tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6713463780691653390.post3799494507391888761..comments2024-03-15T00:19:27.339-07:00Comments on Kevin Songer, Journaling Organic Languages of Nature: Green Roof plant root architecture and the importance of shallow soil media in hot and dry climates and a really cool root architecture video (SimRoot).Kevin Songerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05494408790726786898noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6713463780691653390.post-26889571441108615962011-09-26T03:31:08.965-07:002011-09-26T03:31:08.965-07:00Jorg Breuning • Interesting article - a lot of wor...Jorg Breuning • Interesting article - a lot of words but nothing said. We learned that roots grow horizontally in "shallow" systems and vertically in "deep" systems. I like to add that in a pot, tray of modular system they grow in a circle. Doesn't that tells us that the roots go down first (vertically) and if there is no way to go deeper they grow horizontally? If this direction is blocked, too they "go" along the wall. Great findings but I guess this was discovered first about 10,000 years ago as humans started to cultivate plants? They learned very quickly that plants grow better on a deeper soil than on rocks.This knowledge is still in the genes of most of us.<br />Modern Green Roof Technology - when done right - mimics a deeper soil for the plants than it is in reality or their nature habitat. This is also the big difference to earth covered structures using topsoil or modified top soil in the past. Specific performance properties of the aggregates in the growing media make it possible to "trick" the plants. By the way the plants don't care whether the aggregates are heavy or lightweight. The technology is the same from Patagonia to Alaska.Jorg Breuninghttp://www.grenroofservice.comnoreply@blogger.com