WO1997007661A1

WO1997007661A1 - Method of providing greenery in areas which have no vegetation or varying humidity

Info

Publication number: WO1997007661A1
Application number: PCT/EP1996/003807
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hans Gilgen
Original assignee: Hans Gilgen
Priority date: 1995-08-31
Filing date: 1996-08-29
Publication date: 1997-03-06
Also published as: EP0789509A1; DE19532172A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a method of providing greenery in areas which have no vegetation or varying humidity on a base which is porous or capable of being rooted, in particular flat roofs, embankments or the like. The method comprises the following steps: a) applying to the area a mat (1) of material capable of being rooted; b) sowing or planting seeds or cuttings of xerophytes or plants with varying moisture requirements in or on the mat (1); and c) allowing the plants to take root in and cover the mat (1). Step b) can also be carried out before step a).

Description

Process for greening vegetation-free or alternately moist areas

Particularly in areas with a lot of built-up areas, efforts are being made to create as many green areas as possible in order to improve the living space for people, animals and plants. The roofs of buildings, in particular flat roofs, lend themselves to this in principle as well as in particular in cities and villages. It has already been proposed to cover roofs with a layer of earth and to green the layer of earth. B. with lawn.

Another greening measure is to create a roof garden, as z. B. is described in DE-OS 33 18 488.7 of the applicant. In this known roof garden, a rainwater reservoir is provided under the vegetation area.

In both of the aforementioned cases, a great deal of effort is required to create and maintain the vegetation area in a way that is capable of vegetation. This requires a considerable layer of earth and a sufficient water balance in the layer of earth to enable the desired vegetation. These measures are not only costly in terms of materials, they also place a considerable strain on the building that supports them. In addition, considerable maintenance is required to maintain the vegetation capacity of the green area over time.

The invention is based on the object of finding a method, a mat for carrying out the method and a greening arrangement which make it possible to green extreme locations which are at least temporarily poor in soil and / or water.

This object is solved by the features of claims 1, 6 or 15.

The method according to the invention and the greening arrangement according to the invention are based on the following main features. On the one hand, plants are used which are very frugal with regard to the required water and nutrient balance and the vegetation base and which also tolerate an alternating climate (moist / dry). These include the alternately moist plants (variophytes) or dry dwellers such as xerophytes. On the other hand, a growth aid is provided for these plants, which enables them to grow up at the existing extreme location and to grow into the existing vegetation subsoil. Both measures according to the invention enable the vegetation-free area to be greened with little effort and very much inexpensive. At a favorable temperature range of around 20 ° C, rooting of the mat can be expected in about 15 days, whereby the condition of the mat favors this. For a first growth period of about 3 to 6 months, depending on the season, nutrients can preferably be present in the mat or added to the mat. After about 1 year of growth, e.g. B. about 30 to 60%, in the case of strongly growing species up to over 80%, overgrown the area of the mat and thus be green. Fly seeds from other types of the plants to be used according to the invention can gradually settle and form a plant community on the mat with the planted species. Non-xerophyte seeds have no chance of survival on the mat. Weed control measures are therefore unnecessary.

The roots are initially only in the mat, and then progressively also in the subsoil, which can be rooted due to its porosity or ability to root.

The maintenance costs of the greening arrangement can be regarded as almost zero, since the greening takes place automatically and the plants used are of small growth and do not have to be cut.

The mat also shadows the surface. It is advantageous to make the mat from light material or to provide it with a light color on the top. The light color prevents an undesirably high warming up of the substrate, which can be heated by the sun to 90 ° C. on hot days under unfavorable conditions of the mat without a mat according to the invention. The mat itself and the air cushion that forms beneath it have an insulating effect immediately after being laid out. This creates a living space on, in and under the mat, in which the seeds of the cuttings can grow, grow in and grow.

The mat stays on the ground in the dry location for more than a year, as experience has shown that the number of humus-degrading bacteria is small and that rotting is delayed. The protected zone or the living space thus remains guaranteed until it is fully covered and isolated by the plants by the mat and after it has decayed by shading and isolation by the plants and also remains in place. For a mat according to the invention, a material is suitable, in particular those organic, preferably natural fibers, which contains about 0.3% organically bound 2-valent iron (Fe + +), as is the case with cotton. In such a living space, luminous bacteria develop that create a climate with a natural fungicidal effect in the mat. Treatment with pesticides against fungal diseases is unnecessary, which further simplifies planting and leads to a non-toxic, healthy water balance.

Thanks to the dew absorption capacity and the fluffy surface structure of the mat, the cuttings root themselves to earth in a fraction of the time. With a corresponding number of nectar carriers as plants, the new type of greening offers insects such as bees and butterflies food at a time when the other natural offer is small, e.g. B. from August to November.

