I have a small quince that seems not to be blooming at all. I think it is still alive. I have it in full sun, but there are no leaves or anything. What can i do to help it move along? Thank you, Lisa
Answer
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for your question about a very interesting, fruit-bearing shrub that has fruit similar to pears. Quince shrubs go back centuries and were a common sight in colonial gardens in New England in the 1700's. They are relatively easy to care for and produce a fruit that can be picked in late October or November and brought indoors to ripen further for a few more weeks. The fruit can be made into jam and marmalade and used in cooking and baking.
In the case of your shrub, if it had no leaves in the beginning of October when you sent me your question, I think it might be dead. Quince usually does not lose its leaves until the end of October or later. Scratch the outside of the stem with your fingernail. If it is green under the scratched area, it is still alive. If it is brown, it is dead.
Quince blooms once a year, usually in April and May. Sometimes it blooms in the fall, if all the conditions are right, but when that happens, it will not bloom again the following spring.
You should feed your quince shrub in early spring with an organic, slow release fertilizer such as Flowertone™ by Epsoma.
Quince loves to be in full sun, so yours is in a good spot. Make sure it is not in wet or moist soil - Quince prefer soil that is medium to dry.
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About Linda Lillie
Linda K. Lillie is the President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc, the premier
landscape design and maintenance, tree care, lawn care, stonework, and carpentry
service provider in southeastern Connecticut since 1997. She is a graduate of
Connecticut College in Botany, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national
award winning landscape designer for her landscape design and landscape installation work.
