The attitude of gardeners towards quince is ambiguous: some are simply crazy about its taste, while others are not happy about the astringency of the fruit. This crop is, of course, planted less often than the usual apple tree, but quince fans believe that without it, a garden is not a garden.
Description of common quince
The common quince (oblong), like the apple tree, belongs to the Rosaceae family. The fruits of these crops are somewhat similar, but wildlife quince is found only in warm regions: in Transcaucasia, Central Asia, in the south of European countries. It is grown in gardens almost everywhere, including even northern countries such as Scotland or Norway.
What does quince look like?
Quince can look like a tree or shrub (which is less common); it sheds its leaves in the winter. Depending on the variety and growing conditions, the height can range from one and a half to five meters. The branches rise under sharp corners, forming a broad oval crown. However, by pruning, gardeners give it different shape. The trunk and old branches are dark gray or red-brown, young shoots are gray and pubescent.
The common quince tree is very similar to the apple tree
The leaves are often broadly elliptical, but can also be almost round. Upper part The leaves are dark green, the lower ones, because they are covered with pubescence, appear bluish. The leaves are on two-centimeter petioles and have a length of 5 to 12 cm. The flowers are solitary and open in late spring or early summer. The fruits ripen only in autumn.
And the flowering of a quince resembles the flowering of an apple tree
Quince lives for a long time, up to 50–60 years, and bears fruit, starting from 3–4 years of age, annually and abundantly. At the same time, the nature of fruiting gradually changes. If in the first years it is observed mainly on young shoots, then with age, with a decrease in growth, it shifts to fruit branches.
Description of fruits
The quince fruit is a false, fleecy apple that can have a different shape, usually almost perfectly round or pear-shaped. The color of ripe fruits ranges from lemon to dark yellow. Inside the fruit there are multi-change nests. The fruit size in the wild is about 3 cm, cultivated varieties bear fruit large fruits, with a diameter of up to 12–15 cm. The fruits have a bright and strong aroma, but they are quite hard and the juice content is low. The taste is sweetish, but tart and astringent, “not for everyone.”
Quince fruits are large, with seeds, and hard.
In addition to fresh consumption, compotes, jam, marmalade, and various drinks are prepared from quince. Quince also goes well with meat dishes. Used in folk medicine to treat various diseases, including the gastrointestinal system and respiratory tract.
Varieties
There are many varieties of common quince, but only two dozen are registered in the State Register of the Russian Federation, and most of them were bred in the last century. Varieties differ in the shape and size of the fruit, ways of their use, yield, and ripening time. The earliest ones may be partially ready for use at the end of summer, the later ones ripen closer to November.
Growing and care
Quince is a crop that is relatively easy to grow, but requires basic care.
Choosing a landing site and soil
Choosing a place for quince is simple, but it is important to remember that it is a southern tree, so it is best to plant it in a warm area of the garden, on the south side of a building. A huge plus is that most varieties are not picky about both drought and waterlogged soil, and are not afraid of even close proximity groundwater. Quince grows on almost any soil, but prefers heavy soils: it does not live long on sandy soils and bears little fruit.
Quinces are planted both in spring and autumn. When planting, you should take into account that the roots of the quince extend far beyond the crown, so you will have to retreat at least 4–5 meters to the nearest tree or building.
Landing
Quinces are planted as one- and two-year-old seedlings, and in recent years seedlings in containers are often available for sale. In principle, they can be planted even in summer, on not the hottest day. Bare root seedlings prefer to be planted in the fall. The planting hole, as for any tree or shrub, is prepared in advance, having previously cultivated the area. When digging it, a little fertilizer is also added: about 20 g of potassium sulfate and 500 g of superphosphate per 1 m2. The dimensions of the planting hole are 40–50 cm deep and up to a meter in diameter.
The easiest way is to use a seedling with a closed root system
Unlike most garden trees, it is not drainage that is placed at the bottom of the hole, but, on the contrary, a ten-centimeter layer of clay. Higher - fertile soil with 150 g of superphosphate and a glass of wood ash. A landing stake is also required. The landing technique is conventional. The roots are straightened and gradually covered with soil, without deepening the root collar. Water the quince with at least two buckets of water and mulch with humus or peat.
