Japanese quince (chaenomeles): planting and care in open ground, growing conditions, when to replant, how to grow from seeds, reviews

Content

Planting Japanese quince is not associated with great difficulties, but requires compliance with the rules. Before growing a crop on a summer cottage, you need to study the requirements for soil and conditions.

Which quince to plant

Quince, available for cultivation in summer cottages, is represented by three main types:

Common (Cydonia). It looks like a deciduous tree or tall shrub, has oval or rounded leaves, and bears solitary flowers. The cultivation of common quince is most widely practiced in Europe, South America, Africa and Australia.
Common quince can rise up to 4.5 m above the ground
Chinese (Pseudocydonia sinensis). It grows naturally in China and Japan, reaching a height of 10 m or more. It has a very dense crown, bears fruits with good nutritional qualities and pronounced aroma.
Chinese quince tolerates frosts down to -15 °C without shelter, but freezes at lower temperatures
Japanese (Chaenomeles japonica). A low ornamental plant has curved shoots, a powerful tap root that goes deep underground, and green leaves that taper towards the base. It grows wild in China, Japan and Korea.
Japanese quince does not grow higher than 3 m

The most widely represented ornamental varieties are the Japanese quince chaenomeles. Its main advantage is its compact size and bright flowering.

The frost resistance of chaenomeles is approximately the same as that of other varieties, but it is easier to insulate it before the onset of cold weather. When planting and caring for Chinese quince shrubs, a gardener may encounter the fact that a tall tree reacts sensitively to cold weather, and it is impossible to completely cover it. This problem does not arise with miniature chaenomeles; its flexible shoots are not difficult to simply bend to the ground

Important! Japanese quince looks more attractive in garden design than tall species; it can easily be integrated into any landscape.

Conditions for growing quince

Before planting chaenomeles in your garden plot, you need to study a photo of Japanese quince, its frost resistance and the rules of cultivation and care. This will ensure rapid and healthy development of the culture.

Where to plant quince

At the dacha, it is better to plant quince of any type and variety in a well-lit area.The culture develops rather slowly, and in a shady location it practically stops growing and also produces fewer buds.

When planting, you should think about overwintering Chaenomeles. It is advisable to locate the crop in a place where in the cold months more snow accumulates and there is almost no wind. This will reduce the risk of freezing of the bush, which reacts sensitively to severe frosts.

Soil requirements

Japanese chaenomeles prefers loamy and well-moistened, but light soil with weak acidity. It grows well on soils rich in humus and tolerates sandy loam and soddy-podzolic areas. When planting and growing chaenomeles, you need to ensure that there is no excess lime in the ground, otherwise the crop may suffer from chlorosis.

Advice! Alkaline soil on the site can be treated with pine needles or high-moor peat, as well as citric acid and colloidal sulfur.

Landing dates

The timing of planting Japanese quince in the ground depends on climatic conditions. It is generally recommended to root the plant in the spring, after the soil has warmed up, but before the start of active growing season.

In warm regions and the middle zone, autumn planting can be done; it is carried out 3-4 weeks before the first frost. If you transfer the seedling into the ground too late, it will not have time to adapt to the new place and will die with the onset of cold weather.

Is it possible to grow quince from a seed?

The easiest way to plant a grown seedling of Japanese chaenomeles. But if desired, seeds can also be used to propagate the culture. They are extracted from ripe, healthy, large fruits without damage.

For planting, select whole quince seeds that do not have a whitish coating or mold on the surface.

The seeds are washed and laid out on a sheet of paper in a warm, well-lit place for a day to dry. If the material is to be planted in the spring, before this time the seeds should be placed in the refrigerator for stratification. The latter should take about three months.

How to plant and grow Japanese quince from seeds at home

The seed propagation method requires attention from the gardener. The procedure consists of several stages:

In the fall, washed and dried seeds of ripe fruits are placed in a container with slightly moistened sand and put in the refrigerator for 2-3 months. After hardening at low temperatures, Japanese quince from seeds will grow more resistant to external conditions.
In April, small plastic pots or a wide but shallow wooden box are prepared for the seeds. A soil mixture of sand, garden soil and peat is poured inside. The seeds are slightly buried in the soil and sprinkled on top with a layer of no more than 1 cm.
A container or box with planting material is generously sprayed with a spray bottle to moisten the soil and covered with glass or film. After this, the container is placed in a warm place with diffused lighting until shoots appear.

The first shoots of Japanese quince should appear above the soil surface after three weeks. When two true leaves appear on each of them, it will be possible to plant the seedlings in separate containers.

It is better to propagate low-value quince varieties with seeds, since the unique characteristics may not be preserved

When planting seeds, Japanese quince is transferred to the ground only in the second year, when the seedlings are properly strengthened. Plants need to be rooted in the spring, at the beginning or end of April, depending on the climate.

