Japanese quince: how to plant and grow a shrub. What you need to know about planting Japanese quince and caring for it

Japanese quince (from Latin - Cydonia), or Japanese Henomeles - is a representative of the Plum subfamily, the Pink family, the Rosaceae order

origin of name

Japanese quince - small flowering plant, whose homeland is China, Korea and Japan, this shrub is the only (monotypic genus of woody plants) representative of the genus.

Description

Japanese quince is small in height (grows from 1.5 to 4 m) with falling leaves (rarely semi-evergreen) bush or low tree, which is an ornamental or fruit and berry crop.

Arcuate branches grow from the root system, covered with small shiny leaves with serrated edges and, in many species, are covered with sharp spines. At the time of flowering, in late spring - early summer, the bush is covered with bright lush buds different shades- from white-pink to orange and bright red. Flowers have a regular rounded shape with five petals and reach 4.5-5 cm in diameter. In deciduous forms, flowering begins even before the appearance of the first leaves and lasts for almost a month. At this time, the bush looks especially beautiful, bringing pleasure from its contemplation.

reproduction

Chaenomeles reproduces by all known methods - by planting seeds directly into the ground, using cuttings or layering, but for fruiting it is necessary to plant a young plant. Otherwise, an ornamental flowering, but not fruiting shrub grows.

growing conditions

The popularity of Japanese quince among landscape specialists and summer residents is associated with decorative features shrubs in all periods of life. It is of particular importance for gardeners, and as an industrial crop due to its productivity and the extraordinary usefulness of the fruit.

Along with this, the shrub is a quality honey plant, and the bushes easily tolerate a haircut, which allows them to be used as hedges and trellises. A huge plus in breeding Japanese quince in loose soil conditions is its root system, due to the power of which erosion of the soil cover is prevented.

Chaenomeles is actively cultivated as an ornamental shrub in landscape design as a border plant, in mono plantings when decorating lawns. When arranging rockeries or decorating spurs of alpine slides, creeping low-growing forms of shrubs are successfully used, and hybrid forms are used in bonsai works of art.

Application

A plant grafted according to all the rules begins to bear fruit no earlier than the third year of its life. The fruits will be different in shape and size, depending on the variety of the plant - they may look like a pear or an apple. The size of the fruit can also be different - from 2.5-3.5 cm in wild-growing forms, up to 15 cm in cultivated forms, provided proper care. The color of the fruit also depends on the variety and growing conditions, and can be from lemon to dark yellow, sometimes with a one-sided reddish reflection. All fruits are covered with a layer of natural wax, which gives them a matte finish and the possibility of long storage. Inside each fruit contains seeds, shaped very similar to apple seeds. In terms of taste properties, quince is tart-astringent and sweetish, fragrant, slightly juicy and hard. Due to such organoleptic properties, fresh fruits are tried to be eaten, but after appropriate processing, high-quality food products can be obtained, such as marshmallow, jam, preserves, and when sweet berries and fruits are added, high-quality Consumables for the confectionery industry. Gelatinizing substances, which are present in fruits, give quince products a peculiar aroma and attractive appearance, and also have a beneficial effect on the human body.

Northern, or Latvian lemon - Japanese quince received this common name for its unique properties and nutritional value, because it is she who can rightfully be considered the champion in the content of vitamin C among fruits and berries, reaching 180 mg per 100 fruits, in some breeding varieties. Of course, during storage, vitamin C is destroyed, but there is so much of it in quince that even in canned quince, which was stored for a year, it is more than in imported citruses.

Interesting Facts

Until the beginning of the 20th century, for more than 200 years, there was an opinion that the fruits of the Japanese quince, which were hard and not quite clear in taste, were not edible, because the shrub was cultivated in European gardens as a culture that was easy to process and richly blooming. As a result, all the work of breeders was aimed at improving and developing such exceptional properties of the shrub as decorative and unpretentious.

Only with the development of science, at the beginning of the twentieth century, Japanese quince becomes a fruit and berry crop with the prospect of agronomic development and new varieties with high-yielding properties are created that give large and useful fruits, and plant shoots become devoid of thorns.

Planting Japanese quince (Japanese genomeles) will bring many benefits to garden plot. Its fruits in raw form are usually not consumed because of the acidity and hardness. But dishes prepared from them (jams, conserves, compotes, marshmallows) are distinguished by a special taste and aroma. In addition, quince fruits are rich in vitamin C, they also contain many other vitamins and microelements.

Advice! When growing quince, do not forget: it is also known for its medicinal properties: strengthens blood vessels, has an anti-sclerotic effect, relieves inflammation, treats colds, hypertension, burns.

Special mention should be made of the beauty of quince bushes and trees during the flowering period. At one time, Japanese chaenomeles were grown in European countries only as ornamental plant. It was used to decorate paths and alpine slides, planted separately in the middle of the lawn, and also used for bonsai and hedges.

What does quince look like

Quince is native to Japan, China, Korea. These are small trees or shrubs. They are characterized by arc-shaped branches, glossy small leaves with carved edges, sharp spines (in the majority of species, but not all) and bright beautiful flowers. Flowers can be painted in red shades, as well as in orange, white and pink colors.

