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WATER WISE

Veggie gardens, roofs,

and social upliftment

roducing fresh, organic and healthy food does potential damage to the roof.
not need to be restricted by a lack of space. ─ Take note of the pitch of the roof - a slope that is too
PUnfortunately, a lack of space is a dilemma faced steep may cause plants to slip off, while a roof that is
by many as the popularity of townhouses, flats and too flat may cause excess water to pool.
apartments grows. However, a lack of space should ─ Observe the aspect of the roof, regional climate of the
area, and wind and shade in order to position the right
not stop the privileges of gardening - just ‘look up’ and plants in the right place.
encourage your clients to consider rooftop gardening. ─ Remember that the weather conditions on the roof may
be extreme, so choose plants that are able to survive
Growing ‘green roofs’, or edible rooftop gardens, is a and grow well in very hot, and possibly dry and windy
fairly new concept that is taking the world by storm. As conditions. Tomatoes, cabbage, spinach, lettuce,
the amount of space available per person decreases green peppers, spring onion, eggplants, amadumbe
and the price of food increases, more and more people and chillies can be grown successfully on roofs.
are looking at investing in home food gardens. Besides ─ In areas of excessive wind, an artistically placed shade
the benefit of reduced costs and a sustainable supply cloth or trellis could add an interesting feature to the
of food, home-grown fruit and veggies are healthier and rooftop.
kinder on the environment than their mass-produced Rooftop veggie gardens can be incorporated into
counterparts. social upliftment or employee well-being programmes at
the office. Perhaps a successful rooftop garden can be
While growing a food garden on your roof may be
tricky, remember these steps when considering rooftop used to supplement the office canteen requirements?
gardens: The benefits of being able to harvest organic food,
─ Be sure the roof can take the extra weight of the soil sustainably and with no threat to our environment, are
needed for the garden - perhaps consult a structural
engineer before starting. considerable. Also, roof gardens
─ An additional protective layer will need to be placed use rainwater and in doing so
over your existing roof unless trays are being used to prevent excessive stormwater
grow vegetables in. run-off, making them Water Wise
─ Make sure there is adequate drainage from the roof too!
garden to prevent the accumulation of water and

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