Hypertufa as roof planting growing medium

by Mahmoud
(Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)

Can you please tell me if Hypertufa can be used as a planting growing medium.


Drought Smart Plants reply:

Hi Mahmoud, if you form the hypertufa into shallow trays I see no reason why this wouldn't work. On its own, as a flat pan, there would be no purpose in it as it's impermeable to the roots of the plants. The roots of many plants like the rough surface (called 'tooth') of the hypertufa, so they will cling to it, but under conditions of extreme rainfall or wind, they wouldn't stay on it very well.

I would make the hypertufa into square shallow trays about 30-40 cm across (any bigger and they'll be too heavy and fragile) with an upright edge to hole the soil in and plant into those.

Make sure they have drain holes for excess moisture to drain out.

If they're close to the same size, and are set out close together the plants will eventually cover the join where the trays meet, making a uniform carpet.

Good luck with this, I hope it works out.

Jacki