Quince

[ina]

Does anybody know anything about growing quinces, i.e. what kind of climate or soil they need? All my gardening books seem to ignore them. Well, not many places sell them either; but I love the taste (particularly in jelly).

Ina

[Millymollymandy]

I don't know actually although I'm vaguely thinking about getting one. Have you tried googling? I get most of the fruit info I need from the internet (usually about pruning) as my fruit book is more geared to espaliered and fan trained everything!

I do know that it grew well where I used to live near Geneva as the neighbours kept giving us loads! That's a cold wet winter and hot dry summer on very limey stony soil.

[ina]

Sounds exactly what we don't have here! Mild wet winters, cold, moderately wet summers, acid soil... I think the worst problem might be the wind, though. Google brought up one site that says it needs a warm spot if you want to grow it in our climate, but it doesn't say anything about wind. The warmest place around my garden is on the south side of the house - nice, white wall to reflect sun, no windows - for a very good reason: unfortunately we have lot of wind from southerly directions (up the glen).

But maybe somebody has experience growing it in slightly exposed situations? None of the sites (and mail order companies that sell them) say which variety might be more suited here.

Ina

[Millymollymandy]

Just looking in my fruit book. Funny cos I always imagined Quince to be a hardy tree that was grown commonly in the UK.

Says that it needs warmth for the fruits to ripen properly and that in warm places such as Turkey the fruits become much sweeter and are eaten raw (!!).

It succeeds in most soils but grows best in a deep, light, fertile and moisture-rententive soil (that's of course the kind that no-one ever has!).

It does well planted near a pond or a stream. In warmer areas, it can be grown in the open, but in a sunny, sheltered position. In more northerly areas, extra protection is needed, the best situation being a sunny corner where two walls meet, with the plant grown as a fan or bush tree.

Might be best just buying some from the market to make quince jelly?

[ina]

Yes, I think that's one dream I'll have to give up...

Oh well. Maybe I should try a pear. I wanted one anyway, and didn't know where to plant it - so now I've got a spare spot for it!

Thanks for that info!

Ina

[Steve Hanson]

Hi Ina

I have just take several cuttings of a quince from our neighbours, it is over 20 years old and has weathered –25C here some years ago and consistent –15C last year and still gave loads of fruit. If you like it give it a go, we are still eating the jelly Fiona made last autumn and it is wonderful, I would not give up the chance to have some of our own. Even though we have been told we can have all we want every year from our neighbours.

Steve

[ina]

Thanks, Steve - the winters here wouldn't be a problem, it's the summers that never get warm enough! Plus we do have a lot of wind, which quince doesn't seem to like much, either.

Anyway, I don't have enough space for all I want, so I should stick to what is more likely to do well.

Ina

[Shirley]

I'm tempted to try it here Ina - we've got some sheltered walls up by the stables that get a lot of sunshine. Just got to find the money to grow all the stuff that I want to ....

[ina]

I know where to go then if I want some!

(No, I should put that the other way round: You know where to sell some if and when you get more than you want for yourself!)

Ina

[diver]

my friend has had a quince tree in her garden for years...she just leaves it to get on with things. Her garden is damp..has lots of frogs....and the quinc tree just seems to make up it's own mind...sometimes there are lots of fruit, last year ..very little. Quince jelly is lovely, I'd give it a go

[Mandyz]

I noticed today, as I was trimming back my Japanese Quince bush again, that it has fruits growing. I didn't see these last year when I moved in. Now I want to find a good recipe for preserves. I wonder when they'll be ripe?...

[Luath]

They ripen towards the autumn, when the fruits will turn a golden yellow colour - that's teh ornamental Japanese quince/japonica variety. Said to make a very good jelly, also wine.

I have a quince tree in my garden, and it has its first fruits on it this year - tiny wee furry fuzzy things, but I have high expectations of all 6 of them The tree is about 4 years old now, planted by the end of a shed, but open to the filed, where the wind can whistle across, Mind you, I am in balmy Dorset............

[Mandyz]

Wow, I've never had a fruit tree. That seems a long time to ripen if they've got fruit already. Guess I'll want to make sure pests don't eat them.
Hmm, Jelly... wine...
I think I'll stick with jelly and I've never made wine and wouldn't have the patience for it.

Mandyz

[Luath]

Never heard of any pests that will harm a quince.

[chadspad]

Ive got about 30lb of quinces from a friend - gonna give some quince wine a go I reckon!