HelpfulGardener.com

I have a courtyard in my home. The underlying ground is dirt and rocks. On top of that, we poured a thin layer of concrete. They put down a plastic sheet first, then an iron grate (standard iron used inside of concrete AFAIK) and then poured the concrete into that and it's (a lot) less than a foot thick. We plan to, one day, attach ceramic tiles on top of the concrete.

In two adjacent corners of the courtyard, however, there are two quarter circles shaped area which have no concrete. To clarify what I mean, I put a few pictures online here https://tinyurl.com/pyynxz

We intended to use these for planters for trees. I would like to plant a grapevine in one of them. In the North of Israel, grapevines grow well.

My concern, however, is that if I just plant it straight in the ground, in fifty years (or less) the roots will push against the concrete and break it and push it up. This has happened to my neighbors in fact.

My plan actually was to build a small wall, out of stone and concrete, along the quarter circle part. I thought to build it a few feet high, that it could also double as a place to sit. Then we fill in the entire thing with dirt and have a grapevine inside.

I had thought perhaps if I start it now a good 2 feet or so below the level of the cement and let it grow a few years, that maybe if I later add dirt on top it won't think to move UP to the cement. I also thought perhaps to try to line the area with plastic sheets somehow so that the roots won't get to the cement. I am uncertain if these ideas are realistic however.

Can anyone provide any advice, at all, with regard to my grapevine?

Thanks!

The link didn't work but grape vines grow at the bottom just as they grow on the top and putting in plastic to contain the roots is a bad idea. Plant a small tree like a japanese maple and raising the bed will help but rule out the plastic.

Try this link: https://is.gd/CVod

I wonder if I was to leave the level of the dirt two feet below the level of the cement, would that help? Then perhaps the roots wouldn't go out to the side and then move upwards towards the cement.

We really would like to have a grapevine, if possible.

Thanks!

Both of your links work fine for me. Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to your question. I do know that grapevines will grow in containers, but they don't ... to my knowledge, at least ... produce fruit under those conditions. They are generally grown in containers strictly as decorative plants.