Square Foot Gardening Forum
[table bgcolor=#000000 height=275][tr][td]
Roof Top Garden Toplef10Roof Top Garden 1zd3ho10

Hello Guest!
Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum.
There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.

Roof Top Garden I22gcj10Roof Top Garden 14dhcg10

[/td][/tr][/table]

Join the forum, it's quick and easy

Square Foot Gardening Forum
[table bgcolor=#000000 height=275][tr][td]
Roof Top Garden Toplef10Roof Top Garden 1zd3ho10

Hello Guest!
Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum.
There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.

Roof Top Garden I22gcj10Roof Top Garden 14dhcg10

[/td][/tr][/table]
Square Foot Gardening Forum
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.
Search
 
 

Display results as :
 

 


Rechercher Advanced Search

Latest topics
» Strawberry Varieties?
by sanderson Yesterday at 3:57 pm

» Recommended store bought compost - Photos of composts
by sanderson 12/4/2023, 1:27 pm

» Jerusalem Artichoke or Sun Choke
by Scorpio Rising 12/4/2023, 7:09 am

» Mark's first SFG
by sanderson 12/3/2023, 7:33 pm

» Strawberries in MM: to feed or not to feed?
by sanderson 12/3/2023, 7:30 pm

» What Have You Picked From Your Garden Today
by OhioGardener 11/29/2023, 5:36 am

» Senseless Banter...
by sanderson 11/28/2023, 10:31 pm

» N & C Midwest: November/December 2023
by sanderson 11/27/2023, 9:23 pm

» FREE Online SFG Class - November 28, 2023
by sanderson 11/27/2023, 9:21 pm

» Mini-Raised Beds?
by Chuck d'Argy 11/27/2023, 2:14 pm

» Happy Birthday!!
by sanderson 11/26/2023, 10:58 pm

» Name the mystery (to me) seedlings! :-)
by Psdumas 11/25/2023, 12:04 am

» Happy Thanksgiving from the USA
by sanderson 11/23/2023, 1:47 pm

» Guatemalan Green Ayote Squash
by OhioGardener 11/21/2023, 8:27 am

» Kiwi's SFG Adventure
by sanderson 11/20/2023, 2:06 pm

» Seeds 'n Such Early Order Seeds
by sanderson 11/20/2023, 1:13 pm

» USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
by OhioGardener 11/19/2023, 7:12 am

» AeroGarden for starting seeds?
by OhioGardener 11/16/2023, 12:40 pm

» Biochar?
by OhioGardener 11/16/2023, 10:31 am

» 2023 - Updated U.S. Interactive Plant Hardiness Map
by sanderson 11/15/2023, 6:18 pm

» SFG Is Intensive Gardening
by sanderson 11/14/2023, 3:26 pm

» Teaming with Microbes Kindle Sale (Mem. Day weekend 2023)
by markqz 11/10/2023, 12:42 am

» Bok Choy Hors d'oeuvres
by donnainzone5 11/9/2023, 5:58 pm

» Now is the Time to Start Preparing Next Year's Spring Garden
by OhioGardener 11/9/2023, 7:13 am

» Shocking Reality: Is Urine the Ultimate Gardening Hack or Disaster?
by dstack 11/6/2023, 5:29 pm

» Nightmare on Mel Street.
by Scorpio Rising 11/4/2023, 6:37 pm

» Aerogardening
by Scorpio Rising 11/3/2023, 10:02 am

» Sunday All Purpose Organic Garden Nutrients
by lisawallace88 11/3/2023, 9:13 am

» Mid-summer seed sowing, how do you do it?
by KiwiSFGnewbie 11/2/2023, 8:04 pm

» N&C Midwest October 2023
by OhioGardener 11/1/2023, 8:49 am

Google

Search SFG Forum

Roof Top Garden

4 posters

Go down

Roof Top Garden Empty Roof Top Garden

Post  sfg4uKim 9/21/2011, 9:53 pm

I was teaching an Intro class at the local community college this evening and one of my students is a teacher at a very large Catholic school.

