Light Expand Clay Aggregate Medium Cultivation of Plants Used in Green Roof Feasibility Studies

Abstract:

In this study, we experiment with light expand clay aggregate medium used in landscape industry in order to find the ideal lightweight media combination that is helpful for plant growth, without the price being high. We mixed the light-weight medium with sandy loam for use in landscape construction in southern Taiwan. We tested 8 plants and 3 medium and tested light expand clay aggregate base, thus achieving the results. The prescription for medium pH value is detected, with most of the medium showing a low-alkaline environment. The ratio of light expand clay aggregate to sandy loam is 2:8, thus increasing the coverage and growth for Duranta repens, Murraya paniculata, Portulaca grandiflora, and Zoysia matrella. The prescription, whereby the ratio of light expands clay aggregate to sandy loam is 5:5, is suitable for Liriope platyphylla, Spathoglottis plicata. The prescription, whereby the ratio of light expand clay aggregate to sandy loam is 8:2, is suitable for Alpinia speciosa, Podocarpus costalis. The prescription, whereby the ratio of light expands clay aggregate to sandy loam is 8:2, is suitable for Portulaca grandiflora during the rainy season. Light expand clay aggregate medium is more suitable for Liriope platyphylla, Spathoglottis plicata. The prescriptions, whereby the ratio of lightweight medium (light expand clay aggregate to sandy loam) is 2:8, which is suitable for more kinds of plants. Different media prescriptions are well-grown planting combinations, in which one can choose different plant species based on the environment and in order to create biodiversity. This can be achieved to reduce the building load and may provide a good environment for the growth of plants and create space in favor of green roofs.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 851)
• Pages: 690-696
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.851.690
• Online since: August 2016
• Authors: Chiou Chuan Chen, Yi Hong Peng, Chun Lin Chen*
• Keywords: Green Roof, Light Expand Clay Aggregate, Medium, Plants, Sandy Loam

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