How to Start a Roof Vegetable Garden

Adding a roof garden to your home can be a wonderful way to incorporate nature and beauty to your living space. Before you begin picking out plants to add to your garden, you must first plan out critical details for the structure of your garden. Below are some steps that should be considered when beginning a roof garden.

• Before starting your roof garden design, you must first contact local zoning officials to figure out the size of your roof and if it is appropriate for a garden. You will need information on weight limits. You have to consider structural modifications as well as any preparations that must be done.

• Before you start any kind of design, hire a contractor to scope out the roof to make sure that it is suitable for a garden. There is the possibility of size or weight limitations.

• Use graph paper to sketch the design of your roof garden including all of the layers necessary to complete construction. It is important to make sure that your roof is waterproofed. You need a moisture blanket to retain drainage and also a layer of protection on top of the waterproofing.

• You will need materials that are lightweight. Examples of lightweight materials are foam and plastic. In order to know how much material is needed, you must measure the area of space that will be used for the roof.

• Because rooftops are windier area you will need windbreaker. Try using anything that will slow down the amount of wind that travels through the rooftop. To have a properly functioning roof garden, you must have a water system for the garden. Try using an automated watering system for roof gardens.

Vegetables to Include

• Beans

• Onions

• Tomatoes

• Peas

• Lettuce

Tips

• It is best to create a roof garden on a roof that is reasonably flat and able to support a lot of weight. Remember that wet soil weighs more than dry soil. Keep that in mind when planning how much weight your roof can take.

• Try using a thermoplastic material to waterproof your roof so that you do not have water leakage through your ceiling.

• Be sure that your roof has some type of slope. This is necessary for proper drainage of water.