Chaenomeles blooms for about a month, luxuriantly and richly. Admiring her during this period is a pleasure. Growing quince will only produce fruit in the third year. They are similar to a pear or apple in shape. Fruits are painted in green, yellow or Orange color. The seeds resemble apple seeds. The wax skin keeps the fruit fresh for a long time.

Japanese quince planting rules

Planting Japanese quince requires certain conditions:

We choose the soil. Quince loves moist, loamy soils rich in humus. However, it can thrive on both dense clay and dry sandy soils. Chaenomeles is sensitive to acidity (its level should correspond to the pH limits of 5-6.5). Limey soil is not suitable for growing a plant.
Light. Japanese quince grows well and bears fruit only in a sunny place, sometimes it is planted in a slightly shaded place, but then there may not be any fruit.
temperature conditions. Genomeles loves warm and mild climate. However, it tolerates winter well, especially under snow. If there is no snow cover, the plant must be sheltered from frost.
Moisture. Quince can be called a drought-resistant crop; it is often unnecessary to water it. The exception is juveniles. Immediately after planting, they need moderate moisture. But water must not be allowed to stand.
Drafts and cold winds are undesirable for young plants. Plant them on the south side of the site.

Chaenomeles are planted in the spring, and the place where the cultivation will take place is prepared in the fall.

First you need to weed out the weeds and dig up the area. If necessary, sand, leaf turf, organic and mineral fertilizers (compost, phosphorus, potassium) are added to the soil. Such a composition will make the soil loose, well-permeable to air and water.

It is advisable to plant quince in open ground when it is two years old after growing in a special container. They carry it along with the ground without damaging the roots. To do this, prepare holes with a circumference of half a meter in diameter, the depth should be from 500 to 800 cm. In them, you need to put humus with a volume of two buckets, add superphosphate (in the amount of 300 g), potassium nitrate (up to 30 g), and ash (half a kilogram) will do. ).

Advice! When planting, the root should be completely underground, however, not too deep. Seedlings should be well watered and mulched with humus. Plants do not like to be disturbed, so it is advisable not to transplant more than once. At the selected location, you can grow quince up to 60 years old.

If you are planting plants, then it would be wise to plant them in increments of up to 500 cm. The distance between plants arranged in separate groups should be about a meter.

courting chaenomeles

Japanese quince care includes the following points:

Loosening and weeding. It is necessary to carry out these procedures regularly in the summer, the trees will delight you with more magnificent decoration in gratitude for this.
Mulching. Produced so that the soil layer retains moisture for a long time. Pour a thick layer (about 5 cm) of peat, crushed tree bark, sawdust around low shrubs. Best time for mulching - the end of spring. In the fall, this procedure is also carried out, but after the onset of frost.
Crown formation. Bushes and trees should be pruned in a timely manner (every year). The total number of shoots should be no more than twenty pieces. Branches that go up are cut off before the buds hatch. , V autumn period it is better to avoid this, as this may cause the plant to freeze.
Top dressing. In the third year after planting, chaenomeles need to be fed. Do this in early spring. Organic and mineral fertilizers are used: the near-stem area is filled with compost, potassium and superphosphate. Can be fertilized in summer liquid mixtures: ammonium nitrate, bird droppings.
Watering. It is produced quite rarely, if there has not been rain for a long time. When planting young plants, moderate soil moisture is also necessary during the period of active growth.
Sanitary care of branches. Old, drying branches should be removed in the spring, especially those lying on the surface of the earth, growing horizontally.
Creation of conditions for wintering. Protect bushes from cold and winds, shelter them spruce paws, fallen leaves, install shields that hold back the snow cover. Young plants are covered with a special covering material; for small individuals, cardboard boxes or wooden boxes are suitable as shelters.

How quince reproduces

Quince cultivation can be done by seed and vegetative methods.

Seeds can be planted directly in open ground. Do it before the onset of winter. Not all of these seedlings will sprout, but they will be hardened and strong.

You can sow the seeds in spring. With this sowing, the seeds must be stratified (three months with a temperature of zero degrees). Stratification is an imitation of natural winter conditions (creation of a cold, wet environment), when seeds accumulate moisture and nutrients under snow and prepare to wake up with the onset of spring. Without such a procedure, the seed may rot during planting without sprouting.

Advice! Seedlings need to be grown for about two years and then planted in a permanent place.

Plant grafting and propagation by cuttings

Such methods are used in order to preserve the characteristics of a particular varietal species.

Cuttings are pruned in the summer in the early morning. They are planted in soil from sandy and peat layers. It is advisable to use growth stimulants, for example, Kornevin. If the weather is favorable (from 20 to 25 degrees), the cuttings will take root after a month or a half.

Can be propagated by layering. To do this, take a side branch, drop it in for rooting. In autumn, the shoots that appear are divided according to the number of vertically growing ones and planted in selected places.

Plant Japanese quince in late spring. A cut in the shape of the letter T is made on the bark of the stock, and a scion is placed there. Press these parts, tightly tying them. After a year, in case of successful engraftment, the bandage can be removed.

If you like chaenomeles, try growing it in your garden plot. By following the simple rules and recommendations for caring for this pretty plant, you will appreciate the benefits of growing it in your garden.

