SWPA - Vines for ornamental/privacy fence.

[Ebonheart]

I have a home in a suburban town in Southwestern PA. The edge of the property is adjacent to a gravel alleyway, approximately 100ft long. It's a slight drop, with a 2 to 6 foot downward slope from the alley. It's pretty much full sun from sunup to 4pm. Currently, it's all bushes and weeds. We're neophyte winemakers, and the idea of having a line of vines as a property line and privacy fence of sorts came to me today. I don't expect to harvest grapes off of the vines (that would be a possible bonus, if any managed to grow), I just look at it as a landscaping feature.

Given that, I was thinking about Concord vines (it IS PA, after all), but I'd want something rather hardy, mildew resistant. and tolerant of a couple days below -10 each winter (we've had a few each of the last 5 years or so).

Any suggestions? I'm thinking of a line of 8-16 vines, depending on the spacing.

 

[TonyR]

If harvesting is no a real concern you should look at Frontenac, they are very hearty and they grow SUPER fast. They are very vigorous. As far as grapes, i think they are on the high acid side, but could make a good sweet wine or fantastic jelly. I am in north west Pa. Just north of I-80

 

[dwhill40]

There is a benefit to having no grapes and that would be no stinging bugs and less birds. I let a 101-14 rootstock grow from a failed graft in the front of my fathers workshop. It makes a large beautiful shady vine. But...you'll still need a trellis , nothing elaborate necessarily but something for the vine to grow up and along. And, if you someday decide you want something productive in that area you can graft a new variety on to the rootstock.

 

[CTDrew]

Sounds like a fun project. Think about Marquette. They are very vigorous in my vineyard and I think generally too. Makes nice wine and ok jelly and if you allow it lots of excess foliage.