Honestly… unless you want a huge bill when it rots the roof, or causes water damage… I would use a pot.
TehWang
How many hours of direct sunlight you think this spot gets? That may open up/restrict what reasonable choices you have.
shmurfturf
2 weed plants in 15 gallon pots
Green_Machine_6719
I concur w/Ok-description, you’re only asking for trouble w/clogging that drain..Roots and soil will plug that in a heartbeat..Definitely recommend a pot if something is put here.
VIDCAs17
Use a pot or some kind of container. Roofs need to be specifically designed to hold dirt and grow plants. There appears to be a drain and you don’t want blocked up with dirt.
bebesloth69
Throw some native wildflower seeds in for good measure! A secret lil pollinator plot 🥹
wookiex84
You said it’s a dorm room, so the answer is clearly a couple of weed plants.
Gigglenator
Use a pot, dirt and water will cause damage that you’ll most likely be liable for.
Seriously, use a pot. Think it through.
anywhoaroundhere
Sunflowers
thickhipstightlips
Question is, how would you harvest anything ? Jump out the window ?
72scott72
Use a pot to grow your pot.
CommercialExotic2038
I don’t know, a Goliath sunflower would be awesome. They are 12 ft tall and would look like a planet from there.
sovietsatan666
Halloween skeleton
motherfudgersob
I’m not sure that little spot of nothing doesn’t need some repair or maintenance. Regardless Od leave it alone. I recall having to move my freshman year when the ceiling collapsed from crappy workmanship on the roof. Just…don’t. And from a gardener…that’s severe!
andrew6197
Hey man, you even bother to zoom in and see that drainage? You’ll just have to pay to replace that entire line if you fill it with dirt.
TankLang
As most have pointed out, that is not a planter. That is an area of flat roofing with an area drain. Please do not attempt to plant anything there.
Edit: Also, in regards to a pot, isn’t that 5-6’ down? How would you get to a pot without putting yourself in danger of falling? You’re at least a few stories up.
ConstructionLoud6850
Does it drain? Or just get full of water ?
Vx0w
So you’ll live there for maybe a couple years, and you intend to make everyone sick for growing mold, or cause permanent structural damage to the building and maybe put people’s life at risk.
I would suggest not to put anything in that space. If the school finds out and they have any common sense, they may kick you out and seek financial compensation.
Fr05t_B1t
Instead of possibly damaging a part of the building instead put some 6” pots on the ledge.
squirrelsmith
Please DON’T.
Flat roofs are very hard to keep watertight and having soil sit on them makes any water in the soil more acidic as biomatter degrades. That causes waterproofing material to degrade, and then you have a leak. And since it’s in a hidden spot, the leak will likely result in rotten decking, or trusses, or damage to whatever is below it.
So please, please don’t try to use it as a garden. I would advise not even putting a potted plant there as it is still added wear on such a badly placed flatroof, and depending on your university’s rules, you could get fined, disciplined, or even kicked out if you cause damage.
(And a flat roof like that one is bound to have damage even if *you didn’t cause it*. So putting anything at all on it is just playing the lotto to see if you get blamed for something that may not even be your fault)
Dazzling_Flow_5702
You’re going to get sued for damages, rightfully so.
Ok-Scale6274
Don’t touch it if you don’t own the building. Landlords can be ruthless. The Chinese Communists executed all of theirs when they won their civil war.
AaaaNinja
There’s a drain there. Are you seriously thinking of doing something that’s going to plug it up?
fatplant629
Like we are all ignoring the window ledge and want to plant something we have to climb out the window to see. We have missed the plot
Equivalent_Success60
You could hang a window box planter from your window!
kitchenmaven
There’s a drain there so obviously don’t dump dirt straight into the area
Midwest-Dad99
Stay off the roof. You could grow stuff in little pots on that windowsill.
But if they fall off and clog that drain, that’s on you. You don’t wanna pay that bill.
Move off campus if you want to garden
North_South_Side
How much sunlight does this little corner get? The amount of sunlight is always, always the first question that needs answering before any gardening question can be answered well.
Unless that is a SW exposure, you won’t get any kind of fruit or vegetables to grow (well, maybe lettuce).
