Florida Permaculture Chicken Coop From Recycled Materials

Survival Garden Chicken Coop Constructed From Salvaged Materials

Sustainability is based on a large part in the practice of recycling and reuse of all materials.  

We were fortunate to be gifted with some used roofing tin and scrap wood from a local truss builder.

The hens feel right at home!

All it needs now is a #Greenroof and stormwater catchment system :)

Amazing Green Roof Plants - Plants For Florida Green Roofs

It is the time of year where the sedums and other succulents really suffer here in Florida.  It is concerning to have watched the sedums flourish through the winter drought and cool spring then develop rot.  Unfortunately the daily high humidity found in Florida at this time of the year creates serious pressure cooker like situations on a roof - steam - heat - water.  Most succulents will not survive the summer humidity, and in fact if there are too many on a roof, they will create an area that breeds deseases that can affect other green roof plants.

The moral of the story here is to use a blend of plants - the picture here is of our low leaf littter, low volatile oil containing grasses.  These plants have been raised in greenhouses for over a year with timed watering of 1" per month.

Choosing the right green roof plant will ensure your Florida or Southewastern Green Roof's success.  Call Kevin at 904-294-2656 for details.

Green Roofs - Irrigation and Green Roofs - Green Roofs for Florida and the Southeast

As I travel across the Southeast, I take the opportunity to stop and study plants growing in different places within the urban core.  I was amazed at the variety of plants growing out of crypts and other structures in New Orleans.  Hot, dry and desolate, the stone structures successfully supported a number of plant species that apparently had been growing for quite some time.  Just goes to show - you do not need to irrigate a green roof.....

Irrigation and Green Roofs - Green Roofs for Florida

The green roof test panel shown here is one year old.  We are preparing the unit for hurricane wind tunnel testing.    The only irrigation the roof panel has had is rainfall, and survived a very dry winter and spring.  Green roofs present a different growing environment for plants than do the ground.  No matter how rocky or little soil there may be, the ground offers a consistently cooler place for roots to exist.  A three inch thick extensive roof soil layer can reach temperatures of 140 degrees F or higher while the ground temperature is significantly lower.  So for plants to survive on a non-irrigated green roof, they must be carefully chosen.

We are raising a new breed of plants in the greenhouse where they are exposed to growing conditions much like those to be experienced on a roof.  Heat and prolonged drought.  With trials well into a year now, the plants go through prolonged leaf impact, however when finally brought out and exposed to rain, the bloom and grow.  Importantly, we look at the potentially for flammability when using plants with dried leaf matter or leaf litter.

One interesting quality we are seeing more and more of is the ability for plants to absorb humidity here in Florida.  Fortunately, even when the temperatures are torrid, the air relatively humidity may be quite high.  Air humidity can make the difference between a plant dying and a plant surviving a long period of non-rainfall.

Finally, with water shortages here in Florida and watering restrictions in place by municipalities and water management districts, why would a green roof designer recommend irrigation?  It is because they do not understand the 'right plant, right place' concept.  We have been working on green roofs for many years and understand those plants that work and those that do not.


Call us to discuss your next green-roof project!  Kevin 904-294-2656

Florida Green Roofs - Rainy December

Florida's weather has been at it again.  Drought and more drought then rain and more rain.  Very hot days then cold nights.  Smothering humidity then dry as dry can be.  Tough on the plants.   MetroVerde's MVGR3 system keeps the green roof plants irrigated but not too wet.  Designed for light weight, the engineered soil medium is typically no more than 2 inches thick.  Works well in Florida's harsh climatic conditions.  See www.metroverde.com or email judy@metroverde.com .

Hurricanes, Wind Tunnel Testing, Florida Green Roofs and more

Extensive, non-irrigated green roofs for Florida and the southeastern US coastal areas.  Your MetroVerde Green Roof does not require irrigation, can survive long periods of drought, inundation, both freezing and sweltering temperatures while treating stormwater, providing wildlife habitat in the Urban Core and creating a beautiful Sense of Place.   Pictured above is the MV ER3 test panel at UF scheduled for wind testing in early 2010.  The test panel platform is adjustable from flat up to 45 degrees.  Because the system is a mat based structure - the roots are embedded into a monolithic, permanent platform - light weight - the MV ER3 weighs approximately 10 lbs per SF.

