Greenroof-Plants

Spring 2011 GoA Greenroof Plants Wiki page
Gary Hawley, Carl Waite and Stephanie Hurley
 * Mentors: **

Alexandra (Sasha) Adams Taylor Kravits Evan Bombord Jonathan Farmer Katherine O’Dell
 * Team Members: **

Link to the Green Grid Systems website: @http://www.greengridroofs.com/



[[file:green-roof-watersheds.pdf]]: Green Roof Watershed Diagram
DRAFT NOTES ON GOALS FOR THE SEMESTER:

1- finalize the treatments for different roof watersheds (3 treatments + 1 control; 2 replicates of each for a total of 8 watersheds). We have honed in on these three treatments:

(A) __typical soil and typical plant mix__ used by Green Grid Systems []

(B) __typical soil and alternate plant mix__ (possibly native plants recommended by 2010 green roof interns)

(C) __typical soil and plants (?) grown/maintained organically__ (instead of using non-organic fertilizers pesticides, etc.)

2- make a list of your own questions to ask Green Grid Systems via email/phone in next few weeks.

3- ask about their typical soil mix and whether we can have a sample for our own analysis

4- define what "organically grown/maintained" means to us (see 1C above)

5- arrange a field trip to CT to help with initial planting of cells and tour Green Grid systems. __**Answers to our Questions**__

1. What is the composition (physical and chemical) of the soil that you would recommend for our green roof project? **//A mix of expanded shale and organic constituents. Our standard mix might work appropriately, but we might was to consider a custom blend that better represents native soils – ie it would include sand, pine bark mulch and acidifier as well (and it would be heavier by about 30%). Although we wouldn’t necessarily want to use that kind of mix in the sedum treatments…nor did we price for it. Would that be another variable that you wanted to include? It might be too complicated to introduce a soil composition variable if only included with the native plant trials in terms of stormwater performance (ie how much of any change is the result of soil vs plant selection) but if you’re only concerned about plant performance, then it might be worth considering to make that change for the one native plant treatment. The other option would be to utilize a finer intensive, but “standard” blend for the natives. We should discuss this in more detail.//** 2. Can we have a sample of the soil mix which you would recommend for our project so we could have it analyzed? Or do you already have an analysis report that you are willing to share? **//Absolutely. We do have analyses for our standard extensive, standard intensive, and custom native soils that are a year or two old. But sending samples would be fine too once we determine which you want to use.//** 3. As you know, we are planning on 4 different treatments to be used on our 8 watersheds that are going to be on the roof of the Green Aiken Center. We would like to use plants that are native to this region of North America if possible. So far we have identified the following treatments: A. Plants and soil mix that you would recommend for our area   **//Check – sedum with standard extensive soil//** B. Plants and soil mix that you would recommend for our area, but with organic treatments only (soil, fertilizers, pesticides etc.) Do you consider your standard soil mix to be organic prior to amendments? **//Check – prior to amendments yes, I’d say our standard soil mix would be considered organic…it’s not certified as such, but components are the expanded shale, shale fines, shredded wood pallets and biosolids from the Fairfield CT treatment facility. We have a bit of flexibility in terms of organic source and can use bark mulch and leaf mold compost, but again, we’d be talking about more variables to change in one but not the others…//** C. Another set of plants that hopefully will come from the list of plants that we sent you last summer (I have attached this list for your convenience) growing in the same soil mix as (A) **//Check, confirming quantities and propagation schedule with the nursery. All should be ok – assuming that we’ll want to use approximately equal quantities of all the plants you list in this treatment area…but again, let’s talk soils for this portion. And can you also confirm you want to try all the plants on the list, even if they show in the table 12” of soil, for example?//** D. Control- no green roof **// We’ll leave that one up to you //** 4. When we visited you last summer these treatments described above seemed to be acceptable to your group. Can you think of any other treatments that would help answer some green roof questions that are important to the industry? **//I think the treatments you suggested are great subjects. Let’s talk more when you have some free time about whether or not it makes sense to try and include others.//** 5. Could you provide us with a list of plants that you would recommend for our specific project? **// Forthcoming from Melissa, Colette or I this week //** 6. We would like to visit your operation in Connecticut later this semester (perhaps in late April). When do you anticipate starting the plants for the Green Aiken Center roof that will be installed in spring 2012?
 * // Excellent – we’ll begin propagation on any of these plants that aren’t already in production within the next couple of weeks, with planting in the modules to take place sometime in late April or early May if the weather holds and there aren’t any real long lead time items that need, say, a cold treatment to get them started. //**