Content
Planting and caring for Japanese quince in the Moscow region requires compliance with certain rules. It’s possible to grow bushes. You need to keep in mind that the fruits themselves will be greenish (most likely, they will not have time to ripen). Therefore, they will have to be kept at room temperature at home.
Does quince grow in the Moscow region?
The Japanese quince tree (Chaenomeles) can be grown in the climatic conditions of the Moscow region and other regions of the central zone. Some varieties are winter-hardy, so they will tolerate moderate frosts and even produce a harvest. When growing, you should consider several rules of care:
- The bushes cope well with drought and require little watering (more often in hot weather). But to get a harvest, it is important to fertilize regularly.
- A very important point about care: plants are demanding of sunlight. Therefore, a completely open area is chosen for planting.
- The bushes produce fruit, but they ripen quite late - usually by the beginning of October. Moreover, in cloudy summers they will remain green. Therefore, they are collected and left to ripen at room temperature.
- Even winter-hardy varieties need shelter. In autumn you need to lay out a high layer of mulch (20–30 cm). This rule of care is especially important for young seedlings.
Planting and caring for Japanese quince in the Moscow region
Japanese quince can be grown in the Moscow region, but for this it needs to be provided with proper care. Basic requirements for planting: fertile soil, timely watering, fertilization and careful mulching for the winter.
Landing dates
In the climatic conditions of the Moscow region, it is better to plan the procedure for late spring. It is better to plant in the last ten days of April or early May. At this time, the soil should have time to warm up to at least 10–12 degrees. This can be determined by burying the thermometer to a depth of 15 cm and holding it for 15–20 minutes.
If the spring turned out to be cold, it is better to postpone planting quince in the Moscow region 1–2 weeks later
An autumn procedure is possible, but undesirable. If the deadline is missed in the spring, the seedlings need to be planted in the first half of September, i.e. 1.5–2 months before the first frost. In this case, you need to take special care of the winter shelter.
To ensure proper care of Japanese quince in the Moscow region, seedlings should be planted on a fine day, early in the morning or late in the evening.
Requirements for place and soil
Japanese quince also ripens in the Moscow region, but in order for the bush to feel comfortable, it is important to choose the right place for planting it. It should be:
- completely open (even weak shading is not allowed);
- protected from drafts and strong winds (especially from the north);
- not waterlogged (lowlands where moisture periodically accumulates should be excluded).
Japanese quince prefers light, fertile loamy soils. It is best if the reaction is slightly acidic (pH = 6.0–6.5). Therefore, the soil for planting should be prepared in advance. To do this, the area is cleared and dug up in the fall. A bucket of compost or humus is added to the soil (per 2 m2), as well as 1 kg of sawdust or sand for the same area (if the soil is heavy, clayey). Sometimes the soil in the Moscow region can be alkaline (pH more than 7.0). Then before planting you need to water it with 9% vinegar. Working solution for 1 m2 area - 100 ml per 10 l.
How to plant correctly
It is better to buy Japanese quince seedlings for planting in the Moscow region from nurseries or from trusted suppliers. Their age should be 1 - maximum 2 years. The root system is closed (in planting containers).
Prepare for planting several weeks in advance:
- Dig holes 60 cm deep and 60 cm in diameter at a distance of 1.5 m from each other.
- Small stones are placed at the bottom. This must be done when groundwater comes too close to the surface. The drainage layer should be thick enough - up to 15 cm. Then further maintenance will not cause difficulties.
- Pour a mixture of turf soil with compost, black peat and sand (2:1:1:1) and let it sit for 2-3 weeks.
- Then the Japanese quince seedlings are placed exactly in the center and the soil is compacted slightly so that the root collar goes to a depth of 5–7 cm.
- Make a small depression around the trunk.
- Mulch with bark, sawdust, pine needles or other materials.
When planting Japanese quince in the fall in the Moscow region, it is important to thoroughly mulch the roots.
How to care
Along with planting, it is important to provide proper care for Japanese quince in the Moscow region. There are several rules that must be followed:
- Young seedlings need increased weekly watering. At the same time, the soil must have time to dry out - stagnation of moisture is unacceptable.
- Grown bushes need watering only during dry periods. They are given 3-4 buckets of water every week. If it rains periodically, additional moisture is not needed.
- Another important rule for caring for Japanese quince in the Moscow region is feeding. If fertilizers have already been applied on the eve of planting (or during it), then new fertilizers are given only from the next season. In April, you need to apply 150 g of potassium nitrate and 300 g of superphosphate to each seedling. In June, ammonium nitrate (20 g) is used, and in September they are fed with mullein (30 g per 3 liters per plant).
- The tree trunk circle is mulched even in summer. This gets rid of weeds and protects the soil from rapid drying out, and the roots of Japanese quince from recurrent frosts. Although you still need to loosen the soil and periodically remove the grass.
