Bush quince pruning. Quince pruning technology

Gardeners are accustomed to pruning plants in the spring. Few people do this in the fall because they don’t understand the need for the event at this time of year. But for some fruit trees it is vital. Pruning Japanese quince in the fall should be mandatory for summer residents growing this plant. Different types of haircuts serve different purposes. Each has its own characteristics and rules, non-compliance with which can significantly harm the tree.

For decorative purposes, pruning is carried out to give the quince a certain shape.

General information about Japanese quince

Quince is a fruit with a specific taste that many people like; it can often be seen in garden plots. Among a considerable number of varieties, summer residents often choose Japanese quince for planting. Its other name is Chaenomeles. The tree is heat-loving, so it is advisable to grow it in the southern regions of Russia. It not only has a decorative function, decorating areas, but also produces a large harvest, the fruits of which are used to make a variety of desserts.

The tree is a shrub; its average height is 3 m. The lifespan of Chaenomeles can reach several decades. The shoots change their color from green to brown, multi-colored buds are collected in inflorescences.

The peculiarity of Japanese quince is its slow growth, which should be taken into account when choosing one of the propagation methods - seeds, cuttings, division. The tree does not tolerate frost well - the buds may die, so it is necessary to take care of good shelter for the winter.

For planting, you need to choose one of the following types of soil:

• sandy loam;
• sod-podzolic;
• loamy.

The land must be fertile; if necessary, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers can be applied, but it is better to prefer compost from organic matter. The plant should be watered moderately, avoiding stagnation of water.

Trimming Features

Tree pruning is an essential part of tree care; it serves several purposes:

• improving the growth of individual branches;
• increased fruiting;
• reducing the size of the tree;
• giving attractiveness;
• preventing the spread of harmful insects.

All this fully applies to Japanese quince; it takes pruning well.

There are 3 types of pruning:

• sanitary;
• for crown formation;
• rejuvenating.

Sanitary

Sanitary pruning to protect against pests is carried out in the spring. It is necessary to remove diseased, old, weak and frost-damaged branches. For other purposes, it is advisable to trim tree branches in the fall, when the harvest is over. At the end of summer, you can pinch out shoots that have actively grown over the spring and summer. Before starting the procedure, you should protect your hands with gloves, because the branches are very sharp and there are many thorns. The best tools to use are pruning shears or a garden saw. The cut areas should be treated with garden varnish, which promotes the rapid recovery of Chaenomeles.

The cut area must be treated with garden varnish.

To form the crown

The formation of the crown of Chaenomeles begins when the tree reaches 4 years. The procedure should be carried out every spring, but many gardeners do this in the fall. It is necessary to get rid of old, overgrown branches, those that do not bear fruit. There should be no more than 15 branches left on the bush. It is imperative to remove vertical shoots that impede the normal formation of the crown. And horizontal shoots located at a distance of about 30 cm from the ground should be left. The crown cannot be shortened by more than 1/3 of the total length. Otherwise, it will not bear fruit well.

If the root system develops widely, it can also be partially removed, leaving no more than 3 of the strongest root shoots. Annual thinning of the branches will lead to a properly formed crown; sometimes pruning is carried out twice in the fall. As a result, Japanese quince can become a beautiful hedge. This procedure will also help to properly prepare Chaenomeles for winter.

Japanese quince hedge

Rejuvenating

For rejuvenation, branches can be pruned when the tree is 8-10 years old. You can determine whether pruning is needed by slowing down the growth rate of shoots. Both weak and overgrown branches must be removed, as well as those whose age has exceeded 5 years. Anti-aging pruning has a positive effect on the amount of harvest - the quince begins to actively bear fruit. The need for pruning must be determined individually depending on the needs for fruit.

Pruning fruit-bearing trees, including quince, is an important process that directly affects the level of yield. If you carry out the procedure at random, without the necessary knowledge about the characteristics of tree growth and care, you can harm the plant, which will lead to its death in the worst case, or in the best case – to the complete absence of fruits.

Quince pruning first four years

It is important that pruning branches from the first years of life creates a bowl-shaped crown, where the crown is as open as possible. Because quince is one of the plants that, for fertility, needs a large amount of sunlight falling on each branch.

A properly formed five-year tree should have:

• trunk height (distance from the ground surface to the first skeletal branch) within 50-60 cm;
• 8-10 evenly spaced lateral branches of the skeleton;
• an angle of 45 degrees between the trunk and the main branch.