One of the things they are considering is a "green roof" and she wants to introduce the idea of an SFG there. I'm "assuming" (yeh, I know what they say about that) they have already had the structure inspected, but she thinks they may want to consider an SFG up there!

I would love some thoughts here. What things do you think I need to ask or make sure they are taking into consideration?

Presumably a structural engineer could give a lbs. per square foot (or some such measurement) that the roof would hold. Of course I could find out how much a raised bed with a bottom would weigh. I could soak 8 cf of Mel's Mix and see how much it weights sopping wet.

BUT how would I estimate the weight of mature plants? For instance watermelons or a full tomato plant?

HELP! LOL

Also, they have a group from the school that goes to Haiti every year and she thinks they'll be interested in introducing SFG there.


____________________________

I have seen women looking at jewelry ads with a misty eye and one hand resting on the heart, and I only know what they're feeling because that's how I read the seed catalogs in January - Barbara Kingsolver - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle


sfg4u.com
FB: Square Foot Gardening 4 U



Roof Top Garden WxBanner?bannertype=wu_blueglass&airportcode=KBWI&ForcedCity=Glen%20Burnie&ForcedState=MD&zipcode=21060&language=EN
sfg4uKim
sfg4uKim

Certified SFG Instructor

Female Posts : 2054
Join date : 2010-09-30
Age : 65
Location : Glen Burnie, MD

http://sfg4u.com

Back to top Go down

Roof Top Garden Empty Re: Roof Top Garden

Post  ModernDayBetty 9/21/2011, 10:33 pm

I'm not sure if it was Urban Homesteading or Mother Earth News but one of the two talked about roof top gardening and suggested self watering containers. It's difficult to get water up to the roof and it helps minimize run off.

I have no personal experience.
ModernDayBetty
ModernDayBetty

Female Posts : 298
Join date : 2011-03-19
Location : Central Washington Zone 7a

Back to top Go down

Roof Top Garden Empty Re: Roof Top Garden

Post  boffer 9/21/2011, 11:58 pm

ksroman wrote:...Presumably a structural engineer could give a lbs. per square foot (or some such measurement) that the roof would hold. Of course I could find out how much a raised bed with a bottom would weigh. I could soak 8 cf of Mel's Mix and see how much it weights sopping wet.

BUT how would I estimate the weight of mature plants? For instance watermelons or a full tomato plant?

Early this year, Furbalsmom did the work for you. Extrapolating from her extra deep box, a 4x4x6 inch box needs 19 gallons of water to saturate the MM. (water is 8 pounds per gallon *closies count in sfg*). Heaviest case is using 2x boards and 3/4 ply. Round up for safety, and call it 250 pounds for a 4x4x6 box of saturated MM ready to plant. Can the roof support two adult men? It will support the box. Realistically, the weight of the veggies doesn't matter.

I would look for reasonably easy access, a water source on the roof, and easy disposal of plant debris at harvest time.

Something to watch for: rooftops can be considerably hotter than standing on the ground. It depends on the type of construction, and whether the space under the roof is insulated or vented.
boffer
boffer

Male Posts : 7392
Join date : 2010-02-26
Age : 70
Location : yelm, wa, usa

http://boffer.us/

Back to top Go down

Roof Top Garden Empty Re: Roof Top Garden

Post  AZDYJ2K 9/22/2011, 12:40 am

If you're worried about weight you can distribute it over a wider area. For example if you had 250 lbs and used four 4"x4" posts to support it, there would be 62.5 lbs of weight on each post (approximately 15 lbs/sq in). However, if the posts rested on a plywood platform then it would distribute the weight over much of the platform. Even if you put it on a frame made of 2x4's that would help distribute the weight.



As Boffer said, if the roof can support 2 men, it can support a box. However, you also need to account for the weight of the person or people working on the box(es).
AZDYJ2K
AZDYJ2K

Male Posts : 169
Join date : 2010-05-28
Location : Chandler, AZ USDA Zone 9A

Back to top Go down

Roof Top Garden Empty Re: Roof Top Garden

Post  Sponsored content


Sponsored content


Back to top Go down

Back to top

- Similar topics

 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum