Roof top gardening (RTG) involves growing edible plants in restricted spaces with little or no soil. It allows growing nutritious plants to supplement families' diets using recycled materials. RTG experiments with technologies to find solutions to problems and shares learning with others. For example, cutting old tires, lining them with plastic sheets and cans, and adding water and nutrients allows growing food without soil. RTG aims to help poor communities around Lima with restricted space, water, and materials access by providing nutritious diets through recycled material gardens.

1. Roof Top Gardening (RTG) – what’s it all about?

2. “ It’s gardening on top of a roof, sir!” OK – it is (or can be, but it doesn’t always have to be.

3. RTG is all about: Growing edible plants in restricted space Growing plants where there is little or no soil Growing nutritious plants to SUPPLEMENT a family’s diet

4. RTG is all about: Using recycled materials as far as possible Experimenting with technologies to find solutions to problems Sharing what we learn with people who could use this technology in real life situations

5. Let’s see what we learned at ECHO (Fort Myers, FL, last year…

6. If you take an old car tyre...

7. Cut it...

8. Fill it with a plastic sheet and punctured aluminium cans...

9. And add water and nutrient... You can grow food You don’t believe me? Have a look...

14. In fact, as you will see, you don’t need tyres (or earth) at all...

16. This method is not new. It is already used successfully in other parts of the world:

18. We think we can develop this project here at San Antonio. We know that we can collect recycled material and put them to good use. We think we can put use our project to help people in and around Lima who are too poor to enjoy a nutritious, varied diet. We believe this is a good idea.

19. We are using a safe, enclosed space on the Science/Geography block roof. We have built a bamboo pergola to provide some shade from the sun and wind.

20. Before

21. After

22. We are faced with the challenge to use restricted space, restricted water, and to carry all our materials…just as people in the barrios have to do daily.

23. We have made a start… Mint and basil Rosemary, chillis and cedrón

24. And our first seedlings are doing well...

25. But remember, our aim is not to make a Markham roof look pretty with Barbie pink tyres! These are the areas we want to help out in:

27. We hope to be working with expert help from two international groups as we start our RTG:

28. Hopefully, we can count on your support. Will you help us?