Active pruning of quince is carried out in the first four years, that is, during the formation of the crown. It is best to carry out the procedure in the spring, since this is the most favorable time for pruning, the purpose of which is to increase the sufficient length of the branches. From the fifth year, pruning of branches should be carried out only when necessary, i.e. removal of broken, rapidly growing branches, etc. an angle of 45 degrees between the trunk and the main branch.

When you prune branches of young quince?

In the first year of a seedling’s life, an important first tier of branches is formed, cutting them off at a distance of 7-8 buds from the trunk. The tier should consist of 4-5 branches located at a distance of 10 cm from each other. Then a second tier is formed from branches located at a distance of 30-40 cm.

In the second year, the skeletal branches of the first tier are cut to 50-60 cm. Since the task in this pruning period is also the formation of branches of the second and third levels (they will become the fundamental tree in the future), absolutely all conductors are pruned at a distance of half the growth of the past 12 months. It is important to leave the bud of the remaining part of the growth, outermost from the trunk, facing outward. Then the branches will grow without interfering with each other.

As a rule, in the third year, the quince begins to bear fruit, and by this time the process of crown formation is coming to an end. Pruning during this period should be minimal. It is recommended to remove only excess shoots that rub against each other and prevent light from reaching all areas of the tree.

From the fourth year, the goal of pruning is to form fruit-bearing buds; from that moment on, the tree acquires the ability to bear full fruit. Quince pruning consists of simply thinning out the branches each year and shortening one-year-old shoots. If you get too carried away with removing branches, you can deprive the plant of a large number of fruitful buds, which can lead to a low yield.

Quince pruning for wood rejuvenation

In order for the tree to remain fruitful for many years, it is necessary to rejuvenate it on average once every five years with the help of intensive pruning, which maintains the crown in a young state. The branches after rejuvenation will not hang down from the weight of the fruits, will not require additional support, and the fruits after the procedure will be evenly distributed along all branches of the fruit-bearing tree.

The history of quince goes back more than four thousand years. The Caucasus is considered the homeland of quince. Here it is widespread in the wild: it grows on river banks, clearings and forest edges, and rises into the mountains to a level of 1400 meters. Its habitat is also Northern Iran, Asia, Australia, America, and the African continent in temperate latitudes.

What is quince

Quince is the only representative of the Rosaceae family. It has the shape of a tree or bush, the branches of which rise obliquely upward.

The fruit is very similar to an apple, but beware - it may be too tough for you. The fruit is a false apple, round or pear-shaped, sometimes with blunt ribs. At the beginning of ripening it is tomentose, the ripe fruit is hard and smooth, yellow in color.

Its pulp is hard, the taste is tart and astringent, sourish-sweet.

When fresh, the fruits are hardly edible, but have an unusual aroma. They are consumed in the form of preserves, jams, compotes and other healthy drinks.

Wild trees have small fruits, weighing 80 grams; cultivated varieties average 300 grams, and can weigh up to 2 kg.

In the middle of the fruit there are five pockets with seeds. The seed skin is whitish and contains mucilage that swells in water. The seeds smell like bitter almonds.

Quince seeds in fruits

Quince flowers begin in May and are harvested in the fall at the end of September or October.

white quince flowers

It is believed that fruit can only be obtained in the southern regions of Russia. However, this plant is moving further north, thanks to the emergence of new frost-resistant varieties.

Growing and care

Quince is an unpretentious plant. It has no special requirements for soil. These can be sandy or clayey soils, wetlands. The reaction to each type of soil is slightly different: on sandy loam soils it begins to bear fruit earlier, on clay soils it produces high yields.

Landing

The place where the quince will grow should be warm and sunny, protected from cold winds. Planting is done in the spring, with dormant buds. In the fall, it does not have time to take root. The distance to other trees and buildings should be at least 5 meters due to the large area of ​​the root system of an adult plant.

Much attention is paid to soil preparation. The roots of quince are located close to the surface of the earth, branching out to the sides over a long distance, significantly exceeding the size of the crown.

The first thing to start with is to dig up the soil and apply fertilizer. Dig it up with 1 shovel bayonet, using fertilizers:

• 10–20 grams of potassium chloride;
• 40–50 g of superphosphate.

A hole for the seedling is dug to a depth of 40 cm with a diameter corresponding to the root system of the seedling; the following is placed at the bottom:

• 50 g wood ash;
• 150 g superphosphate;
• 1 bucket of humus.

All this must be mixed with the soil, watered and left for 1-2 weeks, after which planting begins. When installing a seedling, you must ensure that the grafting site is above the soil; the root collar should not be buried. After filling with soil, the seedling needs to be compacted a little and watered.

