Flat Roof

For many years we had a tar and gravel flat roof over the top of our attached garage. There was a door on the second floor of the house that allowed us to walk out onto that roof. A few years ago the roof started to require some repairs. As well I was concerned about heavy wet snow accumulation on the flat roof. We decided to remove the flat roof and put a peaked roof over the garage. The house certainly looks a whole lot better with that new peaked roof. 

Looking back now I can see that the flat roof would have made a good location for some SFG beds. With a south-west exposure the roof warmed up quickly in the Spring but got very hot during the summer. Perhaps we could have turned it into a "green roof". Alas, by the time I came across SFG it was too late to use the flat roof for gardening.

"green roof" WOoohooo!  
Definitely a cool idea and could be fun to play with, but don't feel too bad.  If you were already concerned about heavy snow on the existing roof, think about adding the weight of garden boxes in addition too.  You may have avoided a disaster and in the long run the right call.  It's not advisable to take just any existing flat roof and "convert" it to a garden.  There can be structural "issues".  Some may be "good to go" and the extra weight is no problem, others....

Figured I have something to share about this so here goes.

As zMoore said structural issues should alway be addressed. 

Have a look at these two brochures from the Perlite Institute about green roofs. You may find them interesting. Rooftop gardens are becoming very common in urban areas. Many hotels, hospitals and new construction projects are happening nationwide incorporating these gardens. I think it would be very cool to do if I had the right kind of roof to try myself.

https://perlite.org//library-perlite-info/horticultural-perlite/Gardens-in-Sky_Perlite.pdf

https://perlite.org//library-perlite-info/horticultural-perlite/Gently-on-Roof_Perlite.pdf

Take care,
Mike

I noticed in the second article that for those who like to use some soil in their mix, the ratios are 1/3 perlite, 1/3 peat moss and 1/3 soil with additives.  Now if they would just use 1/3 blended compost . . .

Absolutely. What it will really come down to is what load the roof can bear. Mel's mix would work very nicely with the right structure.

Escaped Lunatic used Styrofoam containers. About as light as one can get.

PVPInd, very interesting articles.  Thanks for sharing!

PVPInd ... thanks for those articles. Very interesting. Maybe worth a try on the patio next to my SFG beds as an experiment.

One of the stadiums has a roof garden. They use black milk crates. Can't remember where it is though... But I bet if you do a search on Youtube, you'd find it.

Fenway in Boston is one stadium with a mil crate roof garden.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/3d45c50b00c6467e8d0b2e03ca9c827f/big-green-monster-cukes-rooftop-garden-thrives-fenway


More info
http://www.instructables.com/id/Milk-Crate-Air-Pot-Square-Foot-Urban-Container-G/

http://modernfarmer.com/2013/08/meet-tom-colicchios-urban-rooftop-farmer/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DcVHVjp8ZI

I bet that's the one I'm thinking of! Thanks, TD!!