August 23, 2011 Green Roof Biodiversity, Rooftop Garden, Breaking Ground Contracting, Jacksonville - Kevin Songer - Picasa Web Albums

Green Roofs always offer different scenery in the afternoon light. As the day progresses and temperatures rise, the insects and pollinators begin to show up en masse! Though rooftop temperatures are hot, the plants reduce the urban heat island effect and create an oasis in the urban core.

Green Roof moth & Zinnia

August 23, 2011 Green Roof Biodiversity, Rooftop Garden, Breaking Ground Contracting, Jacksonville - Kevin Songer - Picasa Web Albums

Rooftop Garden Trials - Green Roof Garlic Board Update

Kevin's Florida Green Roof Garlic Board

As we stated in the  January 12th post,  - its not the highest tech approach to trying out new systems on a green roof.

Place a small 'pilot-plant' or 'test-unit' on the roof and see if the plants thrive or if the plants die.

Here is the sustainable Garlic board.

Sustainable because though this example is cedar, the board can be made of pine (potentially sustainable) or of bamboo (even more sustainable).

What does this really have to do with green roof?  Sure, it may be small scale permaculture on the roof but it doesn't have a water proofing system or root barrier system and one can imagine what kind of missile the contraption may become during 130 mph winds of a tropical cyclone here in Jacksonville.

Garlic Board After 3 Weeks

We'd take the board off the roof if a hurricane was approaching.  Thankfully, hurricanes or tropical cyclones give at least a couple hours notice or more now thanks to NOAA and other weather watch services.

However hurricanes are not the focus of this post.

The board is a statement of sustainability.

The garlic board is a first step in a process.  A process of moving away from synthetic materials to more natural materials for green roofs.  Surely there will be hundreds, if not thousands of other trial materials in our search for green roof sustainability.

Maybe we use an approach similar to this in areas where the ground soil is contaminated with pollution, or infested with pest organisms.  Maybe we provide simple shelter roofs while growing food.  Maybe, instead of a pine or cedar board, we grow the food in the thick stem of a palm frond.

Its all about feeding the people.

Our collective intelligence as humans across the globe is so great that maybe if we throw out an idea, the idea will catch hold somewhere and grow.

The idea of developing a natural materials based green roof is growing in my mind and the garlic board is just one small step towards the idea becoming reality.

And the garlic board is working.  The cloves are sprouting now and hopefully will grow and fill out the deep wide holes drilled into the board under the trough filled with soil visible in the photograph.  Certainly the garlic is up high enough in the air to enjoy the bright sun's rays and the system is soaked with morning's dew on some mornings.

So we will watch the garlic cloves and learn something about cellulose as a platform for growing plants on roofs.

Having worked hands on with plants for over thirty years I believe there are approaches to take in developing and growing large mats of root interwoven plants that would hold themselves together on a green roof.  Though wood and burlap and other natural materials may disintegrate over time, they may provide enough of a structural system to allow the plant roots to develop into a sustainable structural system themselves.

Coir may be another sustainable material for green roof system establishment.  Potassium, salt and other limiting issues with coir can be resolved with pre-treament and maintenance procedures.

The approach we are discussing here would be relevant to green roofs with a primary function of habitat creation, food production, O2 production, carbon sequestration, urban heat island effect yet may present problems with green roofs constructed primarily for stormwater issue resolution.

Though a topic for another blog post, green roofs created for stormwater attenuation will probably need to be constructed out of a long term stable material.

True sustainability is what we all strive for.

I may never stop using woven plastics such as polypropylene or polyethylene, especially if they are made from post-consumer recycled plastics - might as well use up the scrap and they do hold the roof plant material together quite effectively.

However we are in peak oil, plastics are petro-based and I am a dreaming product of the post- plastic inundation era.

I do want to make a long term difference.

And maybe the start lies with what I will learn from a cedar board on a roof with allium plants.

Plastic?

As always, email your comments and questions.

Happy Green Roofing!

Kevin

Integrated & Biodiverse Green Roof Plantings Clean Nitrogen from the Air Providing Plants With Free Fertilizer from the Sky

Easy to see the green roof clover is making fertilizer, fixing nitrogen and making available nutrients for other green roof plants.  Look at how green the green roof clover is, an indication of how much Nitrogen is being pulled from the air and fixed into the soil.

Integrating Nitrogen Fixation Plants on a Green Roof Provides Fertilizer

Smart green roof design integrates all types of plants and avoids monocultures.  The general rule for promoting green roof biodiversity is:

• Less than 10% of a green roof should be comprised of one Species
• Less than 20% of a green roof should be comprised of one Genus, and
• Less than 30% of a green roof should be comprised of one Family

By integrating different plant types and Families (use all C3, C4 and CAM) you;

• Maximize Biodiversity potential
• Minimize pest damage risk
• Provide optimum habitat
• Allow plants to support one another through structure, nitrogen fixation and other means.