- An essential care requirement is regular pruning of Japanese quince. In the spring, you need to remove frozen, diseased and weak branches (at the very beginning of April). And in the fall (mid-October) they do a shaping and rejuvenating haircut. To do this, you need to trim branches that extend beyond the general contour, leaving at least a third of their length. All cut areas are treated with crushed charcoal or garden pitch.
When and how to collect Japanese quince in the Moscow region
In the climatic conditions of the Moscow region and other regions of the central zone, Japanese quince ripens quite late.This occurs in the fall: from the end of September and lasts until mid-October. The yield from one adult bush reaches 1–2 kg. If you organize proper planting and good care, you can achieve 2.5–3 kg per crop.
Japanese quince in the Moscow region does not have time to ripen completely and remains green
The unripe harvest must be harvested before frost, otherwise it will die and be lost. The pulp may become watery and lose flavor. Therefore, the fruits are removed and placed in one layer on the floor in the room. They can be stored for quite a long time in such conditions. Gradually the fruits will acquire a normal yellowish color.
It is better to collect Japanese quince in dry, clear weather so that it does not get wet. The fruits are picked by hand, but not thrown, but carefully placed in a bucket or other container.
Ripe quince is stored at a temperature of 2–3 degrees Celsius (on the balcony, in the cellar, basement). The humidity in the room should not be very high - up to 70%. Under such conditions, Japanese quince can be stored without additional care for 4–5 months.
Preparing for winter
One of the main rules for planting and caring for quince in the Moscow region is timely preparation for winter, which is especially important for young seedlings (the first 2–3 years). Warming measures begin three weeks before the first frost, i.e. around mid-October.
To protect the roots, you need to pour a high layer of mulch (at least 20 cm) into the tree trunk circle. It is acceptable to use spruce branches, bark, fallen leaves (but only from other trees), and sawdust.It is also recommended to install a shield from wind and snow next to the plant.
The best self-fertile varieties of Japanese quince for the Moscow region
When growing ordinary quince in the Moscow region, it is important to choose the right variety. It must be not only winter-hardy, but also self-fertile. Thanks to this, there will be no need to plant other varieties or attract pollinators - the fruits will set on their own.
Quince is used for fruit production and also as an ornamental crop.
Zubutlinskaya
Zabutlinskaya (Zubutlinskaya) is a medium-sized bush. With proper planting and care in the Moscow region, it produces fairly large fruits. They have good transportability and keeping quality, so they can be transported over long distances. This quince variety is winter-hardy and tolerates strong gusts of wind.
Zabutlinskaya quince is immune to common diseases
Pink Lady
Pink Lady - another winter-hardy variety that requires simple care
The bushes are low, reaching only 120 cm. At the same time, the crown is beautiful, lush, and the flowers are pale pink. Thanks to this, the variety got its name Pink Lady.
Sargentii
Variety Sargentii (Sargentii) is characterized by long and abundant flowering
The culture produces fairly high and stable yields. The crown is spherical, the foliage is dark green, the flowers are orange. The variety is undemanding in terms of care - it can be grown in the Moscow region.
Nicloline
Variety Nicloline is a medium-sized bush up to 120 cm high. Its crown is spreading, reaching 1.5 m in width.
The flowers of the Nikolin variety are bright red in color.
Maintenance is easy. The culture requires minimal shelter for the winter. Nikolin's winter hardiness indicator is high.
Elly Mossel
Elly Mossel – decorative variety
The bush grows up to 70 cm in height. The inflorescences are bright red.Suitable for planting in flower beds with medium-sized flowers. Looks good in compositions, especially in alpine slides.
Geisha Girl
Geisha Girl (Geisha girl) is a medium-sized bush up to 150 cm high. It blooms in early May, the flowers are pink-cream. They are used not only for growing fruits, but also for decorating the garden.
The Geisha Girl variety is used in single plantings and compositions
The Geisha Girl variety is used in single plantings and compositions
Conclusion
Planting and caring for Japanese quince in the Moscow region is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. The tree needs fertile, light, slightly acidic soil. The area should be dry and sunny. If you follow simple rules of care, you can remove 2–3 kg of fruit from each adult bush annually in the Moscow region and other regions with a temperate climate.
Reviews about growing and caring for Japanese quince in the Moscow region
Galina Timofeeva, 56 years old, Odintsovo
I decided to start planting Japanese quince. I didn’t know whether the culture would take root in the latitudes of the Moscow region or not. I thought leaving would be difficult. The experiment was a success - it grows normally, not far from the apple tree. But it is better to plant away from trees, because it loves light. But he cannot tolerate transplantation. For the winter, I make sure to mulch the tree trunk circle. In summer (during drought) I water it. Care is simple, and the harvest pleases the household.
Yulia Romantsova, 39 years old, Korolev
Our Japanese quince Zabutlinskaya has been growing for several years, and we are no longer surprised, although we doubted it when planting it. There is no need to be afraid of anything - caring for it is the same as caring for an apple tree. It grows as an ornamental bush, and in the fall produces the quince itself. Only the fruits are small. But if the summer was warm and sunny, then the taste is pleasant, sweetish.
