Japanese quince - clump

[barrosinc]

I received this a gift, it is late in the season, so I don't really know what to do.

I want to do a clump style, a lot of leaves already fell off. It looks healthy but not very vigorous.

Can I cut back half now because it is so large?

Should I repot in autumn into a grow box without pruning branches? Or repot and cut back in early spring?



I have flowering bonsai book, but it doesn't say about first cut back from nursery trees.

Help please

 

[0soyoung]

Quince are better repotted in 'fall' (about 6 weeks after the summer solstice until about 6 weeks after the fall equinox) for me, than in spring. I would also chop it back at the same time. Evergreengardenworks.com explains about all you need to know about quince for bonsai.

 

[barrosinc]

Thanks Oso, not too much info there... but still, fall will be the time to cut back and repot.
1) Can I bare root this? (It freaks me out to bareroot not being completely dormant) If I can bare root it, and my weather is kinda like California (short winter, dry summer, etc), is it better to wait more close to the end or the begining of the window?
2) Flowering bonsai says to cut back in two goes to avoid dieback... thoughts on that? I have way too many "trunks" anyway.

 

[Dav4]

My inclination would be to cut back hard now, maybe 80%, and repot either later this season or next year.

 

[barrosinc]

My inclination would be to cut back hard now, maybe 80%, and repot either later this season or next year.

Now as in mid summer? (just to be sure, I am in the southern hemisphere)

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Might find this useful. http://www.internationalbonsai.com/files/1708315/uploaded/flowering_quince_article.pdf
Have fun. Japanese quince has been a pleasure to me. I know you mentioned clump, but what do you have in mind your quince?

 

[Dav4]

Now as in mid summer? (just to be sure, I am in the southern hemisphere)

Sure. I figure if you're wanting to reduce the size significantly, you've got another 3 months(?) of growing season for this one to push out new growth and harden off before winter. Mind you, I've never done this with a quince, but I've done it with other shrub species with good success.

 

[barrosinc]

Might find this useful. http://www.internationalbonsai.com/files/1708315/uploaded/flowering_quince_article.pdf
Have fun. Japanese quince has been a pleasure to me. I know you mentioned clump, but what do you have in mind your quince?

The typical bush looking, flower packed, clump that is a classic for chojubai, but we don't have chojubai down here.

Sure. I figure if you're wanting to reduce the size significantly, you've got another 3 months(?) of growing season for this one to push out new growth and harden off before winter. Mind you, I've never done this with a quince, but I've done it with other shrub species with good success.

Ok, I will look into it. Thanks.

 

[bonhe]

1) Can I bare root this? (It freaks me out to bareroot not being completely dormant) If I can bare root it, and my weather is kinda like California (short winter, dry summer, etc), is it better to wait more close to the end or the begining of the window?
Yes, you can bare root it, and it is safe to do that when all the leaves are gone.

2) Flowering bonsai says to cut back in two goes to avoid dieback... thoughts on that? I have way too many "trunks" anyway.
I don't get the dieback if the cut is about 0.5 cm from the node.
Bonhe

 

[barrosinc]

Thanks bonhe

 

[bonhe]

Not at all Barrosinc.
Bonhe

 

[dick benbow]

Hopefully this spring we'll see how all this advice has worked out...

Nice to see someone else interested in "kabudachi style" (clump) as opposed to the singular trunk style. Since quince grow that way and you get so much more in the way of blooms, I've always preferred designing them that way.

It's mid february as i write this and most of my Japanese quince ( even some of my karin (chinese) are swelling buds in anticipation of showing color. Most of the ume (appricot) are finihing up blooming now. So looking forward to seeing all the blooms.

Lots of literature from Japan that suggests fall as the better time to transplant especially chojubai. That's because of nematodes , But I don't have that trouble and MUCH prefer to repot
in the spring after flowering. My concern is that putting any tree down in fall to quietly have to rebuild in winter when they're dormant makes me too nervous. Want to see them eagerly take off in spring as weather improves and their metabulism gets to flowing.

keep us posted with how your doing with your quince...BTW...I normally remove the flowers that are spent rather than let them develop fruit, as it takes a lot out of them to produce fruit.
I'd rather have then put the effort into more sustained growth. I can understand wanting to see ONE develop but don't over do it. Quince root quite nicely from cuttings once the new growth has hardened off. I use a soil mix of pummice and spagnum 80-20, kept well misted and encouraged after the cutting is made to be dipped in root devloping hormone. I seem to have best luck with liquid type over the powder.

 

[barrosinc]

So I chopped it back because of my short winters hopeing to get enough before autumn.



After the pic I removed the suckers

 

[Dav4]

So I chopped it back because of my short winters hopeing to get enough before autumn.

View attachment 97150

After the pic I removed the suckers

I'd say that was a successful chop.

 

[barrosinc]

I'd say that was a successful chop.

I took your advice... it was worth risking it. It was less than 10 dollars.

 

[GrimLore]

I took your advice... it was worth risking it. It was less than 10 dollars.

It will work out fine for you that type of Quince like @Dav4 suggested can be treated like a shrub and honest will do better that way. Next Spring if you decide to do the first repot make a 1/2 organic mix as well - it will do even better. Leave it in that mix for 2 - 3 years... Once totally acclimated and recovered it will take most any crap you hand it.

Grimmy

 

[barrosinc]

Thanks grimmy! I have been using pine bark lately... or do you mean soil?
I actually just cut it back and did not even choose trunks, I should be able to chop half of them away to get to be able to see through it. And should probably cut back a bit more depending on where the buds come out.

 

[barrosinc]

Ok, so it looks like a full helmet of green... the problem is that it is winter here and other quinces have started flowering.
What should I do? Defoliate? Just leave it?

 

[kale]

Does anyone know if the suckers can just be tied together along with the trunk for clump style? This year I neglected to remove the suckers unfortunately and they got out of hand.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Never tried that with quince, but have with other trees and azaleas, but why not quince?

It would help to wound each sucker where contact was made to help fuse the cambium, like a graft.

Cheers
DSD sends
.