Decorative grapes - a plant that is often and successfully used in landscape design. After all, a cozy gazebo, completely covered with green wicker foliage, is a true salvation on a hot summer afternoon from the scorching sun. And the stepped terraces twined with grapes are an echo of the fashion for this plant, introduced by the rulers of past centuries.
In nature, ornamental grapes have become widespread in North America, and they were cultivated by the indigenous inhabitants of the mainland as early as 1622. Since that time, the decorative liana has firmly occupied its niche in garden plots around the world.
In cultural gardening, 3 types of ornamental grapes are distinguished:
- triostriate ivy;
- attached;
- girl's five-leaf (Virginian).
Decorative grapes as a componentlandscape design
Lush rich greenery, giving a refreshing coolness and practically no care, with competent human intervention, can create unique, bizarre forms and unexpected original solutions. And all this with a minimum investment of labor and costs.
The second name for decorative grapes is “maiden” or “virgin ivy”. This is explained very simply: the flowers of the plant do not require pollination to form seeds. Girlish grapes in landscape design are an effective tool for hiding an unsightly facade of a house or disguising an old barn. This is an excellent plant for the formation of a "hedge": green, solid, original, perennial. However, there is a downside to the coin: such a climbing plant, according to many experienced gardeners, can destroy the foundation, and the buildings themselves as well.
Ornamental Grapes (Parthenocissus): Benefits of Growing
Decorative (or five-leafed) grapes have a lot of advantages:
- looks attractive and original;
- can grow on any type of soil;
- actively growing (up to 2-3 meters per year), forms a green dense curtain;
- grows both in full sun and shade;
- is content with even a small piece of land;
- breeds easily;
- resistant to diseases and pests;
- protects building walls from wind, overheating, rain, dust.
Disadvantages of ornamental grapes
The ability to quickly and activelygrow can also be attributed to the shortcomings of this plant.
Parthenocissus (photo above), growing near the building, can easily run their powerful shoots under the slate on the roof or penetrate and clog the gutter. In any case, for the owners of the site, this means certain destruction and material costs. Lush curly vines, when growing, completely close the windows in the room, creating complete darkness. Such inconveniences can be easily de alt with by controlling the growth of ornamental grapes and shortening excess shoots in a timely manner.
An equally important problem is the root system of the plant. Capturing the underground space, it easily spreads in all directions and causes great harm to the cultures encountered on the way. Even weeds under such a vine grow in small quantities or do not grow at all. It is also worth taking into account that decorative grapes in spring come to life a little later than other plants and for a long time present a dull sight of tangled, bare branches.
Location of ornamental grapes
Decorative grapes planted on the south side of the house look very nice. In autumn, it turns into crimson, red, orange, purple tones and forms picturesque bluish-black berry clusters (unfortunately, inedible). A plant planted on the north side looks different and pleases the eye with dark green foliage until the onset of cold weather. In addition, in well-lit areas, the leaves of the plant are larger, andthe coloring is more picturesque.
Ornamental grapes: planting and care
Decorative grapes are unpretentious in care. It is enough to cut unnecessary lashes in a timely manner and occasionally water the plant. The water consumption for each bush is about 10 liters. In dry, hot weather, the moisture supply needs to be increased. You can simultaneously fertilize the plant with nitroammophos or complex preparations, to which the vine will respond with active lush growth. During the summer, it is recommended to remove weeds, loosen the soil and hill up when the roots are exposed. It is favorable for the plant to mulch the soil with peat or humus, which makes up a 6-centimeter layer.
With the advent of spring, decorative grapes need to remove frozen tips of branches, weakened and dried branches, as well as shoots that have grown outside the territory allotted for the plant.
Stages of planting decorative grapes
Growing decorative grapes on your site is not particularly difficult. For planting, it is enough to stick the cutting into the ground and water it. And then just have time to monitor the growth of the plant and control it. If, nevertheless, there is a desire to plant decorative grapes in accordance with all the rules, then you need:
- dig a hole of the appropriate size under the handle;
- mix soil with sand and compost;
- lay a layer of drainage on the bottom of the hole;
- pour part of the soil mixture on top;
- put the cutting in the hole;
- fill with the remaining earth;
- form an irrigation hole;
- water the stalk well.
For a planted plant, you can make a support or tie a wire, thus directing the growth of grapes in the right direction.
In the absence of support, parthenocissus (photo) with the help of suction cups at the ends of the antennae will grow, clinging to the slightest roughness on the walls.
Methods of propagation of ornamental grapes
Cuttings (twigs with 4-5 he althy buds) intended for propagation of ornamental grapes can be cut at any time. Ornamental grapes can also be propagated by seeds, provided that the plant is fully ripe, or by lash layers by burying them horizontally in the soil, leaving the tops with buds above the ground. It turns out: one wave is in the soil, the other is above it, and so on. A whip in the ground can be attached with a straightened paper clip or a regular hairpin.
It is very convenient to propagate decorative grapes by root offspring. They are quite easily removed from the ground and planted in a new place for growing. Then girlish grapes, the seedlings of which are already well rooted, must be planted at a permanent place of growth in previously prepared pits. The distance between plants is at least 1 meter.
Ornamental grapes can be planted in spring and autumn: the plant takes root equally well. You can not cover it for the winter: it is quite frost-resistant. When freezing very quicklyis restored due to sleeping kidneys.