Please use a pot with a drip tray. Don’t be stupid. Just dumping a bunch of soil there and planting something can be potentially very destructive to the building/roof. Even putting a potted plant there is likely not allowed, and if you get caught or if any issues occur from growing stuff there will lead to a fine.
Ecstatic-Bumblebee34
Seems a pain in the ass to get to so my suggestion. Spend a day taking measurements and then cut some pressure treated wood and make a frame that raises it a height where you can reach a pot. Add lots to frame and then it’s easy to water and harvest from. I’d go with some form of peppers as they are easy and produce pretty well.
Wandering_Renegade
i know its gardening sub but have you considered a life size cut out tom cruise climbing a wall?
eightyeightbananas
that’s uh… a pretty loose definition of “in” there
one_bean_hahahaha
How much sun? I almost exclusively container garden due to space and sun problems. I find tomatoes tend to be resource heavy, but cherry tomatoes will often have variants suitable for containers. You will also need to be able to clean out the dead plant at the end of the season, which might be kind of difficult based on where this patch is. As others mentioned, planting directly into this could also be destructive to your building. It might be easier to place a planter on top of the dirt, but then you would also have to ensure it wouldn’t take off on the next windy day.
dillydaddlerr
Agree don’t plant anything in the square, but would be nice to get a little planter for your window sill! You could grow fresh herbs or flowers, just try to secure it so it doesn’t blow away in bad weather
RadicalChile
the only correct thing to put there is a mannequin that is waving into the window.
Sulgdmn
If it’s hard to reach, maybe look into a non permanent window box and skip the flat area roof altogether.
xxSpeedsterxx
NOT MARIJUANA!
SockCucker3000
Native plants!
No-Neighborhood1908
A pot with some sunflowers in it would be fun
ceciem2100
sunflowers if it’s facing a good way!
MaleficentAddendum11
This is a stupid idea all around. I hope you heed all the warnings.
DragonYourfeet
You should just blast the whole building with moss slurry
Ok-Scallion8863
Don’t
HamHockShortDock
I think if you want to grow something you should do it on the ledge you said you can sit on.
Where are you located?
Shirknine
Get a bucket and sit on it down there when the weather is nice
One_Assignment7014
Pulley system and cooler of secret booze
HenricusKunraht
“In” your dorm is a stretch, a huuuge stretch lol
Pistolpete7816
There’s pretty much no way to make this even mildly close to being a good idea
baseballbear
something in a pot and something nice for the birds
Zalenka
Drip tray and then a potted plant. Don’t fill the entire space. Do what you want!!
50 Comments
Weed, traditionally
Honestly… unless you want a huge bill when it rots the roof, or causes water damage… I would use a pot.
How many hours of direct sunlight you think this spot gets? That may open up/restrict what reasonable choices you have.
2 weed plants in 15 gallon pots
I concur w/Ok-description, you’re only asking for trouble w/clogging that drain..Roots and soil will plug that in a heartbeat..Definitely recommend a pot if something is put here.
Use a pot or some kind of container. Roofs need to be specifically designed to hold dirt and grow plants. There appears to be a drain and you don’t want blocked up with dirt.
Throw some native wildflower seeds in for good measure! A secret lil pollinator plot 🥹
You said it’s a dorm room, so the answer is clearly a couple of weed plants.
Use a pot, dirt and water will cause damage that you’ll most likely be liable for.
Seriously, use a pot. Think it through.
Sunflowers
Question is, how would you harvest anything ? Jump out the window ?
Use a pot to grow your pot.
I don’t know, a Goliath sunflower would be awesome. They are 12 ft tall and would look like a planet from there.
Halloween skeleton
I’m not sure that little spot of nothing doesn’t need some repair or maintenance. Regardless Od leave it alone. I recall having to move my freshman year when the ceiling collapsed from crappy workmanship on the roof. Just…don’t. And from a gardener…that’s severe!
Hey man, you even bother to zoom in and see that drainage? You’ll just have to pay to replace that entire line if you fill it with dirt.
As most have pointed out, that is not a planter. That is an area of flat roofing with an area drain. Please do not attempt to plant anything there.
