Rooftop Gardening Blog

Creating Rooftop Gardening Spaces

As the weather is getting warmer and we start the design process for creating a rooftop garden, spend some time getting inspired by other rooftop garden spaces and look at different ways you plan to use the space.  If you rooftop garden is large enough, try to create different rooms or vignettes and break up the space.  I’ve divided my rooftop garden into several sections.  I have a “Living Room” with a couch, chair and table under a pergola, a “Dining Room” with a table, 4 chairs, and canopy, a “Relaxation Space” with a lounge chair and table next to my fountain and trees, a greenhouse for my vegetables, and a greenhouse for my plants.  Each of these spaces are not screened off but I’ve strategically located plants to define areas.   They about using the space for a  Jacuzzi, a cutting garden, or even place for storage.

I look for focal points within the rooftop garden.  My exit to the rooftop is in the middle of the building.  As you exit to the right, the focal point is the large pergola. You are drawn to that seating area.  I tried to link link the inside of my house to the rooftop garden space.  I am more of a minimalist gardener and have chosen cooler colors for my plants.  It is extremely hot on the roof in the middle of the summer and I prefer the cooler colors of blue, pink and purple and avoid the reds and the yellows.  I also have kept the patterns the same with beige and lighter colors which are the same inside my home as well.

Start drawing a plan and make sure it is to scale.  Look at the proportions of the overall space and let your imagination flow.

Spring Time Window Box

In Chicago, our springtime temperatures can be quite varied.  In 2011, Chicagoland temperatures have been extremely cold.  I decided last weekend to remove my winter display and begin planting a spring time window box.

I am fortunate to obtain excellent quality plants at our local Home Depot.  This year I picked up tulips, daffodils, pansies, hyacinths, and snow drops.  All of the plants were just coming through the ground so that my display will last much longer and I can watch them grow.  Here are a couple of my tips for creating an amazing display.

1) I removed 1/2 of the soil that was still in the container.  I was amazed this year that soil had frozen clumps.  Usually by April 1st, the soil is much easier to work with.

2) Use a high quality soil.  I prefer moisture control.

3) Over plant the window box.  I only keep the Spring Time box for 6 weeks.  In Chicago, the last day we can have a frost is by May 15th.  I begin my summer planting by then.

4) Remember to fertilize.  I use bloomer mix especially for the pansies.

5) Dead your flowers often.  This will additional flowers to grow during this short season.

I am looking forward to working on my rooftop garden and will keep you informed about the progress that is being made.  Happy Spring!

Spring time in Chicago (60+ Degrees in February)

It is time to take advantage of the warmer weather and begin working in the garden again.  It was great to be outside yesterday and today and look at garden again.  There was so much snow on the roof that I wasn’t able to get around.  I still have a couple of snow drifts still remaining, but I was able to start the spring cleaning process.  

I have several grasses that do very well on my rooftop.  One always needs to be cut down each year and the other should be able to maintain it’s green color for the entire season. The lesson learned for me is that all of the grasses need to be cut down to the base prior to March 1st.  I end up having a micro climate on my rooftop and several of the plants begin to grow in the beginning of March.  Yesterday was a perfect day to cut down the grasses.

Today, I am planning to remove the leaves that remain in the containers and begin checking on any damage to the plants.  A little effort in the early part of the season will go along way to improving your look to your garden.

Happy Spring!

A Greenhouse on Every Roof

I just came across the following article and thought you would be interested in reading it.  I am in complete agreement with having a greenhouse on top your roof.  Mine is on the 5th floor and has done very well and especially during the bad weather (i.e. the recent blizzard).

A Greenhouse on Every Roof

BY LESLIE BERLIANT

Yossi Asyag has a vision for the world: “We want people to eat fresh, organic produce without a carbon footprint.” The 45-year-old Israeli-born Montecito businessman has spent years working in commercial growing and seed distribution in Israel and the United States, and is now turning to Israeli growing and watering technology to develop cost-effective greenhouses to grow fresh produce year round in urban environments. He calls it the EverGreenHouse Growing System.

