Why Are Roses Planted at the End of Vineyard Rows?
You may have noticed rose plants adorning the rows of pristine vineyards on your last tour of wine country, and you probably were never intrigued by the roses except to admire their beauty. Although roses do add a touch of elegance to reflect the vineyardist’s attention to aesthetics, rose plants play a much more practical and functional role in viticulture (the science and practices of planting, managing and training vines, and growing grapes). Planting roses at the end of vineyard rows is a simple and effective trick-what some call a miner’s canary-as an early warning sign of an impending disease, usually powdery mildew or downy mildew because roses are more sensitive than grapevines. If either disease sets in, the vineyardist then sprays the vineyard with appropriate fungicides. Those who routinely include fungicides in their vineyard management practices do not need to plant roses. Powdery mildew, also known as Oidium, is a disease triggered by the fungus Uncinula necator (or Erysi
