container gardener in mind. Look for those special "pot patio" tomatoes that grow well and produce in containers. These are the plants full of yellow blooms and maybe even a tiny tomato that can be seen in the first spring garden-center sales.

Botanical balcony garden - eco-friendly food source!

Balcony gardens are energy efficient and easy to care for with little required maintenance. Consider first the weight of the containers, required soil, water access and drainage. Even a small balcony can be turned into a botanical dream garden with a few growing containers full of herbs or vegetables suitable for this type of small gardening. Envision the finished view from inside the home and plan on space for walking around and enjoying the plants.

The winter season is the perfect time to start researching the grower's catalog for ideas on those vegetable seeds that have been produced for the container gardener. The growing season is never far away for the serious gardener and by the time the orders are placed and the tiny seedlings are growing green in the butter bowls, it's time for transplanting and spring growing - and include the children. You're never too young to learn about eco-friendly gardening and growing your own pesticide and chemical-free food.

Sources:

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/urban/rooftop-gardening-for-city-dwellers.htm
http://www.hgtv.com/gardening/how-to-grow-a-balcony-garden/index.html
http://lifeonthebalcony.com/