How to Garden on a Roof Deck
- 1). Place some planters in an open area on the roof deck so that they get full sun for a good portion of the day. Set others up near a wall so that they only get northern or eastern sun if they prefer shade. The eastern sun provides morning light, which is less intense, and a northern direction is not going to get much direct light at all. Leafy vegetables and flowers like impatiens grow best in indirect light, while plants like tomatoes and roses prefer sun. The planters need to have drain holes to drain away water during rains.
- 2). Set up the containers. Fill them with topsoil, allowing several inches of space between the soil and the upper edge of the planters. Container size is up to you, but larger ones with more soil don't dry out as quickly. Material options include wood, plastic, metal and concrete.
- 3). Dig holes to plant flowers in the planters so that the roots are just below the surface. Cover over the roots with the soil removed from the hole. If growing seeds, sow them on the surface of the topsoil. Space them according to the directions on the packages, and cover with soil. The soil depth with which you cover the seeds depends on the type of seeds and is indicated on the package.
- 4). Water the planters of the newly planted flowers or sown seeds. Dampen the soil down about 3 inches if growing seeds, and about 4 to 6 inches if you just planted flowers.
- 5). Tie up tall plants as they grow. Place stakes, dowels or wire trellises in the planter to provide something for the plant to climb on or rest against. Tie the stalk of the plant to your support with loose twine.
- 6). Use twine to tie the planters to the sides of the roof deck if the material is lightweight such as plastic. Even with soil in the planters, they might blow over in a strong wind. Either tie the legs to the sides of the decking, or drill holes in the top edges and run the twine through them to anchor the planter.
- 7). Keep the planters watered. Check them daily. Since the roof usually gets more wind than places lower to the ground, the soil will dry out more quickly.