Edit: Also, in regards to a pot, isn’t that 5-6’ down? How would you get to a pot without putting yourself in danger of falling? You’re at least a few stories up.
Does it drain? Or just get full of water ?
So you’ll live there for maybe a couple years, and you intend to make everyone sick for growing mold, or cause permanent structural damage to the building and maybe put people’s life at risk.
I would suggest not to put anything in that space. If the school finds out and they have any common sense, they may kick you out and seek financial compensation.
Instead of possibly damaging a part of the building instead put some 6” pots on the ledge.
Please DON’T.
Flat roofs are very hard to keep watertight and having soil sit on them makes any water in the soil more acidic as biomatter degrades. That causes waterproofing material to degrade, and then you have a leak. And since it’s in a hidden spot, the leak will likely result in rotten decking, or trusses, or damage to whatever is below it.
So please, please don’t try to use it as a garden. I would advise not even putting a potted plant there as it is still added wear on such a badly placed flatroof, and depending on your university’s rules, you could get fined, disciplined, or even kicked out if you cause damage.
(And a flat roof like that one is bound to have damage even if *you didn’t cause it*. So putting anything at all on it is just playing the lotto to see if you get blamed for something that may not even be your fault)
You’re going to get sued for damages, rightfully so.
Don’t touch it if you don’t own the building. Landlords can be ruthless. The Chinese Communists executed all of theirs when they won their civil war.
There’s a drain there. Are you seriously thinking of doing something that’s going to plug it up?
Like we are all ignoring the window ledge and want to plant something we have to climb out the window to see. We have missed the plot
You could hang a window box planter from your window!
There’s a drain there so obviously don’t dump dirt straight into the area
Stay off the roof. You could grow stuff in little pots on that windowsill.
But if they fall off and clog that drain, that’s on you. You don’t wanna pay that bill.
Move off campus if you want to garden
How much sunlight does this little corner get? The amount of sunlight is always, always the first question that needs answering before any gardening question can be answered well.
Unless that is a SW exposure, you won’t get any kind of fruit or vegetables to grow (well, maybe lettuce).
Please use a pot with a drip tray. Don’t be stupid. Just dumping a bunch of soil there and planting something can be potentially very destructive to the building/roof. Even putting a potted plant there is likely not allowed, and if you get caught or if any issues occur from growing stuff there will lead to a fine.
Seems a pain in the ass to get to so my suggestion. Spend a day taking measurements and then cut some pressure treated wood and make a frame that raises it a height where you can reach a pot. Add lots to frame and then it’s easy to water and harvest from. I’d go with some form of peppers as they are easy and produce pretty well.
i know its gardening sub but have you considered a life size cut out tom cruise climbing a wall?
that’s uh… a pretty loose definition of “in” there
How much sun? I almost exclusively container garden due to space and sun problems. I find tomatoes tend to be resource heavy, but cherry tomatoes will often have variants suitable for containers. You will also need to be able to clean out the dead plant at the end of the season, which might be kind of difficult based on where this patch is. As others mentioned, planting directly into this could also be destructive to your building. It might be easier to place a planter on top of the dirt, but then you would also have to ensure it wouldn’t take off on the next windy day.
Agree don’t plant anything in the square, but would be nice to get a little planter for your window sill! You could grow fresh herbs or flowers, just try to secure it so it doesn’t blow away in bad weather
the only correct thing to put there is a mannequin that is waving into the window.
If it’s hard to reach, maybe look into a non permanent window box and skip the flat area roof altogether.
NOT MARIJUANA!
Native plants!
A pot with some sunflowers in it would be fun
sunflowers if it’s facing a good way!
This is a stupid idea all around. I hope you heed all the warnings.
You should just blast the whole building with moss slurry
Don’t
I think if you want to grow something you should do it on the ledge you said you can sit on.
Where are you located?
Get a bucket and sit on it down there when the weather is nice
Pulley system and cooler of secret booze
“In” your dorm is a stretch, a huuuge stretch lol
There’s pretty much no way to make this even mildly close to being a good idea
something in a pot and something nice for the birds
Drip tray and then a potted plant. Don’t fill the entire space. Do what you want!!