Spring planting is no different from autumn planting, but preparatory work are held in the fall. In addition, more attention should be paid to post-planting watering: it is possible that the seedling will have to be watered very often (depending on the weather): after all, if in the fall a 10–12 cm layer of mulch is poured (to insulate the roots for the winter), in the spring the mulch layer should be very thin so that the root the neck was on the surface.
How to care for a tree
Quince requires basic care throughout the growing season. So, early spring Before sap flow, sanitary pruning is carried out, and in young plants - formative pruning. When the buds open, the trees are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture and fertilized. At the beginning of the buds protrusion, treatment against pests is carried out. Before opening the buds, the quince is well watered.
A week after flowering, the treatment against pests is repeated. In mid-summer, feed the quince, watering as needed. Periodically loosen the soil. Treatments with chemicals in the summer are carried out only according to indications; a month before harvest, spraying is stopped.
After harvesting, spraying is carried out with a 5% urea solution, and winter watering is carried out in November. After leaf fall, pruning can be done: both sanitary and rejuvenating. Immediately before frost, the tree trunk circle, and in young trees, the trunks, are insulated.
Features of watering
Most quince varieties are drought-resistant, but for high-quality fruiting the crop requires systematic watering (usually 4-5 times per season). Of course, in the first year after planting you have to water even more often. Fruit-bearing trees are watered depending on the weather. It is important that the soil is sufficiently moist just before flowering begins, at the height of flower opening, shortly after flowering ends, and during periods of intense fruit growth.
To water less often, quinces are often grown using soil mulching.
After watering, loosening and removal of weeds is carried out, especially for young trees. At the end of summer - beginning of autumn, watering is stopped, but at this time the soil should be moist down to a meter deep. The last - pre-winter - watering is given already in November, the soil is soaked to the greatest possible depth.
Feeding
In the first 1–2 years after planting quince, there is enough fertilizer in the planting hole and in the prepared area. Then the tree needs feeding. Organic matter in the form of compost or humus is not added annually, but mineral fertilizers are required systematically.
The tree receives the bulk of its organic matter in the form of mulch.
Early spring in tree trunk circle scatter and apply urea shallowly (40–100 g depending on the age of the tree). After flowering has ended, you can add nitrophoska or azofoska (200–300 g diluted). In August, they fertilize with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers (you can limit yourself to wood ash, a few glasses per tree trunk).
Pruning and crown formation
Quince pruning is carried out during the dormant period, that is, in early spring and after leaf fall. First of all, cut out all diseased and dried branches. In adults, and even more so in old plants, thinning and rejuvenating pruning is carried out. Young trees (up to about five years of age) should be pruned in order to correct formation crowns At the end of summer, it is worth pinching out young shoots if they are still growing. After leaf fall, they usually limit themselves to sanitary pruning and, to a small extent, thinning.
Tall varieties are traditionally grown in the form of a cup-shaped tree, cutting out the conductor and leaving 4–5 skeletal branches, evenly spaced around the circumference and spaced 15–20 cm apart in height. Low-growing trees are formed according to sparsely-tiered crown of 8–10 skeletal branches. The height of the trunk in any configuration should be no more than half a meter. In general, we can say that pruning a quince is done in much the same way as an apple tree.
A bowl-shaped tree receives better sunlight
Video: shaping the quince crown
Harvest
Quince ripens later than all the crops in the garden; harvesting occurs in autumn, often even late. They try to let the fruits ripen completely on the tree, but often they have to be picked unripe if severe frosts come early. Frozen fruits lose their taste and are not stored at all.
Fortunately, quince fruits tend to ripen during storage, so there is no harm in removing slightly unripe quinces.
Suitable for long-term storage late varieties, which often have to be harvested unripe. These fruits become ready for consumption approximately a month after storage in the cellar. Best conditions storage - dry air and a temperature of several degrees Celsius. If there are few fruits, they can be kept in the refrigerator.
Often it is necessary to remove unripe fruits
Diseases and pests
Unfortunately, quince is not one of those crops that can be grown without spraying. And if she gets sick infrequently, then pests are often a significant problem.
