Beautiful they are beautiful, without a doubt. But what are the roses at the beginning of the vineyard rows for? Aesthetics, tradition or functionality? Let's see it together.
In many parts of Italy, you may come across a vineyard landscape dotted with vineyards, with rose plants at the head of each row. Let's see why and what they are for in 4 simple points.
1. What are the roses at the beginning of the rows of vines for?
In the past, roses were important " spy plants ", as they promptly show the symptoms of any pathologies or the presence of parasites that can also affect the vine, as well as first suffering the effect of mineral deficiencies, allowing winemakers to intervene promptly in vineyard accordingly.
Roses, therefore, placed at the head of the rows, have historically been an alarm bell that promptly helped monitor the health of the vine, allowing timely action to be taken to reduce damage to the crop before the spread of the problem compromises the harvest.
If the rose is healthy, the vines are also healthy.
2. How do roses help vineyard management?
Roses have fewer defenses so when they get sick the winemaker can intervene in time, before the same pathology affects the vineyards.
- Read also: what is precision viticulture
3. What can attack roses and vines?
Among the enemies of the vineyard (and of roses) are: powdery mildew, called "white disease" (a fungus that penetrates the grape berries, tearing them and encouraging the attack of other parasites), woolly root rot, gray mold (or botrytis), or an insect, metcalfa, which in summer infests the stems and leaves of various plants, including vines.
4. What are the roses between the rows for today?
Today, with the development of vine breeding techniques, which have made innovative vineyard monitoring systems available to winemakers, the planting of roses in the vineyards no longer has a real sentinel role. But roses are still found, especially in the vineyards of farmers who are particularly tied to traditions: the function has therefore become aesthetic .
