Rooftop gardening?

[wifezilla]

I hate seeing all that open space not being used on the top of the house. The roof is new and I am not looking to cover the whole thing in 3 feet of soil so I think if I use containers of some sort I wont have problems with weight.

I did some google searching and found lots of flat roofs designed for patios, etc.. where gardens were added but that is not what I am dealing with.

It is just a slightly sloped roof that I would have to access with a ladder.

So my main challenge would be watering. A wick system maybe?

Anyone doing this? Anyone have any good resources I can check out?

 

[bid]

What type of roofing do you have?

 

[wifezilla]

It's not a flat roof, but the slope is too small for shingles if that makes any sense. There is a type of rolled roofing on top. We had some decking replaced when the new stuff got put on so that is all sound now.

UPDATE: My roofer just stopped by to pay his printing bill so I could get more details. It is a Modified Bitumin Roof.

 

[bid]

Yes it makes sense. I would guess it is an asphalt based rolled roofing.

Interesting use of space/possible project. I have entertained the same idea myself. It just gets too hot here even in spring and I have asphalt shingles. The color of the roof will play a part in how hot the roof will get to a degree (pun intended) I would think the larger the containers you could use, the better any plants would stand a chance of surviving. Of course then you get into how do you get the planters and soil off the roof. Up is usually easy, down is what can sometimes get a bit difficult. Additionally, asphalt based roofing isn't designed to be walked on a great deal, so bear that in mind.

I am not saying don't try it, but maybe try it on a limited basis with some heat loving, drought tolerant plants. I don't know how hot it gets there but you might find you are having to try and water several times a day. That being said, it occurs to me that it might be the solution you have been looking for to grow something like that. Are you thinking of growing Korean Purple sweet potatos on the roof?

 

[wifezilla]

Actually the driveway area is where I put my sweet potato containers. They weigh a lot so I wouldn't put those on the roof.

I was thinking peppers. Peppers LLLLOOOOOVVEEEE the heat. My roof is a light grey so it isn't a furnace or anything but it can get pretty toast up there.

I think the safest thing for me to do is to try maybe 6-12 hot pepper plants over the back porch. That way even if the whole darn thing collapses (which it wont ) a leaky roof wont be a problem.

I can easily reach that with the hose sprayer.

Any containers I use would have to have some kind of reservoir to keep it from drying out.