Green Roof Growing Medium
It should have good consistent drainage and aeration with a structure that enables it to hold water.
Green roof growing medium. Careful consideration and planning is required during the design phase of a green roof build and a local growth expert should be consulted in order to develop the best system for your needs. The extensive green roof lightweight cost effective and. Green roof substrate has been researched developed blended and improved over several decades. Over a 100m2 green roof with 10cm depth of growing medium the weight saved by using substrate instead of soil is considerable.
These materials are available throughout the west coast of north america. Furthermore it should be made up of a blend of materials that is not too heavy for a roof to support. Lightweight volcanic aggregate such as pumice or lava. It should also be light weight resistant to decomposition and compression and physically and chemically stable.
This of course can be reflected in the cost of building materials. Weight is an. In addition to that green roof media should be able to supply basic nutrients and maintain good porosity for root growth. These grow into the substrate as they mature.
In general the bulk of the water storage in a green roof buildup is in the growing medium. For the best green roof medium the growing media should contain the following. Green roof growing medium is composed of mineral aggregates and only a small amount of organic material. Green roof materials commonly referred to as growing media or soil substrates the growing medium used is an essential part of the green roof system.