Do not forget that in addition to the decorative function, quince has a lot of useful and nutritious properties. By planting it, you will be provided with fragrant and juicy fruits for a long time.

Photo: Japanese quince or henomeles

History Japanese quince

The history of quince goes back over 4000 years. Translated from the Greek, "chaenomeles" means "to split an apple."

The common quince has sisters - Japanese quince and Chinese quince. Chaenomeles Maulei (Japanese low quince) belongs to the Rosaceae family. Its flowers resemble apple trees. On some Japanese islands it is found as wild plant. But in general, in Japan, North China and Korea, it has long been cultivated as a fruit and ornamental plant. Approximately 200-250 years ago, Mauleya's chaenomeles was brought to Western Europe, where it now grows almost everywhere, right up to Norway.

A hybrid between Japanese quince and Japanese low quince enjoys special love among amateur gardeners abroad. In Europe, varieties are widely cultivated: "Brilliant" - a shrub, 1.2 m high, grows slowly, flowers are bright red, about 4 cm in diameter; "Holland" - a strongly branched, slow-growing shrub up to 1.5 m tall and the same width, salmon-red flowers, 4-4.5 cm in diameter, appear in May, fruits, like an apple tree, green, later yellow; "Nikolina" - the height of the bush is about 1 m, the width is slightly larger, the flowers are numerous, purple-red, about 5 cm in diameter, blooms profusely until the leaves bloom in April-May, the fruits are ovoid, yellow-green when ripe; "Nivalis" - a shrub with a height and crown diameter of about 2 m, pure white flowers, up to 3 cm in diameter, open in May, again - in August, fruits are round, up to 8 cm in diameter; "Vesuvius" - a shrub up to 1 m high and a crown diameter of up to 1.5 m, red flowers up to 3 cm in diameter, appear in May before the leaves, fruits about 5 cm in diameter, yellow-green; "Pink Lady" - pink or dark pink flowers open in May, fruits are round, yellow-green, ripen in late autumn.

We first began to breed it in botanical gardens, but since the middle of the twentieth century, Henomeles has become popular with owners summer cottages and landscape designers.

The homeland of Japanese quince is Southeast Asia: the mountains of China and Japan. In culture since 1796. Several forms and hybrids are known. Among them is the alpine form - a dwarf thorny shrub about 50 cm high, on the leaves of which there are pink and white spots and stripes.

Known in culture abroad since 1874. Gained particular popularity decorative forms With various colors flowers from pure white to dark red. Attractive are white flowers with pink stripes or pink-edged flowers, white and pink terry forms, dark crimson terry form, as well as varieties: "Papel" - yellow flowers with a pink border, "Gaillardi" - salmon-orange flowers, "Malardi" - flowers pink with white trim.

Quince was popular with the ancient Greeks, who baked it with honey, removing the core.

In Greek mythology, the quince is known as the golden apple presented by Paris to Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Since ancient times, the fruit has been a symbol of love, marriage and fertility, and in medieval Europe, giving a quince as a gift was considered a manifestation of great love.

Description Japanese quince

Japanese quince is low ornamental shrub no more than 1 m high, having a universal application: it is both a fruit and an ornamental plant. With strong arcuate curved shoots with spines up to 1 cm long. Delicate emerald green leaves are densely located on the branches. Brownish-red flowers, 2-3 cm in diameter, collected in inflorescences of 2-6 pieces. Flowering lasts 2-3 weeks. Fruiting begins at the age of 3-4 years. The fruits sit tightly on the branches and ripen in October, almost before the frost. With their aroma, they resemble pineapple, have a pale yellow color, and are shaped like a lemon. They weigh 30-45 g, the diameter of the fruit is 3-5 cm. At good care from one bush you can collect 3-4 kg of fruit. They need to be collected before severe frosts. They tolerate light frosts without damage. When fresh, they are very sour, with a taste of lemon, and completely replace it with tea.

Quince fruits and products of its processing contain a lot of useful substances. They contain a lot of vitamin C, pectin substances that contribute to the removal of heavy metal salts from the body.

Quince belongs to the same family as apple and pear. Japanese quince is unpretentious to growing conditions. It grows in the shade, but in sunny places it bears fruit better. This is an early crop: it blooms and begins to bear fruit in the 3rd year after planting. Winter hardiness is high. Due to short stature, it is covered with the first snow immediately at the beginning of winter.

Under natural conditions, it grows in Japan and China. It has four species, two of which - Japanese Quince low and Japanese Quince high - have become widespread in our country. Most often it is deciduous or semi-evergreen. flowering shrubs which have thorns on the branches. Dark green glossy leaves are arranged alternately. Large brick-red or orange single flowers are especially spectacular. The fruits sit tightly on the branches.

In culture, chaenomeles grows best on fertile soils, in open sunny places. Responsive to watering, especially in dry, hot summers. With good care, plants can live from 60 to 80 years in one place.

Chaenomeles are propagated by seeds (freshly harvested in autumn, stratified in spring (long-term keeping of plant seeds at a certain temperature)), summer cuttings, dividing the bush, layering.

In amateur gardening in Russia, the most widespread is Japanese chaenomeles, or Japanese quince, hybrids and varieties.