Causes of diseases and their treatment
Quince diseases occur when poor care and unfavorable weather. So, moniliosis usually attacks in too wet weather. First, brown spots appear on damaged fruits, then they increase in size, the pulp loosens, and the fruits fall off. When the disease progresses rapidly, it spreads to completely intact fruits. The disease is treated with fungicides: Bordeaux mixture, Rovral, etc.
Moniliosis most often affects stone fruits, but quince is also afraid of it
The same drugs are used against browning of leaves, as well as powdery mildew. Dew usually appears first on annual shoots in the form of white or brownish spots, then the spots turn into a brown film with black dots. Subsequently, the shoots stop growing, the leaves become deformed and the ovaries crumble. Fungicides are used two weeks after flowering, and then again a month later.
The fungus is also to blame for the rotting of the ovaries, which begins with the blackening of the leaves and then progresses to the buds and flowers. The ovaries form, but very quickly rot and fall off. Spraying with Fundazol can serve as prevention.
Major pests
A group of pests that spoil leaves is called leaf-rotting moth. Since the plant weakens significantly, the harvest is lost, and the winter hardiness of the tree deteriorates. Fundazol or Dipterex, used after flowering, are effective against moths.
Young stems and buds are often affected by red and brown fruit mites. Their larvae suck out the juices of the plant. Prevention of invasion - spraying with a 7% urea solution during leaf fall. When ticks appear, use, for example, Fitoverm.
Aphids harm quince in the same way as they do apple trees, sucking juices from young shoots and leaves. It can also transmit pathogens. You can fight aphids folk remedies(soap, ash, various herbs), but if there is a large number of pests, you have to use the same Fitoverm or Biotlin.
Aphids and other pests are just as dangerous to quince as they are to apple trees.
The codling moth is a well-known “worm” that spoils fruits. There are many means of combating it, it is better to give preference biological agents like Bitoxibacillin.
Reproduction
Quince can be propagated in various ways, they are all simple to one degree or another.
Seed propagation
The seeds are extracted from fresh, fully ripened fruits. After washing, they are well dried and then sown before winter. Sowing depth is 2–3 cm. For the winter, the crops are covered with peat or humus. In the spring, the seedlings are thinned out, ultimately leaving 15–20 cm between them. By autumn they grow to 35–40 cm and can be transplanted to a permanent location.
Sometimes seeds are even sown in a pot; their germination rate is excellent
Reproduction by layering
Quinces are propagated by layering in the same way as currants, only you need to find low-lying branches that can be pinned to the ground. The top is brought out. A vertical sprout may appear from each lateral bud. When they grow to 15–20 cm, they spud. All summer long, the soil is well watered and loosened, and after the leaves fall, they are divided into seedlings and planted.
Cuttings
Propagation by cuttings is somewhat more difficult, since it is necessary to use growth stimulants and carefully monitor soil moisture. Otherwise there are no problems. Can be used as green cuttings, and lignified. Cuttings with 1–2 internodes are planted in a substrate of sand and peat (3:1), preferably in a greenhouse. Roots appear in a month or later, but usually by autumn the seedlings are ready for transplanting.
If everything goes smoothly, the roots of the cutting will grow very quickly.
Root growth
Root growth - no best way reproduction, although the simplest. Usually the shoots are destroyed, but if the strongest specimens are hilled several times over the summer, they may well grow into good ones. root system. As a rule, good plants can be obtained from such seedlings.
Graft
Usually the most valuable varieties are propagated by grafting. Cuttings are grafted onto wildflowers, quince grown from seeds or hawthorn. The grafting is carried out in the same way as in the case of an apple tree. In addition to spring grafting with cuttings, August budding is also used.
Video: quince propagation
Common quince in landscape design
During flowering, quince looks very beautiful, which is why it is often used to decorate parks, alleys and squares. However, Japanese quince is more often used for this purpose, which is a slightly different species and is almost always grown in the form of a bush.
Photo gallery: quince in design
Japanese quince can be planted as a separate bush. Shrub quince can be used to make a wall. The common quince tree looks good among other tree species
Common quince is a fruit tree that bears fruits similar to apples, but harder and tart. Not every garden can contain quince, but there are many lovers of this culture.
Botanical name: Quince (Cydonia), a monotypic genus of deciduous trees or shrubs of the Rose family (Roseae), fruit and ornamental culture.
Homeland of quince: Caucasus, Asia Minor, Northern Iran.