Feeding quince

Young trees that have begun to develop need constant feeding. In the spring, when pruning trees and loosening the soil, nitrophoska is added to it in the amount of 50 grams per 1 square meter. In spring, young plants need nitrogen fertilizers.

In the fall, after the fruits are collected, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are applied:

• potassium chloride - 20 g;
• superphosphate - 20 g.

Organic fertilizers are applied in the fall once every 2 years.

Quince transplant

There are times when the quince needs to be transplanted to another place. Of course, it is possible to transplant, but the result may not always be positive. It makes sense to replant only young, three to four year old trees. Over the years, it is very difficult for a 15-year-old tree to take root; it is easier to take cuttings from it and plant a young tree.

To replant quince in the spring, the pit is prepared; the plant's spine decreases and it is difficult to maintain the integrity of the root system. Corsenho. Its dimensions must correspond to the crown of the tree being transplanted. The pit is filled with fertilizers in the same way as during planting and watered. In the spring, they dig up a tree, trying to cause the least damage to the roots, place it in a hole in the center, cover it with soil, water it and mulch it.

Quince pruning

Young trees undergo formative pruning in the spring. After planting, the seedling is immediately pruned, leaving 7–8 buds. Two tiers will be formed from them. The next year, the central branch of the quince is cut to the outer bud, and the growths on the lower tier are shortened to 50–60 cm to form second-order branches.

Competitors of the conductor and branches that thicken the central part of the crown are pruned from the side branches.

It is necessary to remove root shoots.

The crown of a quince is formed in the form of a bowl, formed by four to five skeletal branches on a trunk no more than half a meter high.

quince crown formation

After five years, when the crown is already formed, its shape is maintained every spring.

In the fall, remove all damaged branches that thicken the crown. This sanitary pruning is carried out after leaf fall.

Video: how to trim quince

Quince grafting

What can be grafted onto quince? A pear has been grafted onto it for a long time and successfully. This method allows you to grow a dwarf pear that is easy to care for and harvest from.

Fruiting of such a pear begins in the third or fourth year, and growth stops at this time. Such a tree does not sprout, which leads to an increase in fruits and an improvement in their taste. Angers and Provence quinces are well suited as rootstocks.

On quince you can graft rowan, hawthorn, chaenomeles, which fits very nicely into the tree and acquires good support.

For the quince itself, it is good to use quince seedlings as a rootstock. They can be obtained within a year, since quince seeds have high germination and a short stratification period.

The variety of the rootstock must match the one being grafted to eliminate possible incompatibility.

A good option is a rootstock obtained from a quince cutting; fruit crops can be combined with such a rootstock better than with a seedling.

Quince is grafted onto cotoneaster, shadberry, and chokeberry.

Grafting quince onto an apple or pear tree is carried out in very rare cases; this is only possible with certain knowledge and skills.

Grafting quince onto rowan is also a rare occurrence. To do this, first the shadberry is grafted onto the mountain ash, and after they grow together, the quince is grafted onto the shadberry.

Quince propagation

Quince can be propagated by seeds and vegetatively.

Propagation by seeds

Seed propagation often leads to the loss of varietal characteristics, but this method makes it possible to obtain winter-hardy varieties and use them as rootstocks for grafting of the same variety.

When sowing in spring, preliminary stratification of seeds is carried out for 50–60 days. Sowing begins in mid-April - early May.

It is more preferable to sow in autumn. In this case, sprouts appear at the end of April.

Propagation by cuttings

Cuttings are taken in the fall from annual shoots, which are cut into cuttings 25–30 cm long and stored in a damp place. They are planted in early spring at a distance of 10 cm from each other and 40 cm between rows. One bud should remain on the surface. Constant humidity is maintained in a greenhouse or greenhouse, and watering is carried out regularly in open ground.

In a greenhouse, the survival rate is the highest - up to 95%, in open ground - 30–40%.

Quince diseases and the fight against them

Quince is quite resistant to diseases, but under unfavorable conditions it can also be affected by diseases such as powdery mildew, fruit rot, ovary rot, rust, gray rot of fruits and other diseases. These diseases lead to damage to leaves, branches, fruits and loss of harvest.

With a fungal disease such as moniliosis, spores begin to penetrate through the flowers. The flowers dry up, then the leaves begin to dry up, and the branches dry up.

To prevent this disease at the beginning of flowering, the drugs Horus and Skor are used. They are not dangerous to pollinators.

To prevent the spread of the disease, diseased branches should be immediately cut off along healthy tissue and burned.

All fallen ovaries and fruits must be immediately removed from under the tree. In the fall, it is recommended to treat the soil with iron sulfate.