Chaenomeles japanese grows quite slowly, with an annual growth of 3-5 cm. It grows best on fresh fertile soils, tolerates drought and shearing well. It is frost-resistant, however, in severe winters with little snow, the ends of the shoots freeze slightly. Flower buds located closer to the ground are usually not damaged, plants bloom and bear fruit annually. Propagated by seeds, root offspring, layering, cuttings. The great advantage of this plant is early flowering. It can be used for single, group, border and edge plantings, in hedges. In gardens, they can be planted in small groups on lawns, on rocky hills.

Chaenomeles seedlings can serve dwarf rootstocks for some varieties of pear, for apple, garden mountain ash and selected forms of hawthorn. In horticulture, the compatibility of chaenomeles with these crops is widely used, and by grafting several breeds at the same time, it is enhanced decorative effect. Thanks to this, on one tree, for example, first pear blossoms, then hawthorn, and in late May - early June, chaenomeles blooms with fire for 2-3 weeks.

In garden compositions, they are successfully combined with forsythia, low almonds, heather, spirea and mahonia. Other options are also possible. This shrub has phytoncidal properties, which appear almost all year round.

Japanese quince blooms quite late, after the end of spring frosts, it enters early fruiting time (2-3 years after planting). Differs in high and annual productivity, drought resistance, average winter hardiness. IN harsh winters in the Non-chernozem zone, flower buds, and sometimes branches of low Japanese Quince, freeze to the level of snow cover. In subsequent years, the bushes are quickly restored. With age, winter hardiness of quince increases. This culture is also a good honey plant.

Japanese quince grows well on loamy soils rich in organic matter. In autumn or early spring, it is planted along paths at a distance of about 1 m from each other. Places protected from cold winds are more preferable. Japanese quince bushes in low autumn should preferably be bent to the ground and pinned. Sheltered with snow cover, she tolerates harsh winters better. As with other fruit species, when caring for quince, loosening the soil, removing weeds, fertilizing, watering, forming and pruning bushes is carried out.

For its sour taste and high content of vitamin C, Japanese quince is also called northern lemon. Mature fruits contain fructose, tannins, organic acids. Fruit juice contains about 3.5% malic acid, sugar and gum (thick, sticky juice of some plants used in pharmacology, industry, etc.). The fruits are used dry and fresh for tuberculosis and bronchial asthma. But raw quince fruits are inedible. Soft drinks and jams are prepared from them. Quince is simmered to prepare the filling of pies and pies, baked for dessert, cooked pasta and served with soft mature cheese, fried whole and served with game, quince is often used to make jellies, jams and make blanks, as it is rich in pectin ( greenish-yellow fruits have the highest pectin content).

An easy way is to put fruit slices in a jar, sprinkle with sugar, and store in the refrigerator. The resulting fragrant syrup is added to tea instead of lemon. The fruits are stored for a very long time. Ripe fruits after lying can be eaten fresh, they also have medicinal properties for sclerosis, hypertension, anemia. But more often they are consumed boiled or baked. A decoction of seeds is used for lotions for eye diseases, for rinsing with sore throats and as cosmetic product softening the skin.

It is believed that vitamin C acts not only against colds, but also contributes to the production in the human body of a unique protective substance - interferon (a protective protein produced by mammalian and bird cells in response to infection with viruses). Quince fruits contain a lot of high-quality pectin, which is necessary for the human body to neutralize salts of heavy metals.

Planting Quince

Japanese quince is planted with a distance between the bushes of 1 m. For planting, they dig a hole 35-40 cm deep and 45-50 cm in diameter. Well-rotted manure is placed at the bottom of it, thoroughly mixed with the soil taken out of the hole, in a ratio of 1: 1. After planting, the seedling is cut low for better tillering and watered at the rate of 1-2 buckets per bush. There is no need to tie the seedling to a peg.

IN decorative purposes it is planted along the paths with a distance between the bushes of 0.5 m and made hedge, strictly straight cutting the entire row from the sides and top.

Sunny open places for chaenomeles are better than shade, where they do not grow well. In this culture, winter hardiness is usually average; in frosty winters, the ends of annual shoots freeze slightly. Therefore, it is desirable to cover chaenomeles with Lutrasil and choose areas and places in which enough snow accumulates in winter to protect against severe frosts (below -30 ° C).

Soil: leaf earth, peat compost and sand in a ratio of 2:2:1. When planting, organic and mineral fertilizers are applied: 10 kg of manure, 200 g of superphosphate, 30 g of potassium nitrate per pit. The best soils for chaenomeles, light, well-moistened loams or soddy-podzolic soils with high content organic matter and slightly acid reaction of the medium. Soils with a pronounced alkaline reaction, on which plants are severely affected by chlorosis, should be avoided.

When laying plantings, chaenomeles are best used biennial seedlings and planting in early spring before bud break. Autumn planting is possible, while the seedlings should be spudded. It is important not to deepen the root neck, it should remain at the level of the soil.