Lighting: photophilous.
Soil: clayey or sandy, not demanding on composition.
Watering: It is drought-resistant, but at the same time tolerates prolonged waterlogging.
Maximum tree height: 7 m.
Average lifespan of a tree: 30 – 50 years
Landing: seeds, cuttings, root shoots and grafting.
General description of the quince plant
The quince plant is a small tree or large multi-stemmed shrub with a dense spreading crown, growing to 1.5 - 4, less often 7 m in height.
The trunk, up to 50 cm in diameter, and skeletal branches are covered with thin, constantly exfoliating dark gray or red-brown bark; young branches are brownish-gray, with dense felt pubescence.
The shoots are also densely pubescent and have a gray-green color. The trunk is characterized by inclined growth, which is why the tree requires garter in the first years of its life.
Quince leaves are alternate, ovoid or oval in shape with a pointed or blunt apex, large, 5 - 12 cm in length and up to 7.5 cm in width, with short petioles up to 2 cm. The leaf blades are dark green on top, grayish below, with white felt pubescence.
Blooming quince in the photo
Quince flowering time is May-June, duration is about 3 weeks. The flowers are solitary, large, up to 5.5 cm in diameter, pink or white with yellow stamens, with short pedicels drooping downwards.
Unlike other pome crops, they appear on the lateral branches of the generative shoots of the current year, therefore they bloom late, after the leaves appear.
Thanks to this feature, quince flowers are usually not affected by returning spring frosts, and fruiting occurs annually. Blooming quince (pictured above) is very decorative; at the end of spring, flowers abundantly cover the branches from top to bottom and serve as a real decoration of the garden.
The smell of ripe quince
The fruits ripen in September-October; they are round or pear-shaped false apples, often blunt-ribbed, initially pubescent, and smooth when ripe.
The color is lemon or dark yellow, with a slight blush in some varieties. The pulp contains many stony cells, so even in ripe quince it is hard, not juicy, has a sweetish-tart, astringent taste.
U wild representatives species, the yield is very low, 2-10 fruits weighing 60-100 g per plant. Cultivated varieties are significantly more productive, up to 20-50 tons per hectare, the weight of one fruit averages 100-400 g, in some specimens it can reach 2 kg.
A distinctive feature of the fruit is its special aroma, due to the presence of pelargonium-ethyl and enanthic-ethyl esters in the skin. The smell of ripe quince is reminiscent of a sour apple with hints of tree bark, autumn flowers and spices; it persists even after heat treatment.
Quince seeds
In the core of the fruit there are five central “pockets” lined with a parchment layer and containing a large number of brown, obovate-shaped seeds.
Quince seeds are covered with a peel; its matte whitish film contains up to 20% mucilage, which swells well in water and is used in medicine and the textile industry.
The plant has a widely branched root system. Horizontal roots spread laterally to a distance exceeding the crown projection by 3-4 times, vertical roots lie no more than 1 m deep into the soil.
Since the main part of the roots is located close to the surface, the tree easily tolerates replanting, but does not respond well to inter-row cultivation and turfing.
The quince tree grows especially actively in the first years of the growing season. After entering the fruiting period, which in cultivation occurs in 3-5 years, growth slows down somewhat. The tree actively bears fruit for about 20 years, and its maximum lifespan is 50 years.
Homeland of quince: origin and history of cultural use
The plant is one of the oldest fruit crops, known to mankind for more than 4000 years. The Caucasus is considered the homeland of quince, from where it came to Asia Minor and further to Ancient Greece and Rome. Already at the beginning of the last millennium BC. these fruit trees grew in abundance on the island of Crete, some historians believe that the name of its genus, Cydonia, quince received from the Cretan city of Sidon.
The first written mentions of the culture appear already in 650 BC; according to ancient Greek legend, the golden apple presented by Paris to the goddess Aphrodite was precisely the quince fruit.
According to Plutarch, fruits with their sweetness and tartness were considered in those days a symbol of any marriage, and were necessarily used in various rituals associated with the wedding ceremony.
The ancient Greeks called the plant Melon Kydaion, and it is with this name that the second version of the origin of the genus name is associated.