Native Plants and Florida Green Roofs

Every good plant person wants to use native species in their landscape. At least we all confess so anyway. Certainly the term is politically correct and in vogue by most regulatory agencies, municipalities and various conservation groups, native plant societies and NGO's.

I have just concluded several years native plant trials on flat and sloped green roofs - extensive green roofs that are not irrigated or fertilized. I've traveled across the State of Florida to various plant nurseries and native plant nurseries. I've purchased and accepted as free native plants to try on the roofs. We've watched them through 20 degree F weather and then through 150 degrees in the summer. Earlier this year we had an 11 week stretch where we received less than 1/2 inch total rain.

Roofs are a rough, tough place to put plants. Most have little concept of the harsh and unhospitable environment most roofs possess. The winds alone over Florida roofs are desiccating and will dry out most plants in a matter of hours.

Plants with high stomata to leaf surface ratio are doomed on a roof. Plants that cannot tolerate high humidity and sever swings in daily temperatures - 60 degrees F is not unheard of - are also doomed.

But Florida's sandhills and xeric uplands support native species with a promise of being able to tolerate the ultimate test of life on a roof.

Native grasses make it for a season or two, but the constant winds weaken their resistance and ultimately they fall prey to extreme drought or cold. We've looked at the leathery leafed native vines- railroad vine, for instance and again - though it comes back when planted in the ground after a hard freeze - it has not reliably recovered on the roof.

The native Allium canadense - or nodding onion - also shows promise.

Yucca's, such as the native Adam's Needle are strong contenders however they have a tall habit and may outgrow a roof.

Of course there are many South African and European plants that survive and prosper in these conditions. But they are not natives.

So why not irrigate? We have a water shortage and a mold problem in Florida. The first time an irrigated vegetated roof leaks and causes building mold issues, precedent will be set for every other building with vegetated roofs and mold, regardless of a leaking roof or not.

And Florida has a serious water stewardship issue. 50% of all potable water use right now is for irrigation. Good enough reason to not irrigated a vegetated roof.

Many will never be convinced of the irrigation issue - but we are making progress. Native can work. Finding the right species for the right roofs takes time.

The above pictures are of Elliot's Lovegrass on a flat trial panel and Allium canadense on a sloped roof.

Send me your thoughts... & Happy green roofing!

From Drought to Rain - Green Roofing Plants Must Survive Drought and Innundation...

These two photographs depict the difficulty of designing a non-irrigated vegetated roof in Florida. The photo depicting the dried look was taken May 3rd, 2009 after two months of intense heat and no rain. The other was taken June 1st after three weeks of rain. The roof plants have responded well and are now thriving. Happy Green Roofing! Kevin

Raising Green Roof Plants from Seed - Green House or Ground? No - The Roof!

Tip for the day:

When growing Green Roof Plants from seed - if the destination roof is available for use - grow the seeds on the roof. You will be building acclimation into the plants as they grow and minimize transfer shock.

The plants will be familiar with the light levels, climate, winds and morning dews.

The pictures above are the recent Feburary hard freeze showing on seed trays placed on top of a soon-to-be Florida Green Roof! Once the seedlings are mature the mat and liner will be installed then the plants placed into their permanent Green Roof Home.

Happy Green Roofing! Kevin

The Stress of Cold - Frosts and Freezes - on Florida Green Roofs

Tonight was the coldest night of the year with freezing temperatures reaching all the way down into south central Florida. It is still in the low to mid twenties in Jacksonville at 5:33 am.

Green roof plants have taken the brunt of the cold - sitting up on a roof, dessicated by the never relenting north winds, unprotected and exposed.

These same plants must survive in the extreme temperatures and humidity levels of the summer also.

I will be posting pictures later this weekend. Some of the plants are bit back and scarred, some may have died - but others are doing OK.

My favorite - Allium species - is a testimony to successful green roof plants....it never fails.

Post your results here too!

Happy Green Roofing - Kevin.

Plants for Green Roofs in Florida

Wow. I drove to Tampa from Jacksonville this week and witnessed first hand the damage last week's twenty degree F temperatures did to horticulture across the state. We must all remember that even south central Florida may be subject to hard periods of cold, freezes and frosts.

