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I have a few grapevines trained onto a pergola. I was thinking of planting a few perennials like roses and geraniums at the base of the pergola on all sides except the front. However my vines are planted a little more closer towards the center rather then towards the edges of the posts. Will my roses struggle to grow next to the vines or would they be ok? How far should they be planted from the vines?

Hamid Sabir
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Ten years ago it was fashionable to plant roses within few feet from grape vine (just on the border of a vineyards): roses help keep some insects which will protect the grape vines.

On olden time, it was used to have a tree near a grape vine: it is a vine, it needs supports (and iron was expensive and used for other stuffs).

So you should not have problems (in general). You will have two plant nearby, so there could be more competition (nutrients, water, sun). You should care that both will get enough of each component, and you will not have problems.

Giacomo Catenazzi
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  • Thanks. Apart from my main concern, i find it interesting how you've mentioned roses as being good companion plants for grapevines. I've never heard of roses being good pest controllers. Infact I've heard the opposite that they themselves are more prone to insects amoung perennials. Btw, you had me convinced until another answer came in and now im confused really. – Hamid Sabir Mar 25 '19 at 20:53
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    There is always a trade-off. But it seems that roses (in Europe) helps to keep some insects nearby the vineyard. Such insects will eat other parasites (mites, etc.). Because Vitis and Rosa are very distant genetically, they do not share the same disease organisms. But small insects (which eat other insects) have larger preferences. Roses also do not do much competition, and there are not many evergreen plants in Europe (central norther part). – Giacomo Catenazzi Mar 26 '19 at 09:10
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    For the other answer: it is the same point I wrote. There could be competition. But this is true also between grape vine. Usually it is not a problem because we fertilize and water them, so there is no real competition. The other answers show also a very special case, so extra care about root diseases. – Giacomo Catenazzi Mar 26 '19 at 09:13
  • @ guacomo catenazzi_ Thanks. My vines are still young that are still half way from reaching the top. They're concord grapes all spaced 4 ft apart and planted to the north side of the pergola. "The great vine" has got me thinking though, did i plant them too close? – Hamid Sabir Mar 27 '19 at 16:05
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An extreme example, maybe, but nothing is allowed to grow in the ground adjacent to The Great Vine - "the world's largest grapevine" - at Hampton Court, England.

enter image description here

Peter4075
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  • Hold on. I though grapevines produced deep roots extending down as much as 20ft below. This is something that would make sense if we were talking about a plant/tree with shallow fibrous root system. I don't get it. Does it have something to do with the soil? Either way, now im confused. I got 2 answers completely different from one another. – Hamid Sabir Mar 25 '19 at 20:40
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    My advice would be to keep at least a metre wide circle around each vine plant-free. – Peter4075 Mar 26 '19 at 08:42
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    Most signals are scientifically wrong. Moisture and nutrients are easy to provide. But similar signs make tourist to wonder and think it is a very special things. Like in this case. I think the reason is an other: Phylloxera. If the vine is old, but also to have old vines or large vines, one must not graft it. But so ungrafted European vitis has Phyllloxera problem on roots. By keeping no vegetables (and possibly dry and sandy), it will eliminate the problem. – Giacomo Catenazzi Mar 26 '19 at 09:19
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    Pix of Great vine: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%22The+Great+Vine%22&t=ffsb&iax=images&ia=images There's a vine (not grape) in Golden gate park, San Francisco, which I believe may be larger. It's in a rather neglected area, and outcompetes everything: http://tinyurl.com/y2z557by – Wayfaring Stranger Mar 26 '19 at 15:48
  • @wayfaring stranger_ woow. That thing is massive. 250 years old. I was wondering how big the vine would be since you couldn't see it in the photo above. That's really impressive. About the other vine, i wonder what it . What other vine could possibly get this big? – Hamid Sabir Mar 27 '19 at 15:54
  • @giacomo catenazzi_ really. So the writing on the board is just for hype? We don't even know how far the vine is from the board. I wonder how much fruit it produces now at this stage of it's life – Hamid Sabir Mar 27 '19 at 15:57
  • @GiacomoCatenazzi the pix of the great vine I linked to include several of them harvesting what look to be good size grape bunches. – Wayfaring Stranger Mar 27 '19 at 17:54