From Greece, quince comes to Italy. Its detailed description is found in the works of Pliny, who already in 75 BC. 6 varieties of this were known fruit tree, used not only for food, but also for medicinal purposes.
Evidence of the popularity of the fruit in ancient Rome is the first cookbook by the famous Roman glutton Apicius, which describes a recipe for making a quince dessert. Pictures depicting culture were found on the walls of destroyed Pompeii, and the image of a tree is present in the paintings of that period.
Where does quince grow?
Quince has long been grown in the East. Unlike Ancient Greece and Rome, here the plant has always been considered a symbol of purity and health; even Avicenna in his writings characterized its fruits as a means of improving cardiac activity and digestion.
Ripe quince in pictures
In Western Europe, the fruit has been known since the 14th century, and since that time has been widely used in cooking in different countries.
Quince trees and shrubs are common in the wild in the Caucasus, Northern Iran, Central and Asia Minor, growing along forest edges, near reservoirs and on mountain slopes. Cultivated varieties do well not only in southern latitudes, but also in temperate latitudes on all continents, excluding Antarctica.
Among the places where quince grows, we note not only Europe, where it can be found everywhere from the Caucasus to Norway, Middle and East Asia, but also Australia, Oceania, North and South America, north and south of the African continent.
The plant is cultivated as a fruit and ornamental crop. At the same time, in Russia, quince fruits regularly ripen only in the southern regions (Caucasus, Krasnodar Region). IN middle lane, due to early frosts, ripe fruits can only be obtained at the end of October in exceptionally favorable years.
Here, as in the countries of Central and Northern Europe, the culture is mainly decorative, so wild forms are more often used, which are less demanding on growing conditions and more resistant to diseases. They respond well to pruning and can be grown in hedges.
Quince is also considered one of the best pear rootstocks. Grafted seedlings are compact, resistant to high temperatures and drought-resistant. In addition, the tree is an excellent honey plant.
The advantages of cultivated quince include its unpretentiousness. It can grow for a long time without irrigation in conditions of lack of moisture, and at the same time withstands flooding for 20-30 days, is salt-tolerant, and develops well on any soil and in places with close groundwater.
Currently, work is underway to create intergeneric hybrids of quince and apple trees, which will make it possible to use all positive qualities crops, and at the same time increase frost resistance and resistance to diseases, improve the taste of the fruit.
Quince diseases and pests
One of the disadvantages hindering the expansion of the area of quince cultivation in modern gardens is its tendency to be affected by many common diseases and pests of pome crops. In this regard, you should avoid planting it next to wild apple trees, serviceberry, hawthorn, and rowan.
Among the common diseases of quince is fruit rot (pome molinia), which is combated by pruning and burning affected branches, disinfecting wounds with mercuric chloride solutions, preventive spraying with foundationazol and dipterex in dosages recommended by the manufacturer, during the period from swelling of the buds to the beginning of flowering.
Significant damage to plantings is caused by subcutaneous spotting of fruits, which reduces their taste and presentation. Used to prevent illness foliar feeding microelements (0.2% solution of boric acid or zinc sulfate), varieties resistant to the disease are grown.
The plant is also affected by brown leaf spot caused by fungal spores. During flowering, spores fall on the stigmas of the flower, and subsequently lead to the fall of the ovaries. Control measures are the same as for fruit rot.
Common pests include:
Apple false bark beetle, which is destroyed manually by collecting insects during inspection of tree trunks in the spring, in April, and in the fall, in September;
Apple codling moth, from which fruits are protected by isolating them with paper covers after reaching a diameter of 2.5 cm;
Leaf miner moths whose larvae are extremely resistant to insecticides. From natural remedies They recommend pruning and destroying affected leaves, protecting the plant from laying larvae nonwoven materials, usage natural enemies moles - riders.
Japanese quince shrub, or chaenomeles, is a fertile plant that belongs to the Rosaceae family. It takes root well in regions with a mild climate, in the spring it pleases with abundant and bright flowering, and in the fall with healthy fruits.
Origin and appearance
Japanese quince is not only an ornamental shrub, but also a fruit-bearing one. Every autumn, fruits grow on the branches that look like an apple or an ordinary quince, but are smaller in size. The diameter of the fruit does not exceed 4 cm, which is why the plant was given another name - “false apples”.