Balance. The word that kept popping up in my mind was 'BALANCE'. In designing a green roof for Florida we must keep in mind the 5 H's (they have grown to five from my initial three) - Hurricanes, Heat, Humidity, Heavy Winds and Hard Frosts.

Choose your planting scheme to include three components!

Number One - use the standard green roof plants that survive no matter what. These include plants that come through hard freezes and boiler-type humidity periods. There aren't many of these but there are a few...

Number Two - Select some of the Sedums that will thrive in the winter. They will limp through the summer though. Their poor summer performance can be offset by Number 3.

Number Three - Select those plants that thrive in the summer monsoons but limp through the winter.

A good green roof plant designer will be able to deliver year-round color and interest.

Remember - we focus on non-irrigated Extensive Green Roofs. Roofs that are light weight - no more than a couple two or three inches think.

Florida is tough on Green Roof plants.

Hands on experience through many years or trials is what will produce the best design for each Florida location.

Happy Green Roofing!

Kevin

Succulents for Green Roofs and more Sunday Night musings...

The blog data here is a continuation of my previous Green Roof blog. Feel free to refer back to the site to my new Green Roof blog because it does contain alot of information - and I will be posting the same info both here and on the Green Roof for Florida blog for some time.

We use succulents in most all of our green roofs. Succulents are an excellent green roof plant in many different ways. Succulents generally store water in their stems and leaves in significant quantities. Cacti leaves are practically non-existent and most photosynthetic functions in cacti occur in the stems. Succulents have stomata on all green surfaces but at much lower surface densities than most other plants.

Because succulents store water they can survive and in most cases still 'look good' after a significant drought. Another benefit to succulents is one of offering a deterrent to fire through their water filled leaves and stems.

Some other drought tolerant non-succulents such as the sages and grasses produce flammable volatile oils that can add fuel or accelerant to a fire.

Most succulents do not need fertilizer in quantities required by non-succulents. We have seen the base nitrogen content in rain provide sufficient nutrients for many green roof succulents.

Succulents also do well in well-drained soils that will wick and absorb a minimum amount of water.

Today engineered soils, such as the MetroVerde engineered soil blends have taken the place of most 'dirt' on the roof.

And finally, we are now prepared to say in our opinion, the green roof plants we propagate and raise like round rays and pots better than square ones.

After viewing first hand the growth qualities and characteristics of our green roof plants grown from seed in round and square containers, and cuttings in both, we believe the round container has less negative impact on root formation than the square shape.

Although there is not a huge significant difference, we've noticed a definite difference in size and in transplanting issues.

Unfortunately round pots are not as space efficient as square pots.

Has anyone out there seen studies conducted on the difference between square pots and round pots? I'd like to hear from them.

Happy green roofing!

Green Roof Planting Media - Second and Third Generation Products

After literally thousands of soil mixture experiments we are making strong headway in developing the green roof soil medium that has the qualities we are looking for. As we look back over the years we can readily see how far we have come.

We've addressed the drainage and the flammability and the dust and the compactability and the water retention and the nutrients/organics issues.

Erosion was a huge issue that we wanted to resolve. Our focus was on lightweight, thin (low profile - primarily because of Florida's hurricane propensity), inexpensive vegetated roofs that would not only work on flat roofs AND we wanted our roofs to work on slopes - even severe slopes!

Today I installed a 20SF vegetated panel on a vertical wall at the house, less than ten minutes after the engineered soil and plants had been applied. Wow. We have come a long ways.

But we have a long ways to go.

Now that flexible vertical vegetated panels - less than 1" thick are a reality - now we are looking at technology that will allow us to apply vegetated panels directly overhead on ceilings. So here is the next challenge.

The era of filling planters or trays with dirt, loose soil mixtures, LECA or expanded clay and placing them on the roof is disappearing. Like the dinosaurs these applications will hang around for a while, with good usefullnes with large heftily
-engineered structures. LECA and Expanded Clay may soon be against building code in Florida for use on roofs - imagine a truck bed load of LECA pellets fling through the air in 150 MPH winds - something like a shotgun blast.

Toxicity free engineered planting media will be a requirement. LC 50 testing with minnows will become standard. Green building requirements will affect planting media design too.

The challenges are here - so are the opportunities...

Happy Green Roofing! Kevin

Choosing Plants for Green Roofs - The Season for Sedums to Die in Florida

Tis the season for some sedums to go dormant in Florida....