Important! Japanese quince grown from seeds begins to bear fruit only after 3-4 years.

Planting and caring for Japanese quince in open ground

Both purchased seedlings and plants obtained from seeds are planted in the ground according to the same rules. But the algorithm is slightly different for spring and autumn rooting.

How to properly plant Japanese quince on a plot in the fall

To plant Japanese quince in the fall, you need to prepare a site for it in the spring. The algorithm looks like this:

With the onset of warm weather, the selected place in the garden is dug up and 20 g of potassium salt and 50 g of superphosphate per square meter are added;
Preparation of the hole for planting quince begins two weeks before transferring the seedling into the ground - at the end of August or beginning of September, they dig a hole about 50 cm in depth and width;
pour a drainage layer to the bottom;
prepare a nutritious soil mixture from clay, garden soil, sand and peat;
Fertilize the soil with 150 g of superphosphate and 50 g of wood ash;
Fill the hole halfway with the earthen mixture and leave it to settle.

For planting, choose a dry but cloudy autumn day. A Japanese quince seedling is pre-soaked for a couple of hours, then lowered into a prepared hole and the roots are straightened. You need to sprinkle the plant with the remaining soil, lightly trample it in a circle and immediately pour 20 liters of water.

Important! Since Japanese quince produces long but thin shoots, a peg is dug next to it and the seedling is tied to the support with twine.

When planting several specimens of Chaenomeles, you need to leave 1-1.5 m of space between them.

The wet tree trunk circle is mulched with peat or humus. Before the onset of frost in mid-to-late October, another moisture-charging watering for the plant is required.Immediately before the cold weather, the tree trunk circle is covered with spruce branches and fallen leaves, and after the first snowfalls, a dense snowdrift is thrown for insulation.

Planting Japanese quince in spring

For the spring planting of Japanese quince, the site also begins to be prepared in advance. In the middle of the previous autumn, the soil in the selected corner of the garden is dug up and its composition is improved - acidified if necessary, and complex mineral fertilizers are applied.

After the soil thaws in the spring, holes are dug 50 by 50 cm wide and deep, after which drainage made of pebbles or broken bricks is laid on the bottom. The hole is half filled with a mixture of sand, peat, compost and garden soil, and mineral fertilizers are added. When planting in spring, it is allowed to add not only superphosphate to the soil, but also potassium nitrate and fresh manure. This fertilizer contains a lot of nitrogen and will contribute to the rapid growth of Japanese quince.

The seedling, previously soaked in water, is lowered into the hole, the roots are straightened and the soil is completely covered. The neck of the plant is left flush with the ground surface. The tree trunk circle is immediately watered abundantly and mulched with a layer of sawdust; for even growth, the seedling is tied to a support peg.

To prevent weeds from growing at the roots of the quince, the tree trunk circle can be sprinkled with small pebbles

Attention! In order for Chaenomeles to take root faster in the spring, its branches are cut by 1/3 after planting.

How to care for quince

The technology for growing quince after planting comes down to a few simple procedures:

Watering. It is necessary to moisten the crop once a month with 30-40 liters of water, provided that there has been no natural precipitation for a long time. The plant does not tolerate drought well, but also reacts negatively to waterlogging.Chaenomeles must be watered before flowering, at the beginning of fruit formation and at the end of summer for a juicy harvest.
Feeding. It is necessary to fertilize Japanese quince three times a year after planting. In early spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied to stimulate the development of green mass; they can be scattered dry in the tree trunk circle. In mid-summer and autumn, potassium and phosphorus minerals are added to the soil - 200-300 g per bucket of water.
Trimming. Japanese quince grows quite slowly and does not require annual pruning. For the first time, it is pruned only 5-6 years after planting; in early spring, old, diseased or thickening branches of the crown are removed. Subsequently, shearing is carried out as needed, mainly paying attention to sanitary thinning.

Japanese quince has average frost resistance, so it is necessary to cover it for the winter. Young plants are insulated with spruce branches, while the branches of an adult Chaenomeles are bent to the ground and a dense but breathable fabric is thrown over the bush on top. Another method suggests wrapping large shoots in burlap before severe frosts and gently pulling them towards the trunk.

It is necessary to cover the quince along the crown without waiting for frost, especially if the plant is young

When and how to replant Japanese quince

Japanese quince prefers to grow in one place and does not respond well to transplantation. But if the site was initially chosen poorly, or the soil on it has noticeably deteriorated over several years, it is still necessary to transfer the crop.

