How To Grow Grass On Roof In India

Enhance the beauty of your rooftops by learning How to Grow Grass on Roof in India and transform the look of your terrace! 

What is Grass?

Grasses are fibrous and herbaceous plants of the Gramineae family. These kinds of plants have narrow and tapered leaves, which grow from the ground. They are said to have a variety of uses, apart from being used to prevent soil erosion in farms. They are also used as decoratives in the gardens and lawns of the houses. Let’s see How To Grow Grass On Roof In India.

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Types of Grass

• Nilgiri/Zoysia Grass: This is a readily available variety of grass and is quite hardy. It is the fastest-growing grass in India. Nilgiri grass is easy to maintain and can withstand almost all kinds of seasons, making it an excellent choice for growing on roofs.
• Doob Grass: Doob, Durva, or Bermuda grass is native to the Indian subcontinent. You can also use this ghass to grow on your rooftop as it is robust and requires plenty of sun.
• Selection I: Unlike that of Nilgiri, this is a softer variety of grass. Dark green in color, it is also an ideal type to grow on roofs. Moreover, you can plant it at any time of the year.
• American Lawn Grass:  One of the most popular lawn grass varieties, it is a low growing and sun-loving type of grass with dark green leaves. The selection I is a hybrid variety of this grass itself.

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How to Prepare the Ground

Everyone wishes for a beautiful rooftop lawn. So, some people opt for the synthetic grass to create the effect of it, but it is only half as good as the real one. Growing real grass on your rooftop is as easy as growing it in your garden. But first, you need to prepare the bed for it.

The base of the roof needs some preparation if you wish to grow the grass directly on it. Firstly, you have to make sure that your roof is strong enough to take the load of wet soil. Secondly, ensure proper drainage, as the excess water can harm both your grass and roof. Thirdly, you need to prepare a rich growing medium, and the soil needs to be held in one place by drawing boundaries, or it will flow with the water. Lastly, the kind of vegetation you choose for growing on the roof also matters a lot, so choose a variety that is heat and drought resistant and requires less fertilization.

Check out the step by step guide to Roof Garden Construction here! 

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How to Grow Grasses on Roof in India

After your bed is ready, it’s time to grow those fibrous plants into it. You can grow these grasses from both seeds or saplings. Although growing plants from seeds are possible, they are not the best choice as the seeds are expensive, sometimes fake, and may not grow at all. However, buying saplings is a more effective and pocket-friendly, and you can easily get the grass-sheets of your choice in your nearby nurseries

After acquiring the kind of grass you want for your garden, all that’s left is planting them in your soil bed. Plant the saplings in horizontal and vertical lines at least 4 inches apart from each other. Wet them after you are done planting them. Further, provide the shrubs with cow dung manure fertilizers.

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 Tips and Care for Rooftop Grass

• There are soils in markets that are designed especially for rooftop gardenings, so choose these lightweight varieties of soil if possible.
• Cover only the roots in the soil; if you are growing them from saplings; otherwise, the grass may rot due to water.
• Do not water the grass thoroughly as the roots may come out of the soil bed. Instead, use a water sprinkler to water the patches. Moreover, water often during the hot months of summer
• Prune them 4-5 times a year to level.
• Do remember to fertilize the grass with cow dung manure. Fertilize a day after watering it.