Care Quince

Japanese quince is easy to care for. It is drought tolerant, but like any fruit plant, responds to irrigation with an increase in yield, and the fruits become larger and juicier. In spring, it is useful to feed quince with a full mineral fertilizer: ammonium nitrate or urea at a dose of 20 g, superphosphate - 25-30 g and potassium chloride - 15-20 g under each bush. Potassium chloride, if possible, it is better to replace wood ash at a dose of 150-200g. In autumn, before digging, rotted manure is scattered at the rate of 2-4 kg under a bush.

During the summer, three top dressings are carried out: in the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are scattered around the bush, after flowering and harvesting, phosphorus and potash liquid fertilizers are applied at the rate of 200-300 g per 10 liters of water. Watering is sufficient once a month. Loosen only when weeding weeds. The earth around the bushes is mulched with peat, sawdust or bark with a layer of 3-5 cm. Pruning is carried out every 5-6 years, in the summer, after flowering, underdeveloped, dry, broken, frozen or old (more than 5 years) branches are removed. In the standard form, the shoots on the stem below the graft are periodically removed.

When preparing plants for winter, do not forget to cover young seedlings with spruce branches. Plants on the trunk should be bent to the ground and covered.

Not only varietal seedlings, but also seedlings of chaenomeles come into fruition very early, in the 2-3rd year after planting. However, in order to bear fruit, it is necessary to provide joint landing at least two or three different forms (varieties or seedlings) of this culture. The yield from one bush averages 2 kg, and with good care it can reach up to 5 kg. The main fruiting is concentrated on the branches of three summer age, therefore, a well-formed bush should have 10-15 skeletal branches of different ages: 3-5 annuals, 3-4 two-year-olds, 3-4 three-year-olds, 2-3 four-year-olds and five-year-olds. Fruiting five-year-old shoots are cut out next spring. Frozen shoots are also cut out, creeping along the ground and growing vertically upwards. In the latter case, cutting is necessary because of the threat of freezing of tall branches that do not go under the snow. The most valuable in chaenomeles are shoots that, at a height of 10-40 cm, take (or they are given by bending) a horizontal position.

Harvest chaenomeles ripens in September-October. It must be removed before the onset of frost, otherwise the fruits will lose their taste and aroma. Fruits not damaged by frost are well preserved at a temperature of + 2 ° C and high humidity until February.

Japanese quince, or chaenomeles ( Chaenomeles) - not only an ornamental, but also a fruit plant. It is a shrub with a dense crown and beautiful glossy leaves. Japanese chaenomeles (Ch. japonica) can grow up to 2 and even 3 m, and Mauleya chaenomeles (Ch. maulei), it is also called low Japanese quince, up to 1 m. In May, the bushes are covered with numerous large bright flowers scarlet and red-orange flowers rare for shrubs. There are varieties with a different original color of flowers. For example, Japanese quince cultivars such as 'Nivalis' are characterized by white petals, while 'Pink Lady' is pink.

Varieties of Japanese quince: photo and description of shrubs

Chaenomeles develops better and blooms on open space, but tolerates partial shade. When planting Japanese quince, one must take into account the fact that in severe winters, branches above the snow cover freeze over. Chaenomeles are propagated by green cuttings, offspring and layering, species - by seeds.

Chaenomeles planted in groups on the lawn

Japanese quince shrub looks good as padding for taller plants. For example, with chaenomeles, you can cover the bare trunks of mock orange. Those who decide to breed this plant should pay attention to some very important features in the description of Japanese quince. First of all, chaenomeles is a heat-loving plant, therefore, experts consider regions with a mild climate to be favorable areas for its growth. If it is planned to plant and care for Japanese quince in the northern latitudes, where the temperature can drop to -30 ° C, it must be borne in mind that the part of the shrub that is under the snow will definitely bloom in the spring, but the annual shoots or buds that were above the level snow cover, are unlikely to give a lush color. However, even such slightly capricious and demanding characteristics in Japanese quince do not stop skilled gardeners, because the plant has a number of other features and advantages:

for example, chaenomeles are characterized by smooth, small, juicy green leaves;
however, in addition to the leaves, the quince also has spines reaching up to 2 cm in length;
fruits resembling apples or apples are not very large in size - some 3-5 cm - and are located on the surface of the shoots;
in landscape design, Japanese quince will delight the eye from May until about mid-June (blooming lasts about 20 days), when pink, white or red-orange buds will bloom.

After reading the description, look at the photo of the Japanese quince shrub to understand what shapes and colors this plant has:

Due to the fact that today there are many varieties of Japanese quince, real gardeners and those who simply want to decorate their site can choose the type of plant that they like.

You can see in the photo a variety of Japanese quince, which is distinguished by its beauty and is very popular among connoisseurs - this is "Pink Lady". It is characterized by a wide crown and pink or saturated pink flowers. And the height of the shrub is only 1.5 m.

In May and at the end of summer - August - "Nivalis" chaenomeles is covered with wonderful white buds. It can grow both in width and in height up to 2 m.

Pay attention to the photo of Japanese quince "Hollandia": This plant has red-orange flowers, dark green leaves and a wide crown. Chaenomeles can bloom twice - in May and in August.

A plant variety such as "Vesuvius" is considered very miniature: it does not grow above 1 m. Despite this, its fire buds are a delightful addition to any garden.