Planting in a new place is usually carried out in the fall in early or mid-September. The plant is dug out of the ground, if necessary, diseased parts of the roots are removed and soaked in water for a couple of hours.You can add growth stimulants to the liquid - Kornevin or Epin. After soaking, the seedling is transferred to a new area and, according to the standard algorithm, is rooted in the prepared hole.

Advice! If the Japanese quince is quite old, you may not need to replant it entirely. It is easier to separate several young and healthy shoots with their own roots.

Features of planting and caring for quince depending on the region

With good care, chaenomeles can be planted in almost any region. But the agricultural technology for growing quince depends on the specific climate.

Planting and caring for quince in the Urals

The Urals are characterized by hot summers, but they do not last long. Winter in the region is usually harsh. Planting of Japanese quince is carried out only in the spring, and closer to May, when the cold weather finally recedes.

When placing chaenomeles on a site, choose a place for it that is reliably closed from strong winds. With the onset of autumn cold weather, the quince is carefully insulated - the tree trunk circle is mulched with a thick layer of peat about 10 cm and covered with spruce branches. Young low plants can be covered with burlap or lutrasil along the crown.

Planting and caring for Japanese quince in Siberia

Planting and caring for a quince tree in Siberia is associated with particular difficulties. It is not always possible to grow a heat-loving crop; it often freezes over the winter even with good shelter. It is best to plant in a closed, heated greenhouse. In this case, Chaenomeles will take root in a harsh climate and will bear fruit. It is recommended to plant in the spring, since autumn colds come early in Siberia.

Growing quince in central Russia

In the temperate climate of the middle zone, most quince varieties do quite well.But before spring planting, it is important to wait for the end of the return frosts. If the autumn is expected to be warm, then chaenomeles can be rooted in September - it will have time to adapt before the onset of cold weather.

At winter temperatures above - 10 ° C, it is not necessary to cover the quince along the crown

For the winter, Japanese quince in the middle zone must be carefully insulated in the tree trunk circle. Young shoots and fruit buds freeze at temperatures below -25 °C, but the roots need protection even from light frosts.

Diseases and pests

Growing quince in the country is not difficult due to the fact that it has good immunity and rarely suffers from pests and fungi. Among the diseases that are dangerous for her are:

cytosporosis - the fungus first attacks the bark and then the living tissues of Chaenomeles;
With cytosporosis, the shoots and trunk of quince become covered with growths and dry out
anthracnose - dark brown spots with whitish spore cushions appear on the leaves.
When affected by anthracnose, Japanese quince leaves turn yellow and fall off prematurely.

At the first signs of fungal diseases, it is necessary to destroy all affected parts of chaenomeles and treat it with Bordeaux mixture or Fundazol. Spraying is carried out according to the instructions, but is stopped three weeks before harvest.

Among the insects that are dangerous for Chaenomeles are:

codling moth - insect larvae damage the fruits from the inside and eat away their pulp;
A quince affected by the codling moth falls off the branches early and appears prematurely ripe.
aphid - a small insect feeds on the sap of leaves and can cause great damage to the green crown of chaenomeles.
When infected with aphids, the leaf blades become covered with a sticky coating and curl up.

If few insects are noticed on the quince, you can use a regular soap solution to eliminate pests.In case of serious damage, spray with Aktara, Karbofos and other acaricides several times a season in accordance with the instructions.

What plants are combined with and what can be planted with?

When planting and caring for Japanese quince chaenomeles, you need to carefully select neighbors for the plant. The culture develops well next to pear and apple trees; it can be placed in close proximity to hawthorn and barberry. But it is better not to plant quince next to roses, hydrangeas and grapes.

Attention! Chaenomeles belongs to the category of plants that require pollination. For good harvests, it is necessary to plant several shrubs of related varieties next to each other.

Conclusion

Planting Japanese quince is a simple task, and caring for the plant requires following basic rules. Fundamental attention should be paid to soil and climate, since chaenomeles does not like alkaline soil and reacts poorly to cold weather.

Reviews about growing Japanese quince in the Urals

Romanova Olga Vadimovna, 45 years old, Kurgan

When planting Japanese quince, I was afraid that the shrub would not survive the winter; there is a lot of information on the Internet about low frost resistance. But with insulation of the roots and shelter along the crown, we were able to calmly endure three cold seasons. True, the plant has not yet begun to bear fruit, and the height of my chaenomeles is slightly lower than it should be - only about 70 cm.

Svetlyachkova Elena Dmitrievna, 43 years old, Ekaterinburg

I tried to plant Japanese quince several times, but only the third seedling took root successfully. The previous ones froze, despite the insulation of the roots and branches; perhaps it was insufficient. Now my quince is already five years old, growing on the western side of the plot under the cover of a high wall.For the winter, I bend the branches and cover the entire bush while the plant develops safely and bears fruit.