Nitrogen fixation is one important reason to blend C3, C4 and Cam plants with those plant species that can fix Nitrogen into the soil.

Our earth's atmosphere is comprised of approximately 7% nitrogen gas (N2) by volume.

SMOG contains small particles containing carbon and nitrogen too.  Carbon dioxide too can be found in smog.

Most of the nitrogen gas in the atmosphere cannot readily be used by plants as fertilizer. The nitrogen in the air must be converted from N2 to NH3 (Ammonia) or NO3 )Nitrate) for assimilation by plants.

The nitrogen conversion processes are done in a variety of ways.  A flash of lighting can convert N2 gas into NH3 and when you are outside in the rain when lightening hits you can sometimes 'smell' a change in the air.

Bacteria too can convert N2 into NH3 and then into NO3 for plants use.  The complex ecosystem interrelations is discussed with respect to green roof ecosystems in the article located at www.livingroofs.org or by clicking here.

Wikipedia defines the complexity of an ecosystem as a "web, community or network of individuals that arrange into a self-sustaining and complex hierarchy of pattern and process. 

The beauty of the ecosystem web are all the benefits gained through the interrelations.

The photograph above is of an agave, one of my favorite Green roof plants and clover.  The agave provides a windbreak and shade protection to the clover and the clover, through bacteria living in the clover root nodules, provides the agave with nitrate fertilizer.

No need to fertilize.  Clover can add up to 150 lbs of NH3 and NO3 per acre per year ( 68.2 Kilograms per 0.4 hectare).

In fact, adding chemical fertilizers to 'push' or 'rush' a growing process ultimately can do more damage than no additional fertilizer.

Green Roof Design - Stacking

The agave's long leaves filter particulate matter from the air flowing over the roof.  The particulate matter is washed to the green roof surface by rainfall and then used by the clover for nutrients.


The clover is a C3 plant, grows rapidly and prevents erosion around the agave's roots.  The agave is a CAM plant that uses CO2 at night, freeing up daytime CO2 for the clover.


Both the agave and the clover are beautiful.  The agave has white flowers and the clover has bright red flowers.


Both the plants are beneficial to wildlife.  Honey bees love both species.  Other pollinators flock to the green roof's flowers when blooming.


Both the plants are beneficial t humankind.  They sequester carbon, produce oxygen, offer beauty, clean stormwater, and provide habitat.


And they share survival responsibilities.


A perfect coexistence in an complex rooftop ecosystem.

Green Roof Fertilizer from the Sky.

Neglected Green Native Plant Roof Survives Longterm

The photos here are of a green roof I had ignored and almost forgotten about.

During the hurricane and cyclone wind speed simulation testing at the University of Florida, I cut out several sections of this green roof thinking it may be used in the process.  I never replaced the sections as several Washingtonia palms grew so rapidly, their fan leaves covered and hid the roof.

Pruning back the palms the other day I cam across the green roof system and plants and was excited to see how, even with total neglect and actual abuse from the palm trees, the native Allium canadense was thriving.

Shown here are the remainders of the mat left on the roof.  The roof system is a gentle slope with a 20 mil waterproofing and root liner over the underlying roof (secured with a low VOC adhesive).  There is no drainage layer - none needed as the soil media is quite permeable.

The sol layer is approximately 15-20mm - not much.  Yet plenty for the Allium canadense.

The weave is geosynthetic material designed to hold the soil in place on a slope.  There are many types of netting available.  I am especially interested in hemp now and am conducting multiple trials with burlap and hemp.

Nature Irrigated, native species green roof surviving neglect!

Allium Canadense, Extensive Nature Irrigated Green Roof

Extensive, Nature Irrigated, Native Species Green Roof

Blending C3 and C4 Plants

Remember our discussion about green roof plant photosynthetic metabolisms - the C3, C4 and CAM plants?

C3 Plants give quick coverage to Green Roofs yet may not be as long lasting and are not as resilient to heat and drought.

C4 Plants are slower growing because their photosynthesis occurs differently, using multiple cells and processes for the Calvin Cycle.  C4 plants can typically endure drought better than most C3 plants.

The below photo shows how C3 and C4 plants can be integrated for quick color and long-term structure.  The C4 allium (plants with thick sprouts approximately 50mm tall) are just beginning to break through the C3 groundcover species.

Quick green color and subsequent height and green structure.

C3 and C4 Green Roof Plants - Allium canadense

This photo was taken atop the green roof on our new rabbit hutch.  Approximately 1000 garlic cloves were planted in the roof as a trial for the plants efficiency with integrated pest management benefits.

The allium also possesses beautiful flowers.

