I use recycled polystyrene fruit boxes with soil - great thermal mass too in winter and cooling in summer, cheap easy and light weight - perfect size for a langstroth too
Cheers
Benedict Hughes
The Practical Beekeeper
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That’s a good idea. Then, as they are not actually hive architecture, you can just lift them off and put them back on anytime you like
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Yes great for when you need to water them - then you let them dry off a bit before you add back
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Maybe you could use pigface? It grows in sand on the beach here in WA…that’s a pretty tough environment that takes very little water and no care at all. The bees love it.
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We’d seen them on chicken coops and other home and garden products, so we figured why not put one on a hive?! They are meant to go on top of a standard outer cover, so there should be no more water getting in the hive than normal. Another unintended advantage, given that they are to go on top of the existing roof, is that the living roof takes the place of the standard brick or strap that is used to keep most covers from flying off in stormy weather.
They weigh around 20-30lbs when fully soaked. The marine ply bottom is joined and caulked and the drain is to the back of the hive. They, of course, meant to go on top of a standard outer cover – not in place of it. So no more water than usual should be getting into the hive. Sedum, should you decide to use it, is a very hardy plant often used for living roofs on towers in major cities for its minimal water and care. One cool advantage aside from aesthetics and insulation, is that it will keep your lid from blowing off!
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Thank you very much for taking the time to explain, Matt. I have a much better concept of how to use it now. It might be worth adding to the description on your web site, so that potential buyers understand that it is not actually a roof replacement. The name “Langstroth Living Roof” had me thinking that it was meant to replace a telescoping cover. The weight estimate is very helpful to customers too, as I can lift an 8-frame medium at 35 lb, but a full deep is really too much for me. I was worried that it might be a real challenge to get the roof off! 
I presume the marine ply base is not constructed from Western Red Cedar? I live in a maritime area, and true marine ply is obviously highly valued here. The description says that the Living Roof is made of WRC, but I guess this refers to the walls rather than the base?
@Dawn_SD That is correct – it’s marine ply – not WRC. We’ll get the description updated based on this feedback!
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