If you look at a photo of a Japanese quince shrub called "Crimson and Gold", then also join those people who consider him one of the most beautiful varieties. The color of the flowers of the plant is simply magnificent - rich scarlet buds with yellowish stamens. And this beauty is most often used by real gardeners to create hedges, since this variety does not require pruning.

But chaenomeles "Jet Trail", unlike "Crimson and Gold", spreads along the ground and decorates any lawn with wonderful white flowers. Moreover, the variety is completely devoid of thorns.

French breeders did a great job when they developed the Simone variety.. This shrub has red-crimson flowers, bears green fruits and is distinguished by decumbent shoots of an almost round shape.

And if you want to get a real bonsai tree in your garden, opt for the Rubra variety. Just keep in mind that for this you will have to carefully monitor her when caring for Japanese quince. appearance and trim regularly.

Resistant varieties of Japanese quince for the Moscow region

Given the climatic and soil specifics of the Moscow region, experts advise to carefully approach the choice of one or another variety of this plant. For the Moscow region, varieties of Japanese quince should be distinguished, first of all, by stability. Therefore, attention should be paid to interspecific hybrids of chaenomeles and breeding varieties.

For example, suitable option will become for residents in the Moscow region Japanese quince called "Zubutlinskaya". It bears large fruits, is frost-resistant and resistant to various diseases. In addition, the plant is not afraid of north winds. And, by the way, very tasty jams and juices are made from fruits.

In addition to the named variety, you can also experiment with growing Japanese quince, which is called "Nicoline". Since it is very resistant to low temperatures and gives lush bloom in the form of scarlet flowers, this type of chaenomeles will become interesting solution for your landscape design.

Another frost-resistant option that has a beautiful pale pink, is the Pink Lady variety already known to you. mature plant reaches no more than 1.2 m.

Growing and caring for Japanese quince in the open field: how to plant a shrub correctly

To know how to plant a Japanese quince, carefully read the following recommendations from experienced gardeners. In principle, chaenomeles is distinguished by a certain capriciousness and exactingness only at a young age. During this period, the plant really needs moderate moisture, which implies the absence of moisture stagnation.

In the future, such difficulties should not arise. However, it must be taken into account that poor lighting the plant may not bloom so luxuriantly and is unlikely to bear fruit.

How to plant a Japanese quince so that it pleases you with its delicate flowers? As you may have guessed, you should choose a landing site that is sufficiently lit. Further, do not forget that in winter the plant should be under the snow. Therefore, look for a place where a massive snow cover forms. And if you have snowstorms that are very frequent guests, do not forget to also cover the shrub with spruce branches or fallen leaves. Very characteristic feature plants is that it is able to develop well and grow on almost any soil. So if you plant a shrub on damp clay or poor sandy soil, the Japanese quince will take well and will give a lush color. But this will only happen if the earth is moderately moist, as mentioned earlier, and rich in humus.

Only on soils such as calcareous and saline, chaenomeles will not be able to grow. Note that alkaline soil will cause leaf chlorosis.

It is best to plant Japanese quince in the area that is located on the south side country house, or in a secluded corner that is well protected from the northern winds. Pay attention to the photo of Japanese quince: if the planting was done correctly, your plant will give a similar fertile color:

It must be remembered that if you decide to plant a shrub in the spring, you need to prepare the soil in the fall. To do this, completely clear the area of weeds, if any, and keep the selected area under black fallow until planting. Fertilizers such as peat-manure compost in the amount of 10 kg/m2, potash and phosphorus fertilizers in the amount of 40 g/m2 are necessarily applied to the soil. This contributes to the creation of the necessary water and breathable earth ball. If you want to decorate your garden with a plant with an open root system and plant it already on permanent place, choose a time for planting in the spring, when the soil has already thawed, but the buds have not yet begun to bloom. In autumn, Japanese quince can also be planted, but since Chaenomeles is thermophilic, it can suffer or even die. Be sure to take a good look at the photo of the Japanese quince, the care and planting of which suggests that the shrub will be planted in small groups or along the paths to form a low hedge:

In such cases, each plant should be one and a half meters apart if they are in a row, and up to 1 meter apart if the quince forms a group. Planting Japanese quince in open ground is considered incorrect: the root neck of the shrub must be located at soil level, but the root should never be exposed! It is also important that the root collar, which is too deep into the ground, does not contribute to slowing down the growth of chaenomeles.

Remember that this plant does not respond well to transplanting, and an experienced gardener will never disturb him. once again. It is known that in one place quince can give a lush color up to 60 years.