We have had a month of drought. The days are becoming shorter and shorter. The winds are brisk and desiccating. Temperatures have ranged from 60 to 80 degrees F during the day and 30 to 60 degrees F at night.

We have had three light to medium frosts.

Too much for some of the sedums...

The alliums are turning brown on top too - the brown curly cues typical of drought.

The Florida climate is the biggest drawback to using sedums on Green Roofs - at least don't count on the succulents being your prime plant...

They usually come back out in the spring.

Happy green roofing!

Green Roofs in Florida and Cooler Weather

It is becoming cooler and night now and well should be - it is almost Thanksgiving & most green roof plants on our projects are very happy that the long and tortuous ordeal with Florida's heat and humidity is almost over for a season...

Many of the plants bear battle scars from Tropical Storm Fay (way, way too much water) and the ever present afternoon humidity bath.

The Sempervivums are starting to revive...you can see new growth expanding out from the middle of the plant, the brown, wilted areas falling away from the perimeters.

This is the time of year for dormancy for some of the sedums - - they are turning brown and melting away while others are just melting after a long stressful battle with the Florida humidity.

Iceplant is doing well. Iceplant planted on the ground melted out during T.S. Fay but those clumps on the roofs actually thrived.

Interestingly, the allium likes the cold weather too - its leaf blades perk right up.

So now is a major time for seasonal change in North Florida for green roofs. Stay tuned for more updates!

Green Roofs in Florida -

Palms and/or other trees on roofs present many challenges to the designer. In Florida these issues can include: (1) weight, (2) wind speed uplift during tropical storms or hurricanes, (3) irrigation and maintenance requirements, (4) fire safety and more.

Though I focus on thin, lightweight Green Roof mats (much less expensive) there will be clients who would like to have a roof with trees. Certain challenges are presented to us in designing a roof capable of supporting trees. First and foremost your structural engineer has to provide a deck capable of handling the loading.

We will be collecting photos of Florida green roofs that include trees and large shrubs. Send your photo in to Kevin for posting - along with a description of the roof, location, how long the roof has been in existence and other data.

Holidays are coming up - what better way to celebrate than with a blooming green roof!

Cheers..

Green Roofs - Another Volunteer Vegetated Florida Roof

Walking the streets of almost all cities and towns you can see plants growing in the toughest of places.

They grow in the cracks between the concrete in the middle of the busiest streets and interstates. They grow up walls, peaking from the tiniest of crevasses. The grow in gutters and in roof seams. Give a plant a chance and many species will grow just about anywhere there is a little sunlight and occasional water or moisture.

The philosophy we carried with us over the years of experimenting with how to successfully grow plants on roofs was simple. It was based on watching plants grow in the most inopportune places.

Our goal was to design a vegetated or green roof that inherently had the following characteristics: 1. Low weight, 2. Reasonable cost, 3. Leaves and color all year, 4. fire resistant, 6. heat, humidity and hurricane resistant, 7. Florida Department of Community Affairs approved, 8. treats stormwater, 9. provides habitat for wildlife, 10. was low maintenance, 11. could be used on slopes (we can go vertical), and finally - a roof that would last - season after season.

We believe we have developed what we set out to do!

Call Judy at MetroVerde - 904-294-2656 to find out more about your new green roof!

Florida Green Roof Project Continues!

The new Florida Green Roof continues to grow with more and more succulents, agaves and cacti daily!

Once the structural plantings are completed the oobleck will be added around the plants, allium seeds sown and then wait for the plants to take off and fill out the mats!
Contact Judy @ MetroVerde for your green roof!

Green Roof Plants Bloomin! Florida Green Roof Project

October is a great time of the year for Green Roof Plants! Many of the species with flowers of a red hue are blooming! Email Judy for your personalized roof!

Sustainable Florida! Green Roofs! UCF Orlando October 21, 2008

I attended the Collin's Center Sustainable Florida Conference this week hosted by UCF. The event was eye-opening and inspiring. Our panel presented on the urgent need to restore vertical green to the Urban Core.

Benefits from vertical green in the Urban Core include; A. Stormwater cleansing, B. Creation of Wildlife Habitat, and C. Reconnection of humans to our connections with nature - A Sense of Place Reality in an otherwise electronic world.

Check out the Sustainable Florida Website!