{"id":11557,"date":"2022-03-26T10:41:36","date_gmt":"2022-03-26T10:41:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/?p=11557"},"modified":"2023-08-02T09:22:39","modified_gmt":"2023-08-02T09:22:39","slug":"how-to-grow-a-quince-tree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/how-to-grow-a-quince-tree\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Grow A Quince Tree {A Comprehensive Guide}"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019ve never heard of quince, don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s rarely grown in the U.S. as a fruit crop and is much less common than apples and pears of which it is a close relative. Far from being a new fruit, quince is actually quite ancient and has been talked about in ancient texts. Some even argue that it was a quince that Eve picked in the garden of Eden and not an apple. Let\u2019s take a closer look at this fascinating fruit and discover how to grow a quince tree.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where Do Quince Trees Grow?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Quince (Cydonia oblonga<\/em>) is the only member of the genus Cydonia and belongs to the family Rosaceae<\/em>, as do pears and apples. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tree is deciduous and bears golden-yellow fruits that ripen to a golden yellow in fall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quince trees will grow happily in zones 5 through 9 in the United States, although they\u2019re native to areas around the Caspian Sea, Turkey, and Southeast Asia where the fruits are widely eaten and prized for their incredible aromatic scent and flavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the U.S. even the ripe fruits can be very hard and woody, with a tart astringent flavor. They transform into something quite delectable after cooking. In warmer climates the fruits ripen to a softer texture, are less tart, and can be eaten fresh from the tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If growing quinces to eat fresh is important to you, first, you\u2019ll need to select the right variety and then try growing them against a sunny south-facing wall or perhaps choose a dwarf variety to grow in a pot in the greenhouse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing is certain, cooking quince transforms it completely. Many varieties turn a delicate shade of pink and have a delicate floral flavor that is popular for adding to apple pie recipes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may be more familiar with the Japanese quince which is grown as an ornamental shrub for its fragrant, pink blossoms that resemble wild roses. It attracts bees and butterflies so is a useful way of getting these essential pollinators into your garden. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How To Grow A Quince Tree From Seed?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The quince tree is relatively slow-growing and tends to create a fairly sprawling habit. Its eventual dimensions will depend on the soil it is grown in and it varies in height from 8 to 20 feet with a similar spread. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Controlling them can be done fairly easily by careful pruning<\/a> and many consider them to be a good tree for a smaller garden. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing your own quince from seed is relatively easy. One thing to keep in mind is that seed-grown fruit trees take a lot longer to establish than those grown from cuttings or grafted onto rootstock. We will look more closely at other methods of growing quince later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note that there is no guarantee that a quince tree you grow from seed will develop to be like the tree the seeds came from. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing Quince From Seeds<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

1. First, you\u2019ll need to get some seeds. They can be taken straight from a ripe quince fruit by slicing it open and removing the pips from the inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Clean the seeds carefully under running water and wipe them off with a paper towel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Fill a plastic ziplock bag with some damp sand and place the seeds in the sand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Keep your bag of seeds in the refrigerator until early spring \u2013 this is called stratification and mimics a natural period of winter dormancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Carefully remove your seeds from the sand, some may be showing signs of sprouting. Be sure you don\u2019t damage any root growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Place a single seed into a pot filled with moist potting compost. Just place it on the surface and cover it with a light sprinkling of soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Spray the surface of the compost with some more water until it is nice and damp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Place the pots in a warm place and keep them damp but not wet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. You should see sprouts appearing in around six weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Allow the seedlings to develop until they are six to twelve inches in height, then re-pot into larger pots to grow on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Plant out where you want the tree to grow the following spring. Introducing it gradually to the environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other Ways To Grow Quince Trees<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are several other ways to grow quince trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing Quince Trees From Cuttings<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Quince trees can be propagated from hardwood cuttings taken from selected varieties. This ensures a clone copy of the parent tree, so you can be sure of how the tree will grow and fruit. It will have all the properties of the donor tree. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. During late autumn to early winter take cuttings from a healthy tree. Cut a whip of approximately 10 to 12 inches in length from a full-size tree or 4 to 8 inches in length from a dwarf tree. Choose new wood that grew in the summer and has a green stem and plenty of leaf buds along the branch. Make a clean, slanting cut at a 45-degree angle using a sharp pair of pruners, just after a bud.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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    1. With a small, sharp-bladed knife, carefully scrape off one quarter to one-third of the bark from the bottom of the cutting and allow it to stand in water for around 15 minutes. Some people prefer to leave the sticks in water and allow them to root there, but this can result in them rotting.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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      1. Dip the end into a rooting hormone powder and tap off any excess. Or use a liquid rooting hormone.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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        1. Plant the cuttings carefully into potting compost mixed with a small amount of lime, in a pot that is large enough to allow a reasonable amount of root growth around each cutting, depending on how many you\u2019re doing. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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          1. Carefully tamp down the soil around the cutting.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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            1. Water well and ensure the soil remains damp but not wet throughout the winter.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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              1. It\u2019s fine to leave the cuttings outside in a sheltered position, as this keeps them hardy. Choose a spot out of direct sunlight and protected from cold winds.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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                1. When you see leaves start to shoot in the spring remove each of the cuttings and carefully re-pot them into individual tubs to grow on. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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                  1. After around three months, plant your young trees out in the garden. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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                    1. Allow your new trees to grow long roots by watering them deeply once a week. To conserve water use a deep watering pipe as shown in the video link below.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    2. Remove any suckers that grow, a common problem from using this method.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                      This video shows one way of deep watering your young tree’s roots to help them develop without wasting water: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                      https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PXPOIOE8aco<\/a>