Green roof maintenance
Have your sedum roof or green roof professionally maintained and extend the life of your roof.
Calculate your costsWhy is green roof maintenance necessary?
Regular maintenance keeps a green roof healthy, prevents blockages and extends the life of the roofing material. Without maintenance, drains can become clogged, bare spots develop and weeds and moss take over.
Proper green roof maintenance prevents water problems and extends the life of your roofing materials. This applies to both sedum roofs and biodiverse roofs such as sedum herb roofs and rooftop flower meadows.
In most situations, we recommend two maintenance sessions per year: in the spring and in the fall.
Schedule maintenance for your green roof?
Schedule a maintenance service for inspection, fertilization, weed removal and drainage control.
Plan een onderhoudsafspraak
What do we do during a maintenance service?
We recommend maintaining a green roof twice a year: once in the spring and once in the fall. During a maintenance service, we check the roof for weeds, clogged drains, bare spots and dehydration. In addition, we fertilize the green roof where necessary and check the condition of the vegetation.
We maintain sedum roofs, sedum herb roofs, biodiverse green roofs and rooftop flower meadows. Maintenance varies for each type of green roof. A sedum roof mainly requires control of drainage, fertilization and weed removal. Biodiverse green roofs and roof flower meadows also require extra attention to vegetation management, mowing and watering during dry periods.
Curious about costs? Calculate your maintenance rate easily with our green roof maintenance calculator.
A sedum roof needs nutrition to stay healthy and strong. That’s why we usually fertilize green roofs twice a year: in the spring and in the fall. This stimulates vegetation growth and helps prevent bare spots. Biodiverse green roofs we fertilize to a limited extent or not at all, so that the natural balance is maintained.
During maintenance, we remove weeds, leaves and small tree seedlings from the roof. Without maintenance, unwanted plants can take over the sedum vegetation. We also check gravel strips and edges so that the green roof remains neat and functional.
Clogged storm drains can lead to flooding and roof damage. That’s why we check and clean drains, leaf grates and gravel strips during every maintenance service. This keeps rainwater draining properly and keeps the green roof functioning healthily.
A green roof needs extra water during dry periods. Young green roofs, sedum herb roofs and rooftop flower meadows are especially susceptible to drying out in the spring and during hot summers.
A drip system mainly keeps the lower layer of the roof moist so roots do not dry out. However, the system does not replace natural rainfall. In extreme drought conditions, we recommend manually watering the green roof from above at least once a week.
Do you use a Gardena watering computer? Then disconnect it before winter and store the system indoors to prevent frost damage.
We will lovingly maintain your green roof and ensure that you can continue to enjoy a healthy green roof.
Maintenance by type of green roof
Het onderhoud verschilt per type groendak. Download de onderhoudsrichtlijnen en bewateringshandleiding voor uitgebreide informatie.
Sedum roof maintenance
A sedum roof requires relatively little maintenance. We recommend checking the roof twice a year for weeds, leaves and clogged drains. In addition, fertilization in the spring and fall is important to keep sedum plants healthy and strong. Watering is usually only necessary in extreme drought conditions.
Sedum herb roof maintenance
A sedum-herb roof requires more attention to biodiversity and vegetation management. During dry periods, we recommend watering the roof once a week, about one hour at a time. Annual shearing helps reduce grasses and give flowering herbs space. A drip system also helps keep the underlayment moist so roots don’t dry out.
Rooftop flower meadow
A rooftop flower meadow requires extra attention especially in the first year. During dry periods, we recommend watering the roof once or twice a week. In addition, we control bare spots, erosion and unwanted vegetation to maintain biodiversity. Optionally, the vegetation can be shaved annually to keep the roof airy and healthy.
Frequently asked questions maintenance
Fortunately, maintaining a green roof is easy. Be sure to check and clean the roof twice a year (spring and fall). Always remove weeds and fallen leaves, spread sedum fertilizer pellets for adequate nutrition and check that the water drain is free of debris. Also refill bare spots with new sedum plants. If you follow these steps and give extra water once in extreme drought, your green roof will stay in optimal condition.
No, a green roof is fairly low-maintenance. With about two maintenance visits a year, you can usually keep it in top condition. That mainly includes weed and leaf removal and occasional fertilization. In extreme weather conditions (such as prolonged drought), an extra check or spraying may be necessary, but otherwise a green roof requires very little of your time.
Most green roofs need maintenance twice a year: in the spring and in the fall. The costs depend on the size and accessibility of your roof. On our page about costs and frequency of sedum roof maintenance you can read exactly what to expect and calculate an indication yourself.
When your green roof has not been installed by us or there is overdue maintenance, we always start with intensive maintenance. In doing so, we ensure that the roof is returned to a healthy state, often with additional substrate, plants or fertilizers.
Want to know what this costs? Then use our green roof maintenance calculator and calculate the rate instantly.
Fertilize ideally twice a year: once in spring (after winter, around April) and possibly a second time in late summer (early September). Use special sedum or green roof fertilizer that slowly releases nutrients. That way your sedum plants get a boost at the times they need it (at the start of the growing season and just before winter dormancy).
Yellow or brown spots often indicate drought or nutrient deficiency. Check to see if it has been very dry recently – the plants may be thirsty and require watering. Yellowing can also come from nutrient depletion; a fertilizer application can remedy this. Also be sure to remove weeds, as competing plants can weaken sedum causing it to discolor. Repair bare or barren areas by planting new sedum cuttings so that the roof grows nicely dense again.
Usually you don’t need to water a green roof extra, because sedum plants can withstand drought well and rainwater is usually sufficient. Only in exceptionally dry periods (for example, a hot summer with no rain for weeks) is additional watering wise to prevent dehydration. In that case, water in the evening or morning so that it can soak in quietly without evaporating immediately. Be careful not to overwater – too much water can lead to moss or root rot.
Many maintenance jobs you can do yourself, especially on a small or easily accessible green roof. Think of weed removal and spreading manure. For specialized maintenance or hard-to-reach roofs, however, a green roof specialist is the best choice. An experienced professional recognizes problems early, prevents damage and ensures optimal growing conditions. Don’t have time yourself or want to be sure of professional maintenance? Then periodic maintenance by a specialist is a wise choice. In doubt? You can always call in a green roof specialist once and immediately learn how to do future maintenance safely and effectively yourself.
An irrigation system or drip system helps keep the underlayer of the green roof moist so roots don’t dry out during dry periods. Especially with biodiverse roofs, sedum herb roofs and rooftop flower meadows, extra watering can be important. However, an irrigation system does not replace natural rainfall. In extreme drought conditions, we recommend additional manual watering of the green roof from above.
Yes. Do you use a Gardena watering computer or automatic irrigation system? Then disconnect it before winter and store the system indoors to prevent frost damage. In addition, check that pipes and fittings are completely empty before temperatures drop below freezing.
A biodiverse green roof requires more water than a standard sedum roof. During dry periods, we recommend watering the roof about once a week. A roof flower meadow or young vegetation may require more frequent watering, especially during hot summers or dry spring periods with high winds.