The mat forms a bed with an advantageous microclimate. The mat thus serves as a waxing aid, nutrient storage and moisture storage. Depending on the climate zone and natural moisture, irrigation of the mat can be dispensed with, since nocturnal dew is sufficient to moisten the mat and the substrate and to create a climate that is viable for the roots in the area of the mat and between the mat and the substrate. Irrigation at given times is harmless and may be advantageous in dry areas. Irrigation or moistening of the mat is also advantageous for reasons of its weight to protect it from wind. It is therefore advantageous to assign an irrigation or humidification system to the greening arrangement thus formed, e.g. B. a water spray device or preferably spray device. To weight the mat 1, specially provided weighting or fastening objects can also be provided in the edge area of the mat.

In the context of the invention it is possible to introduce the vegetation into or onto the mat by introducing or applying seeds or cuttings, specifically before or after laying on the ground. Apart from a possible irrigation, no further cultivation is required as this takes place automatically.

The greening arrangement according to the invention is characterized by a very small weight gain, namely preferably only about 2 kg per m ^{2 of} additional weight. This is insignificant for a roof, and it is therefore possible for the first time in the context of the invention to green a roof without having to carry out a check or correction of the statics. The invention is also very advantageously suitable for greening gravel roofs. It is not necessary to remove the gravel. The gravel forms a porous substrate, namely a carrier material for the roots of the plants.

Because of the low expenditure of material and time, the invention also leads to a very inexpensive greening arrangement. It thus enables the greening of locations, especially roofs, that would never be considered for greening for natural or cost reasons.

Within the scope of the invention, pre-cultivation of the plants can take place with the introduction of vegetation both with seeds and with cuttings. Here, the mat is placed on a horizontal, smooth surface and, if the climate and / or the mat is adequately humidified, the seeds already in the mat or the seeds or cuttings applied to the mat are grown to grow and grow into the mat.

The invention is also very advantageously suitable for greening embankments, which in many cases are also extreme locations.

The invention and further advantages which can be achieved by means of preferred exemplary embodiments and a drawing are explained in more detail below. It shows:

1 shows a mat according to the invention for a greening arrangement in vertical section;

2 shows a greening arrangement according to the invention on a flat roof in vertical section;

Fig. 3 shows a greening arrangement according to the invention for greening an embankment in a perspective front view.

In a preferred embodiment, the mat 1 according to the invention has the shape of a strip or an elongated strip of rectangular shape, preferably about 1 m wide and several meters long, e.g. B. up to 50 m in length. The thickness of the mat 1, ie its thickness without the greening, is approximately 3 to 10 mm, in particular approximately 5 to 6 or 7 mm in the dry or moist state. The mat 1 consists of a rootable or porous, preferably organic and in particular easily rotten material, which forms a carrier material 2 and offers rooting a growth-friendly living space. In the present embodiment, the mat 1 consists of coherent and preferably consolidated organic, in particular vegetable fibers. The cohesion of the fibers can be ensured on the basis of a cotton-like, preferably solidified cohesion, a tangle of fibers or a particularly loose interlacing or matting. The material structure thus formed only needs to be so strong that it is able to absorb the loads that occur when laying the mat 1 on the substrate. A nonwoven or needled fleece is also suitable as a mat material. It is advantageous to provide the mat 1 with an abundant supply of natural nutrients. It is possible to introduce the nutrients already during the manufacture of the mat 1 or to insert or apply them to the mat 1 after laying the mat 1. The nutrients can e.g. B. can also be supplied by irrigation. It is preferable to use nutrients in extremely slow-flowing form, ie nutrients that ensure nutrient release over a longer period of time.

Vegetable fibers, especially cotton, are very suitable as fiber material for the mat 1. Cotton fibers are very nutritious and therefore promote growth.

Within the scope of the invention, however, it is also possible to use other, in particular natural fibers, e.g. B. natural fibers made from recycled materials or recovered. However, a soft and therefore rootable, preferably organic, continuous or porous structure is also suitable, which is able to offer rooting a living space. When using a carrier 2, which is already nutrient-rich in its material, such as. B. cotton, a nutrient supply in or on the mat 1 can be reduced or completely omitted.

As shown in Fig. 1, the mat 1 can be rolled up for storage and / or spreading and then rolled out.

FIG. 2 shows an extreme location without vegetation in the form of a conventional gravel roof on the ceiling wall 3 of a building 4. The flat roof 5 thus formed consists of a root-proof roof seal 6, which is located on the ceiling 3, and a gravel layer 7 of usual thickness of several centimeters. To green the flat roof 5, in particular, the mat 1 is laid out on the gravel layer 7. Depending on the size of the surface of the gravel layer and mat 1, several strips of mat 1 are laid out side by side.

To protect against wind flight, it is advantageous to weigh down the mat 1, for which purpose a weighting of its edges with weighting objects, e.g. B. stones or an attachment to the roof is possible. A suitable weighting also arises when the mat 1 is irrigated, e.g. B. by a sprinkler 8 arranged at its edge for water. It is advantageous to use a sprinkling device 8 which is adjustable so that it switches itself on and off automatically taking into account the existing climate or at predetermined time intervals, so that an adequate moistening of the mat 1 is ensured, provided that a humidification takes into account the existing one Climates and the type of green plants is required. The greening takes place with xerophytes (dry dwellers), which are suitable for the extreme location, e.g. B. Sedum, and also thrive in a dry habitat. It can also be plants that are wet with water (Variophytes) that are viable in both dry and humid climates or underground. Such an alternating wet ground or climate is given on a flat, porous and / or water-absorbent surface after rain. With a flat roof, water can accumulate e.g. B. last many days.