Video: quince moniliosis

Quince pests and their control

Quince can be affected by pests of pome crops. Common quince pests are:

1. Apple codling moth. It multiplies very quickly, forms several generations over the summer and damages many fruits. You can get rid of it with the drugs Lepidocid, Dendrobacillin.
2. Larvae of leaf miner moths. The affected leaves lighten, then fall off, and the quince yield decreases. You can get rid of them with the help of the drug Fundazol.
3. The fruit mite, red or brown, sucks juices from young shoots and buds. Their presence is characterized by the appearance of sticky spots of juice on the plant. Spraying the tree with 7% urea in the fall helps to avoid their appearance.
4. Aphid. It sucks the juices out of the plant and carries dangerous viral diseases that cannot be cured. To combat it, use a soap solution (dissolve 50 grams of laundry soap in a bucket of water) or insecticidal preparations.

Treatment of quince from diseases and pests

fruit mites

Preventive treatment of quince with chemicals will increase its immunity and protect it from pests.

To destroy insects overwintering in the bark and soil, use preparation No. 30 by spraying quince on dormant buds in early spring. Tree trunks are whitened with lime.

Before and after flowering, 2 more preventive treatments are carried out:

• spraying with Abiga Peak or 1% Bordeaux mixture against fungal diseases;
• in May for buds - Horus for fungi and Kemifos for leaf rollers.

After flowering, the quince is treated together with the drugs IntaVir and Strobi against codling moths and fungi.

In June, spraying with Lepidocid and Skor is carried out.

In July, quince are treated against fungal diseases and second-generation codling moths with Strobi and Kemifos.

During fruit ripening, they are at risk of subcutaneous spotting, which causes rapid rotting of the fruit. It is not difficult to cope with it - you need to spray the tree crown with the following preparations:

• boric acid solution - 2 grams per 1 liter of water;
• solution of zinc sulfate - 2 grams per 1 liter of water.

Features of growing quince in different regions

In central Russia, frost-resistant varieties can be grown. They can be formed either in the form of a bush or in the form of a small tree about two meters high.

In Siberian conditions, quince freezes above the snow level. You can only grow low-growing quince up to 1 meter high - Chaenomeles Mauleya. It should be planted where there is a lot of snow on the site in winter and it is always sunny. For the winter, it is wrapped with covering material and spruce paws on top. It is better to pick the fruits just before frost, they become sweeter and less sour.

In northern Ukraine, quince is often grown as a bush from seeds. Seedlings tolerate frost better than grafted plants.

Main varieties and types of quince

1. Common quince. It grows as a shrub or tree 2–3 meters high. This variety is distinguished by short petioles of leaves, blooms in mid-May, and the fruits ripen in October. Resistant to frost and drought.

   

   Ordinary

2. Golden - low-growing quince with large apple-shaped fruits weighing up to 400 grams, ripening at the end of September. Productivity up to 60 kg per bush.

   

   Golden

3. Kubanskaya is a low-growing quince with medium-sized fruits, the shape of the fruit is round-cylindrical, the ripening period is 1–2 ten days of October. The fruits are juicy with creamy pulp.

   

   Kubanskaya

4. Muscat is a medium-sized variety with large fruits that have dense felt pubescence, round-cylindrical with light, rough flesh. Fruit ripening - late September - early October, yield 30–45 kg per tree.

   

   Muscat

5. The productive Kuban quince is a medium-sized quince with large fruits weighing up to 500 g. The pulp is juicy and can be consumed raw. Ripening in October, yields up to 100 kg per tree. Winter-hardy and drought-resistant, not susceptible to fungal diseases.

   

   Harvest Kuban

6. Juicy - low-growing, low-growing quince with sweet, very juicy medium-sized fruits. The harvest from a tree reaches 50 kg.

   

7. Lemon quince is a winter-hardy and drought-resistant quince that ripens at the end of September. It is distinguished by large pear-shaped fruits covered with delicate felt. The pulp is very tasty and aromatic, can be consumed raw, but is mostly used for processing.

   

   Lemon

8. Volgograd soft-fruited is a winter-hardy and drought-resistant variety. The tree has a bush shape with a flat-round crown. Fruit ripens in September, harvest is annual. The fruits are pear-shaped, ribbed with a sweet and sour taste and strong aroma. The fruits are suitable for raw consumption and processing. The shelf life of the fruit is up to a month.

   

   Volgograd soft-fruited

Hybrid quince varieties

Hybrid quince Pink Lady is a low shrub, erect and thorny. Its crown is wide. An ornamental plant with very beautiful pale pink large flowers in spring and bright yellow edible fruits in autumn.

