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The green roof is a growing trend in the US and worldwide. This modern gardening method presents both benefits for ecology and the style of your house. In this guide by Bumper Crop Times gardening experts, you will learn the most important steps to install a green roof on your house. Follow this quick instruction to make sure that your house is ready for a transformation.
Choose the Right Green Roof Type
You can choose from 3 types of green roofs. The intensive type allows you to grow large plants that need from 7 to 24 inches of planting mediums. Such gardens usually require more maintenance and load your house roof the most. Set it if you want to grow perennials, trees, and shrubs.
Extensive green roofs are up to 5 inches thick and can be installed on the majority of roofs. In most cases, gardeners grow self-sustaining plants on such roofs, so that they don’t need frequent maintenance. It’s a good choice for broad slopes and flats that aren’t easy to reach. It’s perfect for several types of grass, sedums, mosses, and succulents.
The hybrid green roof broadens the list of plants that you can grow due to a 5-7-inch layer of soil. Choosing this type, you should be ready for medium maintenance and rare watering, which means that you need simple access to the roof. This type lets you plant perennials, sedums, shrubs, grass, and herbs.
Find Roof Examinator
First of all, you should find a professional who can ensure that the roof of your house is strong enough for the green roof installation. That’s where your green roof type choice matters the most. While the primary layers of all types are the same, the requirements for extensive and extensive treatment can differ. By the way, you can contact your state Department of the Environment to check out if they have any green roof subsidies.
Layer One
For the first layer, you need a special membrane to protect your roof from water and roots. If you can’t find the special material, you can use a heavy-duty pond liner as it will provide the same level of protection.
Set Frame
Next, you have to install a containment frame that will make the water collected by the roof to run down the gutter. To avoid clogs, set a layer of stones and pebbles to prevent vegetation from gathering on the edges.
Add Substrate
Depending on the type of green roof you need, you have to add a substrate layer. The thickness varies from 2,7 to 8 inches. Make sure that it’s thick enough for your plants. To avoid undesired plants, use the standard green roof substrate mixture. It consists of 30% of organics and 70% of inorganics. It’s also an excellent way to make the entire deck lighter.
Time to Plant
The easiest way is to buy a green roof seed mixture and plant seeds equally around the roof. You can also plant pre-vegetated mats with lawn, and plug young trees and bushes to let them settle in.
Admire!
Now provide proper treatment to all the plants that you planted, and soon you’ll be able to admire your environmentally-friendly roof. If you need more gardening tips, visit BumperCropTimes.com and don’t lose the passion for gardening!
