Quince Raft

[Paulpash]

This was one of the first trees I ever bought at a jumble sale for 99p (it was 6 inches tall and like a twiglet 15 years ago). I faffed about with it as you do for a few years then realised it was just a stick so it went in the ground. I dug it up 4 years ago and did a bit of directional pruning then it went back into the ground again. It's been dug up for the last time now and has had a bit of a styling in readiness for being trained properly in a pot.

It's flowers are a pure bright red with bright yellow anthers. I know this tree will never be a twiggy masterpiece (but the flowers make up for it. I think it is a Chaenomeles x Superba but it had no id tag at the time.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Some nice movement there...

 

[dick benbow]

I love my quince. Mostly clump style, but have a few single trunks among them. Yours is very nice! I picture it's present form in an oval pot of cobalt blue. You'll have to treat us all again to another picture posted when it comes into bloom

 

[Paulpash]

It might have one or two but the pruning will have knocked it back a bit. Needs to twig up a bit more. Am i right in thinking extend to 4 or 5 then cut back to 2 buds?

 

[nathanbs]

I think this will be very nice in the future as it already has a great feel.
P.S. It is not a raft but more so a multi trunk or clump style. A raft is when a tree is fallen on its side and what used to be branches are now tree trunks all originating off of the original fallen trunk.

 

[rockm]

This is a clump style planting, BUT I think it is actually TWO separate plantings.

The pair of trunks on the right have more of a visual relationship than the trunk splayed out to the left.

If this were mine, I'd separate the two on the right from the left trunk and grow both in separate containers. Like the right two trunks, the left has some decent movement and interest. It just doesn't relate to the other trunks because of its extreme lean.

I'd push both the single planting more upright in its separate container and leave the upright/slant trunks as they are...

 

[Paulpash]

No it's one plant - all fused to the base...

 

[rockm]

That's what saws are for... Separating them at the root base is entirely possible.

 

[fredtruck]

The way to prune quince for flowering is to cut it back to 2 or 3 nodes after flowering. Then, let it grow unchecked until about June 21st. Cut it back hard again, leaving 2 or 3 nodes of new growth. Then, let it grow until fall. The flowering quince sets flower buds in August and September. Since quince flower on new wood, you may be able to tell which are flowering buds and which are leaf buds. If you can't, just leave all new wood as is, and when it begins flowering, or after the flowers are open, you can prune for shape.

Flower buds are generally bigger and more round than leaf buds, but on some plants, it's hard to tell. I have one that even after years of checking it frequently, I still can't tell.

 

[Paulpash]

Update

Hi,

It's been a while since an update but here's the tree as it was this Summer. Next job is to sort the roots out - I am thinking a ground layer. Any advice on how to develop the roots on these would be appreciated.

Thanks to Dick for the pot selection, Brian, Rock, Fred & Nathan et al who chipped in to move this tree forward.

From this at the end of 2012



To this in May 2014

 

[Cadillactaste]

That quince is rocking that blue pot! Thanks for the update...love the look of it.

 

[JudyB]

I don't think the roots are problematic to my eye. The tree is looking very good, and the pot is nice for it. I imagine in that shallow pot, you'll get some decent surface roots in a few seasons.

 

[edprocoat]

Marie1, I like the roots on this Quince. They seem to mimic the growth of the trunk, like a marriage to the soil.

ed

 

[fredtruck]

I also think your quince looks great. Every time you repot, you can raise the tree just a bit. This will make for more thick roots that will increase the impression of a short, fat trunk.

 

[sorce]

Well on its way to a twiggy masterpiece!

Thanks for putting up the old pic again, it makes it easy to see the difference!

Sorce

 

[Mellow Mullet]

That is a beautiful quince, probably one of the best that I have seen, other that in books.

The post really sets it off and I think that the roots are nice just they are. Wouldn't change a thing.

John

 

[Paulpash]

Thank you for the kind replies. I just realised I didn't comment on the work done:

The right hand trunk was chopped and the first branch wrapped in raffia & wired up to create more movement and taper. I used the low branch and bent it over and back to the main centre trunk to hide the chop mark while it calluses over.

I thread grafted 2 key branches onto the tree, both of which took. I took 2 small patches of bark and stuck them over the holes - it's almost impossible to see them unless I look really carefully.

Lastly, wiring movement into green shoots. I see a lot of 'stiff' Quince and I wanted something a bit more feminine and curvy.

 

[dick benbow]

Nicely done!!!!! That's my idea of a very nice quince, enjoyable for the blooms but also for the rest of the year because of the nice shape!

You merit an "atta-girl" on that one!

 

[Paulpash]

It's been a while and I've changed my photobucket around so here's an update:

Dec 2012


May 2014


Today (Sep 2016) Potted into a deeper pot this year to increase vigour, ramification speed and basal rooting (planted deeper)


A few more years getting a full silhouette and improving the base & I'll be happy

Some pics of the flowers this year (it flowered fr around 4 months):

 

[sorce]

Looking real good!

You have a patient eye for awesome!

Sorce