Well, when the chaenomeles are already planted, it's time to think about how to grow a healthy and beautiful Japanese quince. In order for the plant to bloom magnificently in summer, the soil is carefully loosened around it at a depth of about 10 cm. This procedure is combined with the destruction of weeds. For an even more effective result, which you will see if you look at the photo, a method such as mulching is used in caring for Japanese quince - that is, covering the ground with a layer of mulch (peat, sawdust or crushed bark) to protect the bush:

To apply this method, it is better to stock up on everything you need in late spring and carry out the procedure while the soil is still quite wet, but already well warmed up. In autumn, mulching is performed only when a constant low temperature has already been established. In the cultivation and care of Japanese quince, which was planted a year ago, gardeners do not recommend using liquid top dressing that can easily injure young roots. And without the use of these funds, the plant will have enough nutrients in the planting hole. But already in the second or third year, when spring comes and the snow melts, experts advise applying organic and mineral fertilizers. They will contribute to the lush color and fruiting, which you can see in the photo of Japanese quince, which was also grown using fertilizers in the form of liquid dressings:

Propagation of Japanese quince by seeds and cuttings

It is the seeds that are considered the simplest and most proven by dozens of generations of gardeners by the propagation method of Japanese quince. You need to know that when already ripened fruits are sent for processing and the core is cleaned, large brown seeds can not be disposed of, but left for further sowing. They are sown in the soil in autumn. This method is so loved by many people, because, thanks to it, it is guaranteed that you can get thick seedlings next spring. But if you failed to realize your plan in the named period, you will have to lay the seeds for stratification - long exposure (2-3 months) in peaty or moist soil at a temperature of + 3 + 5 ° C. In the spring, the seeds are naturally transferred to the ground. You can resort to another method - the propagation of Japanese quince by cuttings. However, experts say that this method is considered less effective. In most cases, cuttings are used to preserve the varietal qualities of chaenomeles. Pay attention to the photo so that growing and caring for Japanese quince in the future does not become a problematic and unloved activity for you:

Remember, these green cuttings are usually harvested in early June, while the weather is dry, but not hot. Be sure to cut them early in the morning. Gardeners say that the most effective in rooting - 80% guarantee - are cuttings cut with a small piece of last year's wood. They are also called "with a heel". To stimulate growth, a solution of indolylbutyric acid with 0.01% is used. Cuttings must be planted obliquely in a mixture of peat and sand (the required ratio is 1: 3). If the temperature outside is kept within + 20 + 25 ° C, then rooting can easily occur in 40 days.

How to propagate Japanese quince offspring

Since the plant always produces a lot of root offspring, you can use them too. How to propagate Japanese quince in a similar way, they already know a long time ago experienced gardeners. To do this, shoots are selected about 10-15 cm long and at least 0.5 cm thick. Be sure to ensure that the offspring have a well-developed rhizome system. Then they are planted vertically and watered regularly so that the soil retains the necessary moisture. Then they resort to the mulching procedure already familiar to us - they fill the soil around the plant with chips, shavings or humus. True, chaenomeles grown in this way has one drawback: it has been noticed that the plant produces smaller fruits than its counterparts propagated by seeds or cuttings.

But there is a special plus in this situation: with this method of reproduction, the Japanese quince very often then spreads in different directions and at the age of 20 years can occupy an area of up to 2 m2. This is very advantageous in cases where you want, for example, to hold the soil on some slopes.

Growing Japanese quince in the Moscow region: planting, care and pruning A very valuable feature of the Japanese chaenomeles is that he loves to "beautify" very much. True, gardeners are in no hurry to approach the thorns of the plant. They do this only when armed with thick gardening gloves - gaiters.

The Japanese quince is in great need of sanitary pruning in the spring: during this period, all dry shoots that have died from frost should be carefully removed. To do this, you can use ordinary well-sharpened tools - a garden file and a pruner. After the procedure, the places of cuts must be treated with garden pitch.

But how to prune Japanese quince, if it is associated with the formation of a bush, which begins at the age of 4-5 years? First, the procedure is carried out in early spring. Every year, a part of the root shoot is cut out.

Only 2-3 offspring are left for further growth. It is desirable that these were exactly horizontal shoots, which are at a height of up to 40 cm from the ground. Other shoots that creep along the ground or grow vertically are boldly removed. Another type of pruning, which is indicated in the description of planting and caring for Japanese quince in the Moscow region, is a rejuvenating procedure. It is used when the plant reaches the age of 8-10 years. Gardeners understand that the time has come for this pruning, when the annual growth is reduced to 10 cm. The procedure is carried out as follows: the shrub is thinned out, all thin and weak branches, and only a dozen strong shoots are left. Look at the photos of the beautiful varieties of Japanese quince, the description of which is presented above - for them, the worst threat is such a pest as aphids:

If you find these monsters on plants that are in your garden, urgently use special tools. No less vicious and dangerous enemy for chaenomeles is damp, cool weather, which causes the manifestation of many fungal diseases:

if the plant began to necrosis and numerous spots appeared on the leaves, this is a sure sign that the Japanese quince may soon die;
in the event that chaenomeles is affected by cercosporosis, all kinds of brown spots appear on it, which turn pale with time;
brown spots are a sign of ramulariasis.

What then needs to be done to save the plant? It is urgent to use the most effective remedy - spray the shrub with a solution of fundozol (0.2%) or apply a copper-soapy liquid, which is done by adding 100 g of soapy water to 10 liters blue vitriol. These funds are considered quite dangerous, so there is another option: you can make a tincture of onion, and for this you need to insist 24 hours 150 g of husk in 10 liters of water. After filtering the drug, the plant is sprayed with it for the whole summer every 5 days.

