Tips for Rooftop Growers (1)

Photograph by Irene Mason

When you start your rooftop garden there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, it can get hot up there so you'll need to select plants that can withstand some heat, especially if there is no overcast from other buildings or structures. You might also want to place your plants on mats so that the roots don't get too hot. My roof can get very hot during the day. In addition to the heat up on the roof there's also a lot of sun. If there's no shady part of the day you can burn your plants leaves. Even some of my tropicals have been known to get too much of it up top so put them on a mat and keep an eye on your plants. Some will be less tolerant of the conditions than others. With these two factors in mind you can be sure being mindful of the plants' water need is a must. Plants can dry out quite quickly on a roof so you'll need to check them daily just to be sure they aren't dry. Plants whose leaves cover most of the pot will dry out much more slowly than those who have exposed soil, which is another thing to keep in mind when selecting your plants.

Photo by Stephanie of Literally Organized

Secondly, it's your roof not a back yard, stoop or any other ground-level structure so you want to keep things on the lighter side. I like using plastic pots with bark chips in the bottom rather than rocks as you've maybe seen from my how-to articles. Packing peanuts are another good alternative, especially since Styrofoam is so environmentally damaging and not recyclable in many areas. There is also a product out called Better Than Rocks, which is specifically designed for lighter gardening. Now with the pots themselves if you go for the ceramic look and/or need very large pots you can have your cake and eat it too with a company called Southern Patio. They make high-density resin pots that look just like ceramic but are very light. The Home Depot carries them and the prices range anywhere from $10 to $40 depending on the size you buy. You can also just do a basic Google search for resin pots and a ton will show up from Amazon and various other sources.

That's it for now! So go start a rooftop garden and help make good use of your rain water and runoff, save on cooling costs and filter your air!