Planting among dark-leaved and coniferous trees emphasizes its beauty.

Quince Pink Lady

Hybrid quince Crimson and Gold is a shrub up to 1 meter high with beautiful dark red flowers of medium size and shiny dark green leaves.

The fruits are small, round, weighing 40–80 grams with thin pulp, edible.

They are frost resistant. In very severe frosts, the tops of shoots located above the snow can freeze.

The plant is used for borders and other decorative compositions.

quince Crimson and Gold bush

The fruits of this quince are yellow when ripe and aromatic.

quince Crimson and Gold fruits

Quince varieties for different regions

Moscow region. For this region, breeders recommend the following varieties:

• Nutmeg;
• Nikitskaya;
• Northern;
• Teplovskaya.

All these plants are resistant to frost and high temperatures, which is especially important when choosing a plant. Of these, the earliest variety is Nikitskaya, the most unpretentious to the weather is Severnaya. Muscat quince is self-fertile and has high resistance to cold. The fruits of Teplovskaya quince ripen late, but are stored for a long time.

Ukraine. In the southern regions of the country, varieties developed by breeders of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden are cultivated:

• An excellent pupil;
• Selena;
• Success;
• Crimean aromatic.

For the northern regions of Ukraine, varieties developed in the National Botanical Garden are used:

• Maria;
• Pear-shaped Shaidarova;
• Darunok onuku;
• Academic;
• No. 18 Kashchenko.

Rostov region. The Mir variety, which does not freeze at all, and other frost-resistant, self-fertile varieties are popular here:

• Dessert;
• Abundant;
• Crimean;
• Firstborn;
• Renetnaya;
• Stepnyachka;
• Steppe beauty;
• Success.

Volgograd region. The following quince varieties are grown in the Volgograd region:

• Volgograd soft-fruited;
• Crimean aromatic - self-fertile variety;
• Excellent, has a long shelf life of fruits;
• Abundant, not susceptible to subcutaneous spotting of fruits;
• Collective;
• Krasnoslobodskaya - low-growing, with large fruits, juicy and very fragrant;
• Teplovskaya - medium-sized, with fruits similar to apples. The pulp is dense, aromatic, and contains stony cells near the core. The fruits can be stored for up to four months;
• Kaunchi-10;
• Ilmennaya;
• Rumo;
• Skorospelka.

Siberia. In Siberian conditions, it is possible to grow low Japanese quince, or Chaenomenes Mauleya.

Japanese quince

This type of quince is especially popular among summer residents. Its bushes are compact and do not take up much space, being an excellent decorative element. Bright flowers decorate the garden

The small fruits of Japanese quince have a sour taste and are hard, making them unsuitable for consumption raw. They are used as a flavoring for jams and preserves, and dried for medicinal purposes.

Japanese quince seedlings are resistant to drought and tolerate frosts in central Russia and the Moscow region. Bushes can be subjected to decorative pruning, giving the crown a beautiful appearance.

flowering bushes of Japanese quince

Thanks to the developments of breeders, more and more cultivated varieties of common quince, resistant to frost and drought, are appearing, and it is moving further north. And growing Japanese quince, or Chaenomeles, is already possible in any region. In addition to its wonderful decorative properties, this quince has useful fruits. And although they are small and practically inedible fresh due to their hardness, preparations made from them have an extraordinary taste and aroma, and contain many vitamins and beneficial microelements. Fruit slices in sugar can be stored until the next harvest.

Quince is a valuable fruit crop that belongs to the Rosaceae family, like the more famous representatives: apple and pear. Its fruits are widely used not only in the food industry, but also in medicine, for the treatment and prevention of certain diseases (for example, acute respiratory infections, bronchitis, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, skin, etc.).

General information

In addition, the quince tree also serves as a decorative decoration for gardens, country houses and personal plots.

The service life is about 70 years, while the fruiting period is 35-50 years. Already in the third year it will be possible to harvest (from 30 to 100 kg per tree). The fruits are stored in boxes in a dry, cool place (2-5°C).

Thus, the harvest harvested in the fall will remain until spring and will acquire more sweetness, softness and lose its astringent taste. Quince is grown both as a shrub and as a tree.

Quince varieties

There are five garden groups of quince: apple-shaped (the fruits are similar to apples), pear-shaped , Portuguese (pear-shaped ribbed shape), marble (has yellow and white spots on the surface of the leaves), pyramidal (due to the leaf shape).

As for varieties, there are a huge number of them, but the most famous and used are the following.

Quince "Aurora" – this variety ripens at the end of September. The fruits, when properly stored, last from two to four months. Suitable for long-term transportation. The fruits of this tree are used to make juices, compotes and jam.

Quince "Angerskaya" – collection is carried out in the first half of September, and stored for no more than three months. It is used rather for processing (preservation), since often the fruits fall off before they have fully ripened.

Quince “Angerskaya from Gorin” – they resemble an apple in shape, are heterogeneous in structure, and have solid particles. The shelf life of picked fruits does not exceed two months. There is a tendency for dark spots to form under the skin. Used for further processing into juices, jams, etc.

Quince "Buinakskaya large-fruited" has large fruits, each weighing 300-700 grams. The shape is pear-shaped, even more cylindrical. The shelf life is quite long. Since the taste of this variety is not pronounced, it is used as preserves.

Quince "Vraniska Denmark"

It has a late harvest, which falls at the end of October or beginning of November. The shape of the fruit is pear-shaped, rarely round (truncated). It has a sweet and sour pleasant taste. To consume it raw and enjoy the full range of taste buds, you should let the picked fruit sit for at least a month. For preservation it can be used immediately after collection.

Quince "Golden" has the shape of an apple. Harvest at the end of September and store no more than two months (sometimes less). The sweetish-sour taste is practically devoid of astringency, and the solid particles inherent in most types are practically absent. Used both raw and for processing.

Quince “Scythian Gold” – looks like an apple. Harvested at the end of September. The shelf life is quite long (up to three months). Subject to transportation. The pulp of the fruit is very tender and juicy, has a sweet and sour taste. The application is quite universal.

Quince "Golden Ball" the fruits are medium in size (about 300 grams) and have a sweet and sour taste. Good transportability and versatility in use.

Quince “Kaunchi-10 (winter)” ripens in early December and is stored for just over two months. It differs from other varieties in its pronounced aroma and crispy, sweet flesh. Most often they are consumed raw.

Quince “Late Maslyanka”

It differs from others in its miniature size (weighs only 50-60g). The color is yellow with a green tint. Not the most popular type for eating raw, as it has a sour and tart taste and solid particles in the pulp. Although very fragrant. They are used for technical processing, for example, they are very convenient for canning in their entirety.

Quince "Early Maslyanka" its characteristics are similar to the “late butterwort”, differing in its light yellow or rich yellow color.

Quince "Muscat" The fruit is medium-sized (weighing 200-250 g), round in shape (maybe slightly elongated). Used to make jam and compotes. For consumption raw, it has insufficient juiciness and a sour taste.

Quince "Skorospelka" has medium-sized fruits (up to 120g), astringent and sour taste. Suitable for recycling.

Or japonica – a heat-loving plant, so it is found in places with mild climates. In countries with cold winters (-30°C), even if the tree survives the frost, the buds and young shoots that are above the snow cover will die and the tree will not bloom in the spring.

Japanese quince cultivation and care

Let's look at the rules for caring for quince using the example of the Japanese Chaenomeles variety. Japanese quince responds well to light and therefore loves well-lit areas. It does not develop well in the shade, which will affect flowering.

All species and varieties of Chaenomeles feel great if they are located on light sandy loam, loamy and soddy-podzolic soils enriched with humus with a slightly acidic reaction (pH 6.5). They do not tolerate peaty soil well. Alkaline soil most often causes leaf chlorosis. The planting site is selected on the south side of the site, which must be protected from drafts and severe frosts.

Preparations begin in the fall. The planting area is cleared of weeds. If the soil is not fertile enough, then add a mixture of sand and leaf soil (1:2), in addition, peat manure compost is added at the rate of 10 kg per square meter, as well as phosphorus and potassium fertilizers - 40 g per square meter.

Planting quince

In the spring, in this area, with thawed and moist soil, you can safely plant Japanese quince for permanent residence, which has not yet had time to open its buds. Only those specimens that are at least two years old, and until then the plant is grown in containers.

During planting, the neck of the quince is placed above ground level, otherwise growth will slow down and the roots should not be exposed. This plant does not need transplants, so it is not worth moving from place to place, quince does not tolerate it well.

Trees (or shrubs) can be planted in groups, rows, along fences, like a hedge. The main thing is to maintain a distance of one meter in any direction.

Mulching quince

In summer, for lush flowering, it is necessary to loosen the soil and remove weeds around the bushes (trees), going 10-12 cm deep, and cover with a layer (3-5 cm) of sawdust, peat or crushed bark, in a word - mulch.

As for the quantity, the mulch should cover not only the perimeter around the rhizome, but be approximately the same diameter as the bush itself. It is best to do this in late spring. At this time, the soil is still sufficiently moist and has had time to warm up well.

Pruning quince in autumn scheme

The crown is not shortened much (by 1/3-1/4 of the length), otherwise this will cause increased growth of new shoots, which will delay the fruiting process. When thinning, all dry branches (down to healthy wood) that are too long and damaged are removed, and weak and old trees are pruned more heavily.

With the help of periodic pruning and fertilizing, constant vegetative growth can be maintained (rejuvenating effect), which contributes to a large annual harvest. During the first 5-6 years of growth of a young quince, this procedure must be carried out annually, and after that it depends on the condition of the tree.

The main pruning occurs at the beginning of spring. It is important to note that if young shoots are actively growing on a tree throughout the spring-autumn period, then in August they must be pinched, otherwise they will not have time to get stronger before the first frost and will disappear.

A garter is needed in the first years of active growth. This is due to the fact that quince does not grow evenly and will most likely need support. When the tree gets stronger and begins to bear fruit, then it will be possible to remove the supports.

Watering Japanese quince

Quince loves moisture, but you need to be careful and attentive, since this should not be frequent watering with a small amount of water, but about six waterings over the period from the beginning of spring to the end of autumn:

• 1st – in early spring, a few days before flowering;
• 2nd – during flowering;
• 3rd – after flowering stops, when the ovaries fall off;
• 4th – when young shoots begin to grow;
• 5th – a month after the previous one;
• 6th – when the fruits form and grow.

As for the amount of liquid, about 400 liters per tree should be used for a young tree, and 500-800 liters for an adult. The difference is related to the depth of the roots. In young people it is 50-80 cm, and in adults it is up to one meter.

How to feed quince in the fall

Fertilizers are applied throughout the entire quince growing season. At the beginning of spring, they are fed with mineral and organic fertilizers, in the summer there is a special need for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium-containing nutrition (thereby increasing the yield), in the fall - with mineral and organic fertilizers (we make a supply of substances necessary for the quince to safely overwinter).

In the first year after planting quince in open ground, it does not need additional feeding. The amount that was already present in the soil before planting will be sufficient for the young plant to grow normally.

Quince harvest

Harvesting takes place at the end of autumn. Some fruits need to be kept on the tree longer, some need to be kept in boxes before consumption, this is when they acquire their special taste and aroma. It all depends on the variety; this nuance should be taken into account.

Before wintering, in order to avoid damage and frostbite, both young and adult shrubs must be sprinkled with old leaves and, if necessary, covered with a cardboard box.

Japanese quince propagation by seeds

Seed propagation is the easiest and most reliable way to grow Chaenomeles japonica. During processing of ripe fruits, the core is cleaned, the seeds are collected, dried and sown in the ground before the start of winter. The seeds germinate very well in the spring, although the quality of the soil is not important.

Propagation of quince by cuttings

Cuttings are harvested in early June, early in the morning, in dry and not hot weather. Each cut area should have at least two internodes and a piece of last year's wood (1 cm long).

To increase the survival rate (by 15-20%), growth stimulants are used (for example, “Kornevin”). The finished cuttings are planted at a slight angle in a substrate of sand and peat (3:1). By maintaining the temperature at 22-25°C, rooting is observed within a month and a half.

Reproduction of quince by root suckers

Japanese quince is capable of producing a lot of root shoots, which is why it tends to grow in width (an area of ​​up to two meters). This helps to hold the soil when growing on slopes, but under normal conditions this is of no use. Therefore, you can use these offspring for reproduction.

To do this, dig under the bush and select shoots 12-15 cm long and no thinner than 0.5 cm, with a well-developed rhizome. No more than five shoots can be selected from one bush. They are planted vertically, constantly monitoring humidity (watered regularly), then mulched with humus, shavings or wood chips.

There is also a drawback to this method - some seedlings have an underdeveloped root system, so the first harvest will have fruits that are smaller in size and not as fragrant and juicy.

Diseases and pests

• If Various types of spots appear on quince leaves and fruits - this is most likely due to the fact that in damp and humid weather the plant can be affected by fungal diseases, which lead to necrosis, the leaves become deformed and dry out. For example, in the fight against brown spot (necrosis), spraying with a solution consisting of copper sulfate (100g) and water (10l) will help. There is also a safer option: steep a decoction of onion peels (150g/10l of water) for 24 hours.
• The ovaries die (fall off) – fungal infection. The mycelium can quietly overwinter in dried fruits and infected leaves, where brown spots appear, which, growing, cover the entire surface of the leaf blade, and during flowering, fungal spores get inside the young ovaries, destroying them.