Blooming branches
Quince fruits have a dense structure, are sour in taste and have a fragrant aroma. Inexperienced gardeners mistakenly compare Japanese shrubs and ordinary quince. The only one common feature two plants - both belong to the Rosaceae family, but they have different genus and purpose.
The homeland of the quince bush is China, Japan and Korea, brightly flowering plant often becomes a decoration for a rock garden. A developed root system allows you to strengthen slopes in places where there is a difference in relief or create hedge.
Quince fruits
Japonica, detailed description bush:
- Plants of different varieties are deciduous or evergreen;
- Height varies from 1 to 3 meters;
- The shoots have an arched shape;
- The leaves are glossy oval or teardrop-shaped, depending on the variety.
The plant has a large amount hybrid forms, on the shoots of some of them thorns up to 2 cm long grow.
Pay attention! An inexperienced gardener may encounter a situation where it is not clear which quince is in front of him: a tree or a shrub. The tree has a developed trunk, shrubs are formed from stems.
During the period from May to June, quince blooms profusely, all shoots are covered a large number buds. Flowers are colored scarlet, orange or red-orange colors, varieties with pink and white flowers are less common.
The diameter of the flower reaches 3-4 cm; some types of quince are covered with flowers with a diameter of 5 cm. The buds can grow singly or are collected in brushes of 2-6 flowers. The flower itself can be ordinary or double, consisting of large quantity petals.
Types and varieties
There are several types of Chaenomeles, on the basis of which many hybrids have been bred, which differ in color, leaf shape, and flower size.
scarlet flower
Hybrid forms of the plant are divided into different varieties, of which there are about 500.
Quince cathayan
Catayan quince - shrub large size, which grows up to 2-3 m in height. In spring, the leaves of the plant acquire a purple tint; by summer they turn green and become glossy. Every year in May, the bush is covered with an abundance of pink or white flowers.
Pay attention! Amateur gardeners ask the question: “Is Japanese quince a tree or a shrub?” Despite the fact that some varieties grow up to 3 m in height, the ornamental quince is a shrubby plant.
Garnet bracelet
A shrub with densely growing foliage, its height does not exceed 1 m. Thorns grow on the shoots; the plants can be used to form a hedge. The flowers grow large, reach a size of up to 5 cm in diameter, and are collected in groups of 2-6 buds. The buds are colored red or scarlet red.
Variety Garnet bracelet
Decorative quince
Ornamental chaenomeles is a deciduous shrub; its young shoots are colored green, become brown over time. The color range of the buds ranges from pink to orange-red. The flower grows up to 3.5 cm in diameter.
Transplantation after purchase into open ground
When choosing a place for planting, it is necessary to take into account that decorative quince is light-loving plant. When transplanting a plant into open ground, it is important to choose suitable place and arrange further care.
What is needed for planting
The land for planting decorative quince is prepared in the fall in order to plant seedlings in the spring. To prepare the soil in the fall you will need:
- Deciduous soil;
- Sand;
- Compost from peat and manure. For 1 m2 you will need 7-8 kg;
- Potassium fertilizers at the rate of 35-40 g per 1 m2. Can be replaced with phosphorus fertilizers.
During planting in the spring, a nutrient mixture is used, its recipe:
- Humus - 5 kg;
- Superphosphate – 250 g;
- Ash – 500 g;
- Potassium nitrate – 25 g.
For landing in open land you should choose two-year-old seedlings with a root system closed type. Rotten, dried or broken roots must be removed.
Pay attention! It is better to plant the shrub in the spring; during autumn planting, the heat-loving plant may not take root due to early cold weather.
Optimal place
Shrubs growing in the shade bloom weakly and grow slowly. Quince takes root best on the south side, where there will be enough sunlight. The plant does not like strong drafts, so plant it better nearby with other groups of trees or near the walls of a house.
Decorative quince takes root in loose soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. Sandy and loamy soils that contain enough humus are suitable for planting.
The shrub tolerates dry weather well; its central root rod penetrates deep underground and is recharged with moisture. The soil should be moderately moist without stagnant water.
Pay attention! The developed roots of an adult shrub do not allow it to be transplanted to another place. Quince cannot be dug out of the ground without damaging the roots. It is necessary to immediately select a suitable place before planting; the shrub can grow on it for up to 60-80 years.
