Quinceis a frost-resistant shrub with thorny twigs, growing up to about 2 m in height. It is cultivated for the beautiful flowers that appear there from early spring, as well as for fruit, perfect for preserves - preserves and tinctures. Here are the best species andvarieties of quince for garden cultivation , how to plant and grow a quince shrub, and what quince fruit looks and tastes like.
Quince is a shrub that wonderfully blooms in spring.
Quince - characteristics, application
The genusquinceincludes 3 species found wild in East Asia and numerous varieties, all of which can be grown in Poland.Quince bushesin spring they sprinkle with flowers that look a bit like apple blossoms. The yellowfruits of the quinceappear in the fall. They are used for preserves - preserves, tinctures, they can be added to tea or candied. These shrubs can be planted in flower beds, formed into a hedge or led near walls.
Quince - species and varieties
Japanese quinceChaenomeles japonica
As the name suggests, this quince comes from Japan. Creates wide, low shrubs up to 1 m high. There are short thorns on the shoots. The flowers are brick red, 3-4 cm in diameter, with a single whorl of petals. The Japanese quince starts flowering just before the leaves are released, in late March and early April. The fruits of the Japanese quince are flat-spherical, yellow, 4 cm in diameter.They smell nice. Japanese quince is fully frost-resistant here.
Black quinceChaenomeles speciosa
It comes from China, also referred to asChinese quinceorQuinceIt is larger than the Japanese quince, it grows up to 2 m in height. The shoots are very thorny. The flowers can be red, pink or white. Quince moth blooms in May and June. The fruit is 4-7 cm long, very hard. Due to its taller growth and its oblong fruit resembling quince, this species of quince is often confused with the common quince. This quince is also frost-resistant, which makes cultivation much easier.
Intermediate quinceChaenomeles x superba
This quince is a hybrid of the two previously mentioned quince and is most often grown in our gardens. The intermediate quince grows up to 1 m in height and grows strongly to the sides. There are large thorns up to 1 cm long on the shoots. The flowers come in many different colors depending on the variety.In Poland, 3varieties of quinceintermediate:
- 'Crimson and Gold' - dark crimson flowers
- 'Elly Mossel' - fiery red flowers, the variety repeats flowering in summer
- 'Nicoline' - red and orange flowers, blooms profusely. This variety is especially valuable!
Growing a quince
Soil requirements
Quince shrubsare best planted in fertile, moist and warm soil. They also do well in sandy and calcareous soils. On the other hand, they grow poorly on wet and sodden soils. When growing quince trees, it is best to put litter under the shrub, which will reduce the loss of moisture and prevent the growth of weeds.
Site
The best site forgrowing quinceis sunny, warm and semi-shaded places. Quince trees are very good for urban plants because they are frost-resistant and tolerate atmospheric pollution well.
Pruning
The quince shrubalso requires no special pruning. If necessary, bushes can be trimmed to thin them or limit their growth. Quince trees planted on a hedge require shaping to maintain the shape and compact habit of the hedge. Plants along the walls are cut after their flowering ends, by pruning their last year's shoots, on which 2-3 buds are left.
Quince - reproduction, cuttings
"Quince seedlings
Quince plants are best propagated through cuttings. If you want more shrubs, takequince seedlingsin summer, remembering to cut them so that the seedling contains the so-called heel. Then the quince seedling should be placed in a pot filled with peat mixed with sand. Pots with quince seedlings should be overwintering in a cool inspectorate, and in the spring they should be planted into the ground.Seed quince "
Quince can also be propagated from seeds. However, it should be remembered that only species reproduce in this way.Quince varietiespropagated from seeds usually do not inherit the characteristics of the mother plant (they may, for example, have a different color of flowers).
IndependentQuince breedingis relatively easy. However, if we do not have the patience to grow seedlings, you can go ahead and buy ready-to-plantquince seedlingsin a nursery or garden center. It will save our time, although it will be a bit more expensive than growing seedlings on your own.
Quince fruit - harvest, application
Quince fruitare not large (usually 4-5 cm in diameter) and may be spherical or slightly flattened depending on the variety. They contain a lot of pectin and are a rich source of vitamin C (they have much more of it than lemon). They are quite hard and durable, and their yellowish skin is often covered with a blush and gives off a pleasant smell. They ripen from September to October.
Quince fruit is usually harvested in October. Some say that the first frost is best. They are not suitable for consumption raw (tart and hard), but they can be a great addition to tea, replacing the popular lemon. Just cutquince fruitinto slices (removing the seed core beforehand) or into cubes and sprinkle with sugar in a jar. After a few days, it can already be added to tea. Quince fruits are also used for preserves - they can be fried with sugar, resulting in tasty jams and preserves. It is also worth preparing a tincture based on them, the so-called quince fruit (often confused with quince fruit tincture).
Quince - diseases and pests
Quince are rarely attacked by diseases or pests. From diseases, spots of quince leaves and fruits can sometimes appear, and from pests - shrubs are sometimes inhabited by the rose tortrix.
Quince leaves blotch.
Quince leaf and fruit blotchis a disease caused by the fungus Cercospora cydoniae. Symptoms of this disease are visible from the second half of summer, when small round spots appear on the leaf blades. Initially, the spots are brown, with time they turn brown, they can also appear on fruits. With a large number, the spots merge to form an extensive necrosis. In these places, the tissues usually break.To prevent this disease from occurring, you should remove fallen leaves from under the bushes. In summer, after noticing the first spots on the leaves, apply 2-3 sprayings at intervals of 10 days, alternating the fungicides: Domark 100 EC, Score 250 SC or Systemik 125 SL.
Pests can also feed on quince -Rose gold leaf rollersCaterpillars of this pest feed inside a nest made of several interconnected leaves. A symptom noticed on quince shrubs are therefore sticky, spun leaves, most often the apex.It is best to deal with the tortoiseshell when the caterpillars hatch from eggs hibernating in the deposits on the bark of the shoots, i.e. in spring, at the turn of April and May. The quince bushes should then be sprayed with a contact preparation such as Sumi-alpha 050 EC.
Katarzyna Matuszak
