Common quinceis the cousin of the well-known pear tree. It is less known in Poland, although it is one of the oldest fruit species.You can make various preserves from quince fruit , quince is an excellent addition to dishes, you can also make tinctures from it. It is worth the effort to have this fruit tree in your garden. Here are the highlights ofgrowing a quincein your garden. See whatquince varietiesto choose for your garden, how and when to performquince cutting , and whether the tree is attacked by any diseases.
Common quince - fruit
Common quince(Cydonia oblonga) belongs to the rosacea family. It grows wild in Asia. In our country, it is rarely cultivated and little known as a fruit tree, it is more often used as a dwarf rootstock for a pear (especially the bred type S1 quince). Quince (Chaenomeles sp) is often confused with it. Common quince can be a large shrub or a small tree, growing up to a maximum of 5 meters in height.
Species and varieties of quince
For cultivation in allotments and in home gardens,quince varietieswith larger and tastier fruits than in gart are especially recommended. Interestingly, the quinceavailable in stores , most often imported from abroad, reaches a fairly high price. This is another reason to plant a quince in your garden and have your own source of its fruit. It is also worth appreciating the decorative qualities of this plant, which is especially beautiful during flowering.When planted in an espalier and properly shaped, it will form a loose hive.
Common quince 'Bereczki'- a very valued variety of common quince, producing large, pear-shaped, elongated fruit. This variety has decorative, large, dark green and leathery leaves.
Common quince 'Leskovacka'- produces large, apple-shaped, lemon-yellow fruits. It bears fruit very early.
Large-fruited quince- it differs from the common quince only in its much larger fruits.
Pear quince- this is a quince whose fruit resembles pears. Pear quince is often used in gardens due to its greater resistance to pests.
Growing quince
Common quinceis quite a demanding fruit plant.
If we wantto grow a quince in our gardenwe need to provide it with ideal conditions otherwise it will not bear fruit well. This plant prefers fertile, warm and well-drained soil.It cannot stand sites where water stays for a long time. Feels bad when it is too dry. However, in sufficiently moist soilsquince grows well and bears fruitThe substrate should be slightly acidic (pH 5.9-6.5). If the soil is too alkaline, chlorosis appears on the leaves. It is also sensitive to cold, soit is best to grow quince in a warm and sheltered placewhere it will not be in danger of freezing.
Fertilizing quince
Quince does not require intensive annual fertilization. In particular, avoid too large doses of nitrogen fertilizer. On the other hand, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers favor good fruiting. They should be used in autumn, every 2-3 years, at a dose of 8g K2O per 1m² and 10g P2O5per 1 m². The more fertile and richer the soil, the less often we fertilize. When fertilizing, remember that the root system extends far beyond the diameter of the crown and that is also how the fertilizer should be spread.
Common quince - flowers
Multiplication of quince
Quince is propagated vegetatively by horizontal or vertical plantings. In winter, you can also make woody quince cuttings, which after 2 years of nursing are suitable for a permanent place. However, if you want to be sure about the quality of a quince seedling, it is best to buy it from a nursery or garden center.
Planting quince
Due to the sensitivity to frost, the spring time for planting quince seedlings is recommended. After planting, it is good to sprinkle the soil around the trunk with manure, which will prevent the substrate from drying out. The root system of the quince is not very extensive, so when initially growing the quince, it is better to grow it at a stake.
Important!In spring, right after planting, prune the tree. height 70-80 cm from the ground.
Quince - cutting and forming the crown
Proper pruning of the quince is very important, especially inlarge-fruited quince cultivationBasic pruning should be done in the first years after planting to form the crown. In old age, we should limit ourselves to x-raying the crown of quince, which promotes better fruit growth.
Due to the danger of trees freezing,we cut quince in the spring , after starting the vegetation. Then it is possible to assess which shoots are frozen (when frozen and damaged, not showing any signs of life, we always cut out). It is best to prune the quince when the buds already show which shoots are still viable, but there are no leaves on the tree yet. Usually this will be in March or early April. So March and April are the bestdates for pruning quince
When pruning a quince, remember that quince creates flower buds on annual shoots, the more there are, the greater the chance of fruit.
We distinguishtwo types of quince crown :
- An almost natural crown with a clear conductor , similar to a spindle crown. The first level of boughs should be about 50-60 cm above the ground. As a result, the quince fruit growing at the ends of slender branches will not touch the ground. The next floors are formed every 60 cm. The branches can be placed quite freely on the guide. After 3 years, a loose crown with wide bifurcation angles with 7-8 branches is obtained.
- Cup crown without a guide with a low trunk , in which the branches diverge widely to the sides. Formation begins with the removal of the conductor. From the newly emerging shoots, leave 5 growing around the trunk at approximately equal intervals. A year later, all shoots growing to the center of the crown are removed, and the main branches are shortened by 1/3 of their length. The procedure is similar for the next 2 years. Then, every year, strong shoots that grow vertically upwards, as well as those ingrown to the center of the crown, are cut.The purpose of this quince cut is to maintain the characteristic appearance of the cup crown, which is well lit inside, which promotes the ripening of the fruit.
Quince fruit - harvest and use
The quince is grown because of its fruit, which, however, is rather unsuitable for direct consumption due to its very sour taste. However, they are perfect for preserves.Quince fruitare large or very large, spherical-shaped (resembling apples). The flesh is yellowish in color, compact, brittle and extremely aromatic. We can harvest fruits in the first half of October.
Raw quince fruitsare not particularly tasty, but quince preserves are one of the tastiest. Quince jam is a great addition to tea. It's also worth looking for a variety ofquince recipesespecially for tinctures that have a unique flavor. Quince juice is also worth mentioning, as it is often used as a he alth drink.Quince recipes are not very popular, which may be their advantage, because having quince preserves is considered a real delicacy that will surprise many guests.
Common quince fruit
It is worth noting thatquince fruits look quite similar to exotic guava fruits , so don't get them confused in the grocery store. The fruits of both plants are perfect for preserves, but the guava fruits are tasty raw too. Guava is not hardy and in our climate it is grown only as a houseplant. However, she is seen very rarely.
Diseases and pests of quince
Quince has the same diseases and pests as pears. Most varieties are not very sensitive to pear scab. Quince, on the other hand, is very sensitive to bacterial fire blight. The disease is very rapid, leaves on affected shoots die and turn brown.In extreme cases, the entire tree dies. Infected shoots should be cut approximately 15 cm below the infection site. Quince can also be infected with moniliosis, brown leaf spot or powdery mildew.
Katarzyna Matuszak