Step by step planting process
Having chosen a suitable place, you can begin planting:
- In the fall, the soil is cleaned and compost from peat and manure is added to it. Additionally, phosphorus fertilizers are added to the soil;
- In the spring, a hole measuring 50x50 cm and 60-70 cm deep is dug for planting;
- A nutrient mixture for filling is made from humus and ash. Superphosphate and potassium nitrate are added to it;
- IN landing hole fill 1/3 with the nutrient mixture, sprinkle 2-3 cm of ordinary soil on top. The roots of the plant should not come into contact with fertilizers;
- Before planting, prepared seedlings are watered with plenty of water, placed in a hole and the roots are straightened. The root collar should not be deeply buried; it must be placed at the same level with the ground. The plant is buried top layer the earth is compacted by hand;
- Each seedling is watered with 1 bucket of water; you can cover the ground at the base with branches or wood shavings.
Hedge
Shrubs are planted at a distance of 1-1.5 m from each other; to form a hedge, the distance is reduced to 50 cm.
Reproduction
Japanese quince can be propagated using seeds or by vegetative means. Growing from seeds is a less labor-intensive process, but it does not guarantee the preservation of the properties of the mother plant.
Cuttings
Shrub cuttings are advisable if you need to preserve the properties of a certain quince variety. Cuttings are prepared in the first half of June before the heat begins; they need to be cut before 9-10 am.
Pay attention! Cuttings should have 1-3 internodes - this is the distance between the bases of the leaves. Cuttings that have a “heel” at the end - a small piece of the main stem - germinate better.
You should prepare the soil for planting in advance; for it you need to mix peat and sand in a ratio of 1:3. The blanks are planted at a slight slope in the prepared mixture. After 1-2 months, the plant will take root if the air temperature is not lower than 20-25°C. In cold areas, shoots are planted in greenhouses that maintain high humidity.
Only 40-50% of the cuttings will be able to take root; growth stimulants are used to increase the rates by 15-20%. The blanks are treated with a solution of 0.01% indolylbutyric acid and then planted.
Growing from seeds
Ornamental quince seeds are obtained from ripened fruits. Large dark brown seeds can be used for propagation; they do not require any processing. In the fall they are sown in open ground, and up to 80% of the crops germinate the following spring.
Seeds near the ruler
If it was not possible to plant the seeds before winter, they are placed in damp soil or sand and kept at a temperature of 3-4°C all winter. By spring, shoots will appear, and the seeds can be transferred to open ground.
Care
Quince – unpretentious plant, but you need to look after him, in wild conditions the ornamental shrub gradually loses its ability to bloom luxuriantly. Despite the fact that the ornamental shrub comes from the East, it easily takes root even in northern regions Moscow region.
Watering mode
Japanese bush quince does not require abundant watering; the shrub is resistant to drought and high temperature. Young seedlings are watered every week until they take root. An adult plant is watered once every 2-3 weeks; during the rainy season, the plant does without watering.
Top dressing
Fertilizing is carried out in the spring for the 2nd year after planting the seedlings. Mineral and organic mixtures can be used as fertilizers. To feed 1 bush you need to mix:
- Compost - 1 bucket;
- Potassium nitrate – 300 g;
- Superphosphate – 300 g.
During the summer mature plant can be fed with liquid fertilizer, for example, aqueous solution saltpeter or a mixture of water and droppings.
During the flowering period
In summer, the soil around the bush must be loosened by 5-7 cm to saturate it with oxygen. If the summer is dry, the soil under the quince is mulched with sawdust or peat, the layer height should be 3-4 cm. The ground is regularly cleared of weeds.
Pay attention! Quince Chinese landing and care - the shrub requires the same measures as the Japanese variety.
During the rest period
Fruitful trees need to be pruned several times a year. In the spring, before flowering begins, sanitary pruning is carried out, rotten and frozen shoots are removed. In autumn, trim the shape of the crown and shorten the branches. Shoots older than 5 years must be pruned.
Pay attention! Ornamental shrub must have no more than 15 branches.
