Pseudocydonia sinensis / Chinese quince

[AlainK]

I bought this tree two years ago, from someone who works in a tree nursery and started a small-scale business of his own in his free time.

This chinese quince was 20€, a very decent price I thought.

Here it was when I took it back home, on Oct. 31st, 2015:



The question was, where should I prune it?

The first option, Jan. 2016:



Looked a bit better, but not satisfying.

Pruned lower in December 2015:



Planted in a much lower pot, branches pulled down a bit in February 2017:



Wires removed today. Back side:



Front:



I let a "sacrifice branch" grow for the top to strengthen and help the big cut to heal, but I'll remove it in the spring and will use this as the new leader:


I'll change the pot too.

This one was a cheap second-hand pot I bought for 5€, but I've very recently seen some that could match the autumn colours much better...

 

[JudyB]

I would suggest that you at least think about chopping back to the first or second branch. There unfortunately is not much difference in girth in the trunk all the way up to the top branch. These do develop fast, I would share with you a couple of photos of mine when I started developing from a trunk to five years later the current look. It still has a ways to go, but for deciduous, quick enough that it's well worth getting the proper start. I obviously had to go back and chop the left trunk over once I got a lower bud, as there was no taper there.

 

[AlainK]

I would suggest that you at least think about chopping back to the first or second branch. There unfortunately is not much difference in girth in the trunk all the way up to the top branch. These do develop fast, I would share with you a couple of photos of mine when I started developing from a trunk to five years later the current look. It still has a ways to go, but for deciduous, quick enough that it's well worth getting the proper start. I obviously had to go back and chop the left trunk over once I got a lower bud, as there was no taper there.

Great progression.

I'm not sure I'm ready to follow your advice for mine at the moment though

"These do develop fast" you wrote: this one has only be in my care for 2 years, and the vision I have of it in 3 years' time is not that of a "Hokidashi", a broom if you like, but rather a "Moyogi", an informal upright.

But thanks for your input, this is a species that is not so present on forums, so it's always very interesting to see other specimens and hear different points of view.

\^^/

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Great progression.

I'm not sure I'm ready to follow your advice for mine at the moment though

"These do develop fast" you wrote: this one has only be in my care for 2 years, and the vision I have of it in 3 years' time is not that of a "Hokidashi", a broom if you like, but rather a "Moyogi", an informal upright.

But thanks for your input, this is a species that is not so present on forums, so it's always very interesting to see other specimens and hear different points of view.

\^^/

I'll help to make it more present! I killed one off earlier this year, and was gifted two cuttings for replacement. Growing long low shoots that I could wire and get movement going low, and I've already started cuttings from the rest of the tree's side branches.

 

[GrimLore]

I killed one off earlier this year

I just repotted two cuttings I was gifted. Reason I mention it is they are without leaf but quite alive. They act the same as Contorted and Toyo here and were my last test for the season. If I leave ANY of the three out in the rain for more then a day they defoliate a lot - fast... If I keep the foliage dry they grow damn tight, even where it seems they could get no light.
I am going to add a few more varieties next year but according to crappy old notes they should do the same. Don't know what it is with my climate but it the only thing I can suspect.

Grimmy

 

[thumblessprimate1]

From coffee stirrer to pencil thick and with movement. More progress next year!

 

[AlainK]

Put a guy-wire on the first branch:

 

[AlainK]

Read the latest post about Brian Van Fleet's Chinese quince, so this is an update of mine, playing in the primary schoolyard

12th July :







I don't have pictures of the one in the ground, its leaves are a bit droopy in the evening, but though I haven't watered it for about a month (and there has been no rain for a month here), it looks OK. I'll try to have a photo taken tomorrow.

 

[AlainK]

Just like last year, it lost its first flush of leaves due to a late frost, but soon put on new ones.

When it was nearly 40°, it was the only one continuing to push out new leaves, I had to pinch them regularly :

July 12th :



August 15th :



I don't like the angle of the first branch so much, I'll see if I can still wire it...

 

[just.wing.it]

Very nice.

You really like those super shallow pots!
Looks good for a small tree.

 

[AlainK]

You really like those super shallow pots!

"People" keep telling me that the height of the pot shouldn't be more than the diameter of the trunk.

Perhaps I could put it in a wider, deeper pot if I knew more about this species : this is my first and only Pseudocydonia (except a 3 meter-tall one in the back of my garden).

I'm in the first steps of learning about Chinese quince, so I'm trying to be careful, taking my time.

 

[just.wing.it]

"People" keep telling me that the height of the pot shouldn't be more than the diameter of the trunk.

Perhaps I could put it in a wider, deeper pot if I knew more about this species : this is my first and only Pseudocydonia (except a 3 meter-tall one in the back of my garden).

I'm in the first steps of learning about Chinese quince, so I'm trying to be careful, taking my time.

Personally, I like the shallow pots.
The issue is keeping them watered sufficiently for me.
So far this year, I haven't had to use my sprinklers on the timer at all.
I think its due to better soil mix and proper pot sizes....granted, most of mine are in training sizes containers for now.....but all good for reference.

 

[AlainK]

better soil mix

Yes, an essential factor.

 

[just.wing.it]

Yes, an essential factor.

What do you use?

 

[AlainK]

Basically 3-5 mm 50-60 % pozzolane, 20-30 % composted pine bark, 10-20 % akadama.

It can vary. I also use some pumice along with the pozzolane, like 1 part pumice for 3 to 4 parts pozzolane.

Pozzolane (lava rock) has sharp edges that help the roots to ramify.

 

[AlainK]

Update. One of the trees that didn't suffer from the summer heat, and yes, I think it needs a slightly deeper, wider pot.

 

[hinmo24t]

Update. One of the trees that didn't suffer from the summer heat, and yes, I think it needs a slightly deeper, wider pot.

View attachment 332051

what she said. jp. God created some beautiful specimens there, congrats

 

[AlainK]

Back to "bonsai".

We had a few days of mild frost here, but it seemed to keep green leaves <hile some buds were about to unfold:



So I removed all the leaves and pruned it. I think it needs a bigger pot for a tree in training, or even a growbox. I wired down the sevcondary branch on the first branch on the left, and slightly twisted the new leader to the right, after the first bud, but my camera went out of batteries :



What do you think ? Any comment on the "nebari" ?...

 

[AlainK]

We've had a very mild winter, today, temperatures were 7-12° C (44.6-53.6 F). Like last year, my chinese quinces is budding out very early.

On Sunday night, the temperatures will drop to 0°C (32 F), but likely not lower.

I should repot it in a lower pot, there's some wiring I wanted to do but I don't want to damage the new leaves with my big fingers, and if there's some frost, even a mild one, it's not the right time to work on it even if I put it inside the garage...

 

[leatherback]

Hi Alain,

Wondering.. How well do the cuts heal on this one?