There are many species of allium, lots of native varieties too.  Allium is a great green roof plant, one that hardly ever dies but not too aggressive.  Allium canadense, or nodding onion supports native biodiversity as well and can be found growing in its native habitat across the US and Canada!

Pollinators and butterflies love this plant and I've even watched hummingbirds visit the flowers on a regular basis.

More photos later as the alliums continue to grow.

Email us with your questions and comments and as always,  Happy Green Roofing!

Kevin

Providing Habitat and Biodiversity, Green Roofs - Restoring Volumetric Green to the Urban Core!

I am always amazed at just How much habitat Green Roofs provide within the Urban Core.

Is a sea of concrete and asphalt, wildlife are driven to Urban Green Roofs in masses.

Walking outside this cool, sunny morning the insects were buzzing around the green roof plants.  Some of the vegetables on the food roof were forming flowers and word had quickly spread to the pollinators.

Not to be proven wrong by the oft-quoted UK's John Ray (A collection of English proverbs 1670, 1678)

"The early bird catcheth the worm."

the birds were hanging out in the trees waiting for breakfast.

Amazing!

Watching Sun's Rise Across the Greenroof, Cardinalis cardinalis

Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)

Watching the Green Roof from Above, Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

While other areas of the Urban Core whither away without plants, we find ourselves in a mini-oasis of wildlife.

The photos here were taken with my son's Canon EOS Rebel about two hours ago.

Green Roofs - promoting biodiversity in the Urban Core!

Happy Green Roofing!

Kevin.

Green Roof Music - RAILROAD EARTH The Green Roofs of Eireann!!!!

Green Roof Music for a Friday Afternoon! Thank you RAILROAD EARTH!!!!!!!!!!!
Kevin Shea......

	Railroad Earth - The Green Roofs of Eireann .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Green Roofs in Florida and Florida's new Stormwater Rule

Ten years ago and no one would have believed the State of Florida would begin allowing site stormwater credit for Green Roofs.

Now, under the new proposed stormwater rule, the State of Florida proposing to do allow stormwater credit for site Green Roofs!

Atlantis Green Roofs, Living Walls and Rainwater Recycling

Join us over the next week in exploring the benefits and challenges in using green roofs to treat stormwater!

Happy Green Roofing!

Kevin

Best Green Roof Plant for Florida and Southeastern US - Green Roofs and Living Walls

Couple of posts back we spoke about how we are working with green roof plants to 'acclimate' each to the conditions they will experience on a green roof.

Today I am writing about a non-cactus or succulent type, but a herbaceous plant species that I will heartily recommend for any green roof in Florida or in environmental with similar ecoclimes.

Acclimation is an important word in the business of horticulture and arboriculture  Acclimation is generally defined horticulturally as the plant's ability to adapt to environmental conditions.  A plant that can adapt usually survives.  One without an acclimation ability may die under extreme conditions.

As mentioned previously, we've been working with greatly reduced irrigation schedules on some of the green roof plant species we use.   We've found some species that over time acclimate really well, while others do not.  Ultimately we took the test to the extreme to find the species that would survive the harshest of greenhouse-prep conditions.

Now realize that even the worst of greenhouse conditions only approximate what a Florida vegetated roof can experience.  Greenhouses for example are usually sheltered from hard, hot desiccating winds Florida vegetated roofs deal with.

And even though greenhouse temperatures may reach well into the 100  - 130 degrees F (50 - 55C), roofs can get hotter.

In the end we found that one species out-preformed all others, consistently.  Even reducing the watering down to no irrigation over a 90 day period - pretty amazing considering the plant is herbaceous and the soil availability for each seedling was 1" by 1" by 3" (25mm x 25mm x 77mm).

At the end of the testing period the soil was usually hard as a rock - brittle like.

After two years of acclimating the plant under minimal irrigation (less than 1/4" per month) - we planted the seedlings on one of our harshest trial roofs - and they thrived!

The species we are referring to are several within the Allium genus.  Most notably, Allium canadense, acclimated by slowing down metabolic processes - going into a state like hibernation during times of environmental stress.

Allium canadense can be found growing along many of Florida's highways - tolerating inundation and drought.


Here you will find photos of a Allium seedling over two years old taken in June 2010.  Following the seedling picture is a photo of the same plant three months later after being placed on a test green roof (non-irrigated - extensive).

Green Roof Plant - Florida Extensive - Acclimation 

Florida Green Roof Plant - MetroVerde - Allium - Extensive, Non-Irrigated

Allium's show great promise as Florida green roof plants.

There are many species to work with from within the Allium genus.

The use of A. Canadense may contribute to a successful green roof planting of native species that are evergreen, that flower, clean stormwater, create habitat and are beautiful.

You may email me with your questions here.

Happy Green Roofing!  Kevin