Preparing for winter
The shrub easily tolerates temperatures down to -25°C without shelter. In regions with harsh winters and severe frosts The roots of the plant are covered with spruce branches. The shoots should be bent and sprinkled with spruce or dry leaves. Young low-growing shrubs are covered with cardboard or wooden boxes for the winter.
Pay attention! In winter, the ends of the shoots with buds may freeze, these parts need to be cut off. Quince has the ability to quickly recover despite frostbite.
Every person living in a private house wants to decorate their garden plot beautiful plants. One of the favorite shrubs of gardeners and landscape designers is Japanese quince; caring for and growing the shrub does not require much time. Already on next year the seedlings grow and become covered with the first flowers.
Decoration of garden and adjoining plot cultivated plants helps transform landscape design, and when choosing fruit-bearing shrubs and trees for decoration, you can get an excellent harvest of fruits or berries.
Amazingly beautiful Japanese quince, planting and care open ground which requires a careful approach, relates to quite exotic plants, during the flowering period it is lushly covered with magnificent, large flowers, pleasing the eyes of the owners.
Famous and cultivated varieties of Chaenomeles
Blooming profusely from May to June, decorative quince is distinguished by smooth leaves and small spines on the branches; fruiting is carried out by the formation of medium-sized round or oval fruits.
Varietal diversity makes it possible to choose exactly the species that will become magnificent and original decoration local area summer cottage or garden, most often gardeners give preference to varieties such as Crimson and Simoni, Jet Trail and Pink Lady.
Description and general characteristics of the plant
Chaenomeles or Japanese quince, which can be planted and cared for by both experienced and novice gardeners, according to the generally accepted classification, belongs to ornamental and fruit crops and is a heat-loving plant.
It grows well in areas with mild and favorable climate, while the tree can be up to 3 meters in height, and the bush - no more than 1-2 meters; in the spring the crown is densely covered with lush color, its flowers are quite large, white, pink or orange.
Features of cultivation and reproduction
Exotic quince, planting and caring for the plant in open ground is not difficult to do independently; it grows and develops well in sunny areas, it is not demanding on the composition of the soil, and is highly frost-resistant.
Experienced gardeners recommend covering the bush for the winter or planting it in advance planting material in lowlands where sufficient snow accumulates to form a natural shelter, which will prevent shoots and branches from freezing.
Self landing
The Japanese quince, amazing during the flowering period, the cultivation and care of which is within the power of any gardener, requires special attention When planting, it is best to do it in the spring, after waiting until the soil has completely thawed.
It is recommended to select two-year-old seedlings for planting, which are characterized by a highly developed root system, which guarantees excellent rooting; if necessary, Chaenomeles can be planted in bushes, which allows you to subsequently form a lush and brightly flowering bush near the house or in the garden.
Caring for a garden beauty
Having seen once how a quince blooms, it is impossible to deny yourself the pleasure of enjoying this splendor every spring, for which you need to promptly care for the young seedling, providing it optimal conditions for development.
During the first year after rooting in a new place, the planted shoots must be regularly watered, fertilized with nitrogen fertilizers in early spring, and phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are used for this in the fall; flowering and fruiting begin at 4-5 years of age.
Propagation: seeds, cuttings and division
On personal plot or a lushly blooming quince would look great in the garden; the tree is easy to grow and propagate; for this, methods of cuttings and dividing the bush are used, but the seeds take a long time to germinate.
It is best to propagate the plant by dividing an already overgrown bush; young shoots completely retain all the properties and characteristics of the mother plant, after planting them in open ground It is imperative to provide them with mandatory feeding and shelter for the winter.
Pest and disease control
Provides good preservation varietal characteristics method of propagation by cuttings, Japanese quince is pruned to prepare cuttings at the beginning of summer, while strictly monitoring the processing of pruned branches.
Pruning in wet weather or at other times will lead to disease of the bush or tree, for which mandatory preventive treatment measures are carried out, which helps get rid of fungal diseases and aphids that can destroy a beautiful bush.
Lush bushes can be planted in rows, which will help to form a living and beautiful hedge on the site, decorating the area; they are suitable for use in general composition landscape design and stylistic decoration.
Chaenomeles fruits are very healthy and contain a complex of vitamins and useful elements, from them they prepare aromatic jam and marshmallows, various blanks for the winter and added to other dishes to enhance the taste.
Photo of Japanese Quince
