HARDINESS: Zones 4 to 9
PREFERRED SOIL pH: Neutral to slightly alkaline
PREFERRED SOIL TYPE: Fertile, well-drained
PREFERRED LIGHT: Sun to partial shade
ATTRIBUTES: Summer and fall foliage, fruits, and woody trunks; for shade, privacy
SEASON OF INTEREST: Year-round
TYPE Of VINE: Woody deciduous perennial; climbs by clinging with tendrils
FAVORITES: Seek locally adapted cultivars
QUIRKS: Aged trunks have a treelike quality
GOOD NEIGHBORS: Bugleweed or ostilbe as a groundcover beneath the vines
WHERE IT GROWS BEST: In sun and fertile, well-drained soil
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS: Fungal leaf spot diseases; Japanese beetles
RENEWING PLANTS: Vines live many years; prune back to the main trunk in early spring
CRITTER RESISTANCE: Good except for deer
SOURCE: Bedding plants, cuttings
DIMENSIONS: To 50 ft (15.2 m) long; leaves to 12 in (30.5 cm)
Grape vines in the Landscape
There's no reason grapevines should be confined to vineyards. Although grapes grown for appearance may produce little fruit, the gnarled, woody trunks and stems clothed in 6 in (15.2 cm) wide leaves make these vines versatile in the landscape. They are easy to grow, offer summer shade, and can be trained and pruned to fit a variety of sturdy trellises. Pergolas and arbors are especially suited to growing grape vines, because these plants like nothing better than establishing themselves with thick, treelike trunks topped by fruiting vines that cling to their supports with twining tendrils.
Choosing Good Grapes
If you want to have pretty plants as well as juicy grapes, the best place to start is your local nursery. Like other fruits, grape cultivars vary in their need for winter chilling and their resistance to pests and diseases that may be prevalent in your region. Local sources can steer you toward the best choices for your area.
Grape species native to North America are numerous and make fine garden plants, particularly in informal areas where you can let them ramble over fences. Perhaps the most ornamental grape is the fast-growing crimson vine (Vitis coignetiae), which makes an excellent screen and boasts brilliant red foliage in fall. Muscadine grape (V. rotundifolia) is a close second, with nearly round 5 in (12.7 cm) wide leaves that turn yellow in fall.
Growing Grapevines
Grapes are easy to grow in any sunny, well-drained site. Buy plants in early spring, when they are just emerging from dormancy, and plant them in soil enriched with organic matter, such as leaf mold, compost, or well-aged manure. Unless you want abundant foliage, do not fertilize these plants. Train the vines where you want them to grow the first year and monitor them for problems.
Commercially grown grapes are prone to numerous diseases that cause leaves to discolor and wither, but these are seldom a problem in home landscapes. If your vines display disfiguring leaf spots, apply a sulfur-based fungicide registered for use on grapes, according to package directions. Japanese beetles may chew holes in the leaves, seriously weakening young plants. To eliminate these pests, apply the biological insecticide known as milky spore disease to nearby lawns in spring to control the grubs before they emerge as beetles. Deer may also browse grapes. Hang bars of a strong-smelling deodorant-formula bath soap among vines to deter them or apply commercial repellents as directed on the label.
Little pruning is needed the first year, but once vines are established they should be cut back in late winter, just before the buds swell in spring If you are growing grapes as ornamental vines, prune them as needed to control their size and eliminate weak growth. Because the main trunk is attractive year-round, allow it to grow as tall as you like and cut back the lateral branches to only a few buds. Grapes can also be trimmed in summer, which encourages them to produce a pretty flush of new, light green leaves. To propagate, pin a trailing vine to the ground and cover it with soil. When rooted, sever the rooted vine and plant it as directed above.
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