If there are no prefabricated or sprinkled xerophyte seeds or cuttings in or on mat 1, the xerophyte seeds or cuttings can be inserted into mat 1 or preferably sprinkled onto mat 1 after laying. Sedum (stonecrop) or sedum cuttings are very suitable for greening. A satisfactory greening is achieved when 20 to 30 cuttings per m ^{2 are} distributed. If sufficient nutrients are not contained in the mat 1 or have been sprinkled on, the nutrient supply can be introduced or applied before or, if appropriate, also after the seeds or cuttings have grown, if necessary with irrigation or irrigation or spraying.

The growth and ingrowth of the plants first in the mat 1 and then also in the ground, here in the gravel layer 7, then takes place automatically. Apart from a possibly necessary moistening of the mat 1, the prescribed measures have ended the artificial manufacturing effort. At a favorable temperature of around 20 ° C, rooting of mat 1 can be expected in around 15 days. After a year, about 30 to 60% of the mat 1, and in the case of strongly growing species even up to over 80%, will be covered with the plants 9 and thus be green.

It is advantageous to manufacture the mat 1 with a preferably light or white color. As a result, heat rays are reflected, and the mat 1 heats up only a little and enables the plant sprouts to form roots quickly and to cover the roof, which would not be possible on the bare gravel roof.

The greening measure according to the invention leads not only to a large drop in temperature in and under the mat 1, but also under the ceiling wall 3, both immediately after the mat 1 has been laid and after it has rotted, due to the then existing greenery Building 5 with roof 5 improved.

The greening arrangement 11 thus formed is suitable for all areas with a desert-like climate and also for greening an embankment 12, in which it is used for various reasons, e.g. B. because of the lack of a humus layer, can also act as an extreme location. In order to green the embankment 12, the mat 1 or several strips of mat 1 are laid out on the embankment 12 in a comparable manner, preferably unrolled from top to bottom. In the case of an embankment 12, it is advisable to secure the mat 1 against slipping down by suitable weighting or fastening, in particular in its upper region.

Within the scope of the invention it is possible and possibly also advantageous to achieve the growth of the plants 9 in the mat 1 by means of a pre-cultivation. For this purpose, the mat 1 is placed on a horizontal surface with a smooth contact surface. If there are no seeds or cuttings in or on mat 1, they can be applied in or on mat 1. The growing plants then grow automatically. After the plants or their roots have a sufficient size, the mat 1 can be removed, transported to the installation site, here the roof 5, and installed. The aforementioned size is given when the plant roots have grown into the mat 1 and the length of the roots corresponds approximately to the thickness of the mat 1.

Claims

EXPECTATIONS

1. A method of planting vegetation-free or alternately moist surfaces on porous or rootable ground, in particular flat roofs, embankments or the like, with the following steps: a) applying a mat made of rootable material to the surface, b) introducing or applying seeds or cuttings of xerophytes (dry dwellers) or alternately moist plants in or on the mat and c) growth and growth of the mat with the plants, step b) also being able to take place before step a).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it is provided as an additional step: d) introducing or applying nutrients for the xerophytes or plants in the form of minerals or organic substances on or in the mat, step d) before, simultaneously or after step a) or b).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the mat secured against flying wind, z. B. is attached or weighed down.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mat is moistened in particular in the growth stage, preferably by means of an irrigation system.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that sedum seeds or cuttings are used.

6. mat (1) for performing the method according to any one of the preceding claims, consisting of a porous or rootable material.

7. Mat according to claim 6, characterized in that the material of the mat (1) contains about 0.3% organically bound iron.

8. Mat according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the mat (1) has coherent, in particular solidified fibers, preferably consists entirely of the fibers.

9. Mat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fibers are in particular easily rotten vegetable fibers, preferably cotton fibers.

10. Mat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the material of the mat (1) or the fibers are made from recycled materials.

11. Mat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is ungrounded.

12. Mat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness of the mat (1) in the dry or moist state is about 3 mm to 10 mm, in particular about 5 mm to 6 or 7 mm.

13. Mat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the weight of the mat (1) in the moist state less than about 5 kg / m ² , in particular less than about 3 kg per m ² , preferably about 2 to 3 kg per m ² is.

14. Mat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mat (1) has the shape of an elongated, preferably rectangular strip, in particular with a width of about 1 m and a length of several meters, preferably up to about 50 m.

15. Greening arrangement (9) for areas without vegetation, in particular for roofs (5) or embankments (11), with a) a porous or rootable substrate (gravel layer 7), b) a mat (1) made of rootable material arranged on the substrate (gravel layer 7) according to one of the preceding claims and c) xerophyte plants (dry dwellers) or alternately moist plants which grow in the mat (1) and later also in the subsoil (gravel layer 7) are rooted.