Pathetic quince tree

[Leif]

About three years ago I planted a beautiful looking potted Meech’s quince tree. Unfortunatey it was very very root bound. It has not grown at all since planting. Recently I dug a large hole nearby, with the intention of planting a new tree. I discovered the edge of an old septic tank, and realised that I had planted the tree directly above the septic tank, which was about 10” below the surface.

So, I have two choices. I could dig up the existing tree, and move it to the new hole which is about one foot from the corner of the septic tank. Or I could discard it, and plant a new healthy bare root quince tree. I am inclined to get a new tree on the grounds that the existing tree will be weak and unhealthy. Thoughts?

 

[Oliver Buckle]

It is always tempting to give things a chance and try to save them, but experience tells me it is usually better to bite the bullet and start afresh.

 

[Chuck]

It might be fun to put it back into a larger container after loosening up the root system and just see what happens. In a container you can regulate nutrition and moisture easier than while in the ground. But I would still get a new tree and if the old tree comes back to life you can always give it away or if you have the room put it in the ground. Quince are self fertile but usually produce better if another tree is nearby.

 

[MiTmite9]

I love my Quince shrub. I used to tell people that where we live (SoCal), you couldn't go wrong planting Quince, Persimmon, Pomegranate and Pineapple Guava.
Well . . . Years of prolonged drought finally did in the Persimmon. Then the Pomegranate was next. The Pineapple guava hasn't produced a good crop in years. Our Quince shrub gamely hangs on, but we don't get any fruit now because of the damn squirrels. So sad, because Quince jam is one of our favorite jams.
I wish you all the best, Leif, with your Quince growing endeavors. Watch out for those squirrels.

 

[oneeye]

A couple of things are very important when growing a quince tree or most any tree. Water the tree far out under the drip line, a foot past the outer edge of the canopy, and not around the trunk. If you water using the donut method, watering around the outer canopy edge and leave the trunk in the middle dry, your tree will do well. The other important thing not to plant the tree too deep because the tree needs to have root flare exposure to keep from rotting in the ground.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

When we moved here the previous owner told me "We have two quinces, one of each type", she came over as somewhat pretentious generally. One was doing fine, the other was suffering. I decided I didn't need two quinces and dug up the suffering one, I found it was in a pot size hole in solid clay, the other had been planted where there it had previously been cultivated, and has grown and flourished and provides far more quinces than we ever need. I particularly like the flowers as well. Have to prune it back hard each winter, but it is still getting bigger. It produces lots of shoots all around which I take off with the mower, I think about propagating a few, but don't know if quinces grow on a rootstock.