Made of clear polycarbonate developed in Israel, the greenhouses maximize production through vertical growing techniques and an automatic gutter irrigation system with ground coconut shells and fiber instead of soil, because the mix requires less water and holds oxygen better. The technology is based on state-of-the-art commercial growing practices, downsized to fit residential and urban settings.

Asyag estimates that he can generate 10 times the amount of food grown using traditional vegetable gardening methods in a fraction of the space. “If we planted the same produce outside, we would need four to five times the space,” he said.

Asyag’s greenhouses start at approximately $2,600 for an eight-by-eight foot growing system, which includes seeds, automatic irrigation, fertilizing systems, pest control and all the other required materials. He believes the system can help low-income families and students on a budget eat better, earn money and create hyper-local urban farms. He envisions people growing food not just for their own families, but also to sell to neighbors as well as local grocery stores and restaurants. Asyag will also provide guidance to urban farmers who want to market their produce to local businesses.

“If we can provide strawberries from rooftops in Los Angeles,” Asyag said, and ensure “that they are organic and have come from within five or 10 miles, how can strawberries in the field compete with that?” He said that once the produce starts ripening, the greenhouses are like a vending machine of fresh fruits and vegetables, with new crops available every day. And no prior gardening or farming experience is necessary to succeed. Asyag offers a service whereby a member of his team makes weekly visits to swap out plants once they have finished producing and check the system to make sure it is functioning properly.

In the last six months, Asyag has built and sold 20 of the greenhouse units. One customer in Dallas intends to use several of them to create his own minifarm. Asyag said this kind of farming is incredibly eco-friendly, too. “No tractors, no gasoline, no shipping and low water usage,” he said. The produce is all organic, and instead of pesticides, natural neem oil is used for pest control.

Rony Cohen, an Internet marketer, is working with Asyag to market the greenhouses in Los Angeles. He’s also a happy customer. “Somewhere in the back of my mind, I always wanted to be a farmer,” Cohen said. “I’m not a scientist or mathematician, but in my rough estimates, we can easily grow food for this entire city, within the city … 1,000 buildings, just the roofs, can grow food for 12 million people.”

If this estimate is accurate, Asyag’s greenhouses could help alleviate a problem plaguing Los Angeles — poor access to fresh produce in low-income neighborhoods, known as food deserts. It could also reduce transportation costs and carbon emissions associated with our current food system.

“I think we can fix the world with this,” Asyag said.  

(Source: jewishjournal.com)

Blizzard 2011 - Chicago

On February 1st and 2nd, Chicago had it’s 3rd largest snowfall on record.  The challenge this blizzard presented were the 30 to 50 mile an hour winds.  I have a Rion Greenhouse on my roof with 2 Dayton electric heaters.  During the snow storm, the power went out for several hours.  I was fortunate that I purchased in the fall a Mr. Heater BIG Buddy LP heater.  It took me only a few minutes to put together and get it started.  The heater kept the greenhouse at a temperature of 70 degrees.  I am amazed at the power of the heater and highly recommend it!

Results of Using Fish Emulsion as a Fertilizer

It’s August 1st and I am just admiring my rooftop garden this year.  I’ve been amazed with the results and I wanted to share some results using the Fish Emulsion fertilizer.  I was looking for a more responsible way to fertilize my garden and I’ve been quite pleased with the results.  My vines just exploded this year.  This is year 3 for the vines and they are now covering most of the walls to the staircase.  I disliked the plastic siding and was looking for a way to cover them.  I have a very small container but they are doing extremely well.

In addition, my trumpet flowers are just amazing.  Again, growing in a pot.

Wooden Container supporting the vines

Trumpet Flower - City of Chicago Lake Front View

Trumpet Flowers

Vines - Spreading quickly in 2010.  I had very little growth from 2008 - 2009.

Raised Bed Gardening Using a Grow Camp

I’ve just started to raise vegetables on my rooftop garden using he Grow Camp.  This system has allowed my to have a raised bed garden.  I’ve planted cilantro, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, herbs, and carrots.  Over the coming weeks, I will give you more details on how I put this system together as well as some of the challenges I faced during the 1st couple of days… especially carrying 64 quart bags (9) to the top of the roof!  Enjoy the pictures and I will provide more updates in the coming weeks.