Grapes with roses and lavender?

13 years ago

I read something the other day that some vineyards grow roses and even lavender, with their grapes. The roses are supposed to show any diseases that would impact the grapes. The lavender is said to enhance the flavor of some wine grapes. Has anyone ever done this?

The area in the garden is about 20' x 4' and I want to put in two concord grapes (probably on posts and wire) but a few roses and some lavender would really jazz it up a bit :)

Would the roses be best on the ends? Any ideas? Thank you!

Featured Answer

girlgroupgirl

13 years ago

well, here's my take. You need to keep those roses away from where you are planning on harvesting your grapes! 4' is pretty narrow...and for the most part, roses are very thorny....

I have my veggie garden close to roses. When the melons and squash start running vines and I have to hop between them, I keep getting snagged on the roses. The area is about 40'x 8' and the roses are about 5' wide.

My friend grows lower growing plants with her grapes, and has the grapes on a fence which she can access from her neighbors driveway. You also need a spot from which to pick them...

Comments (9)

hosenemesis
13 years ago
I tried growing climbing roses with grape vines. Roses need water, grapes do not like too much water. Disaster.
Renee
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schoolhouse_gw
13 years ago
I have basil growing under my grape arbor, but I forget the reasoning behind it. Read it in a magazine.
lavender_lass
Original Author
13 years ago
I think the article said the roses are grown on the ends of the rows of grapes, at some of the vineyards. That would make sense, if they take more water. The idea was that roses are susceptible to many of the same diseases as grapes...but the article did say that many places do it for looks, too :)

Hyssop is supposed to be a good companion plant for grapes, so maybe I'll put that under them, with lavender closer to the roses.
schoolhouse_gw
13 years ago
Here's my grape arbor with the basil growing on the left.

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rosecorgis
13 years ago
Hi Lavendar Lass,

I live in vineyard country (Livermore, CA) near both Wente and Concannon. Many vintners grow the roses at the end of the grape row. I've heard it's to attract bees as polinators. To me it just looks pretty.

Debbie
schoolhouse_gw
13 years ago
I mean the basil is on the right. Duh.
loisthegardener_nc7b
13 years ago
They grow large shrub/small climber type roses at the ends of the rows at a winery here in PA. They said when the weather was right for powdery mildew, the roses would get it first which gave them time to spray the grapes before they got it. I don't remember the variety of roses they grew, but if you wanted a climber with few or no thorns, Climbing Pinky and/or Reine de Violettes would probably work for you. Climbing Pinky is supposed to be very healthy and a continuous bloomer, while Reine de Violettes is a more purply shade of pink and blooms 2 or 3 times a season.
tressa
13 years ago
Roses are grown at the ends of vineyard rows to detect mildew; however, my DH is a winemaker who says if the roses have mildew so do your grapes! Here in the Temecula Valley of CA prevention is the key - we spray to prevent mildew at least twice in the growing season. I believe that some plants do influence the wine flavor - although many disagree; however, it is all in the "nose" so why not plant lavender!