Prevention of quince diseases

As you know, it is better to prevent diseases than to deal with their consequences, so the best treatment is prevention.

To do this, in late autumn, when the harvest has come to an end, it is necessary to collect dried fruits, broken and withered branches in order to avoid the death of ovaries, brown spots and leaf-mining moths.

As soon as the buds swell in the spring, but before flowering begins, the bushes are treated with a 0.1% solution of foundationazole and a 0.15% solution of dipterex. In the fight against rotting of the ovaries, spraying is carried out during flowering with a 0.08-0.1% solution of foundationazole.

If you follow all the recommendations for caring for quince, the harvest will be rich in aromatic and juicy fruits, from which you can make jelly, pastille, preserves, syrups, liqueurs, jams, compotes. From dried fruit slices you can prepare a delicious dried fruit compote. The most popular is making quince jam.

Quince jam is the most delicious recipe

Properly prepared jam retains all the beneficial qualities, as well as the taste and aroma of the fruit.

Ingredients

• Quinces – 1 kg
• Lemon - 1 pc.
• Sugar - 1 kg (less can be done, depending on who likes what, next time you can adjust)
• 200-300 ml – water

Preparation

Let's move on to cooking. Wash the fruits thoroughly. Peel and core (seeds can be dried for future planting). Cut into small pieces (it’s better to cut in half and then into slices), put in a bowl and put on the stove.

Cook for 10 minutes, then, stirring, gradually add sugar and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Remove from the stove and let cool completely. Then put it back on the stove and cook for another five minutes. Everything is very simple and so delicious.

Quince has been bred by gardeners for many years as a fruit tree, producing large pear-shaped fruits. It is also often used as a rootstock for grafting stone fruits. The tree grows up to 5 meters in height, has a wide crown and large, bright, rounded leaves. Quince fruits are incredibly healthy and are a nutritious dietary product. They are consumed both raw and used for making compotes, jams, jelly and as a filling for pies.

Due to such a number of useful properties, many gardeners want to grow quince on their site. In addition, this plant is very unpretentious in the choice of soil. But, in any case, it, like any other representative of the flora, needs some care. And a very important part of this care is the annual Quince tree pruning.

Although this operation at first glance seems quite simple, it must be approached extremely responsibly. By trimming the excess, you can not only form an incorrect crown on the tree, but also destroy it. Therefore, in such a matter you need professional approach and practical experience. After all, there are certain rules for pruning. In this article we will talk about some of them.

When to prune?

1. It is considered the most favorable pruning quince in spring. This should be done in late March - early April, when tree sap has not yet begun to circulate and the plant is at a dormant stage. If this procedure is delayed, due to excessive fluid secretion from the wounds of cut branches, the healing process can significantly deteriorate.
2. Preventive pruning of quince in autumn is carried out with the aim of freeing the plant from the unnecessary load of dry, diseased and non-fruiting branches. Dried parts of the plant are removed to a greater extent so that pests do not infest them, and diseased parts, respectively, so that the disease does not spread to the rest of the tree. Diseased trees must be cut back to healthy wood.
3. Not recommended at all pruning quince in winter when it's cold. There are at least two good reasons for this. Firstly, tree branches at significantly lower temperatures become very fragile and therefore are difficult to cut. And secondly, the wounds resulting from pruning, due to the cold, have almost no opportunity to heal and heal. And, you must admit, performing this procedure at sub-zero temperatures does not bring much pleasure to you.

To make quince pruning more clear to you, the photos are presented below:

Remember that pruning should be done with a clean, well-sharpened tool. Since a dull pruner makes the cut areas wet, and an unsharpened saw does not cut, but tears. Fresh plant wounds resulting from pruning should not be treated with garden varnish. The healing process will proceed quite well without additional assistance.

Pruning Japanese quince

Recently, this variety of quince has become very popular. Since it is not picky about soils, it is salt-resistant and is able to grow in areas with close groundwater. And thanks to the high content of vitamin C, the fruits of this plant have long been nicknamed the northern lemon.

Pruning Japanese quince bushes has certain features. Of course, the basis is still the correct formation of the crown. And here you need to remember that the bush should consist of 10-15 skeletal branches of different ages, including those that bear fruit to a lesser extent. Long arched branches should predominate, which in winter are quite well covered with snow.

Also presented for you quince pruning in pictures:

For the southern regions of our country, pruning does not have any specific features. The only difference is that there is almost no significant drop in temperature. As a result, the plant’s wounds heal well after pruning. For example, quince pruning in Odessa can be done almost all year round. A universal quince pruning diagram is provided below.

Trimming quince video