Japanese quince shrub in landscape design (with photo)

After reading the description of Japanese quince and looking at the photo different varieties of this plant, which are presented below, you can see that chaenomeles can be considered one of the most magnificent ornamental shrubs:

Each variety has its own unique colors buds (from delicate snow-white to massive fiery red), which literally shimmer in the sun. And the fruits that reach on the Japanese quince resemble either outlandish pears, or amazing fairy-tale apples. Moreover, Chaenomeles attracts many avid gardeners in that it retains its regal appearance for a long time. Certain varieties can live up to 50 years! blooms amazing plant in spring, pleasing to the eye and bringing pleasure to the inhabitants of a country house, and in summer and autumn it shares its juicy fruits.

Japanese low-growing quince is very often used for landscaping garden paths. This variety does not grow above 1 meter. In addition, in May and early June, chaenomeles begins to be covered with orange-red flowers, which look very advantageous in any garden.

For creating hedges, Japanese quince is also the best fit. It can be seen both singly seated and gathered in small groups, which very often create the most real artistic compositions. In the garden, chaenomeles looks great on a trunk - a vertical or inclined element in the shape of a letter. To get the desired result, the plant should be grafted onto a pear or mountain ash using cuttings.

Look at the photo of Japanese quince in landscape design: the following points should be taken into account when designing the territory:

for example, to create an alpine slide, you can combine chaenomeles with dwarf spruce, varietal thuja or slate pine;
if you plant shrubs along garden path every one and a half meters, you get a whole picturesque ensemble;
combined with daffodils and Carpathian bells Japanese quince helps to add bright colors to landscape design.

In fact, there are many options for compositional solutions with the landing of Japanese chaenomeles. Much depends only on the imagination of the gardener himself. So don't be afraid to experiment!

If you want to decorate your site, create an original hedge and at the same time harvest useful fruits, pay attention to japanese quince.

Japanese quince is a low-growing ornamental shrub. She will brighten up any garden in spring. when a lot of huge (for her small stature) orange-red flowers up to 4 cm in diameter bloom on it, with which all branches are strewn.

In summer, the plant attracts the eye with its glossy foliage with pouring fruits. In autumn, it is strewn with medium-sized yellow fruits. resembling small apples.

Gardeners mainly plant low shrubs for ornamental purposes. On lawns, a group of 3-5 plants looks very good. A small quince bush will decorate a flower bed or Alpine slide, often used in landscape design.

Shrub blooms in May and, due to the uneven opening of the buds, bright flowering stretches for 2-3 weeks.

Worthy partners in garden compositions for her will be spirea, forsythia and mahonia.

Quince has the ability to expand in breadth due to abundant root shoots, and this is its quality. very often used to strengthen slopes (it holds the soil).

You need to be careful with the shrub, as there are sharp thorns on some varieties.

Chaenomeles (Japanese quince) due to its frost resistance (it withstands frosts down to -25 ° well) suitable for growing in the suburbs. In frosts below -30 ° C, the buds may freeze, but the bush will not die.

At proper cultivation shrub grows up to 40 years.

Japanese quince, or chaenomeles:

Landing in open ground and care

Quince is not demanding on growing conditions, but there are several conditions that must be considered when planting a seedling:

the landing site should be sunny, as the shrub grows and blooms poorly in shading;
in order to avoid freezing of bushes in severe winters, planting should be carried out in places protected from northern winds;
soil acidity should not exceed 6.5pH (slightly acidic);
having a taproot deep into the soil, the plant does not tolerate transplantation from place to place, we plant it immediately and forever;
the distance between the bushes is 1-1.5 m, when forming a hedge 0.8-1 m.

Landing rules:

pour about a bucket of humus with wood ash (0.5 kg) and superphosphate (0.3 kg) added into it into the dug planting hole (60 * 60 * 50 cm), mix with a shovel with a small amount of earth;
we place the seedling in the hole in such a way that the root neck was at the level of the soil;
we fill the roots of the plant with earth and water well;
it is desirable to mulch the soil around the bushes (sawdust, crushed tree bark, peat).

Further care for a young seedling consists in watering, but waterlogging of the soil should not be allowed in order to avoid rotting of the roots, regular loosening of the soil around the bushes.

Since during landing all necessary elements nutrition have been made, then within two years after planting, it is not necessary to feed the plant.

Adult plants in the spring, after the snow has melted, are fed with about 20 g of ammonium nitrate per bush. In summer, they give liquid organic fertilizers (diluted mullein or bird droppings). Apply superphosphate in autumn.

The plant is winter-hardy, but it is better to insulate young seedlings in the conditions of the Moscow region for the winter in the first years after planting.

To do this, you can use spruce branches or cover small plants with covering material (spandbond or lutrasil), put wooden or plastic boxes on top and sprinkle with fallen leaves.

Fruiting in quince is annual, starting from the third year after planting.

Chaenomeles is a cross-pollinated plant., so for better pollination and increased yields, you need to plant 2-3 bushes nearby.

Features of planting chaenomeles:

Methods for propagating Japanese quince for transplantation

There are several ways to propagate Japanese quince.

seeds

Due to the fact that varietal qualities are not preserved during seed propagation, it is used in the cultivation of rootstocks with further regrafting.

Seeds collected from fruits in autumn are stored in wet sand at a temperature of about 0 ° C all winter.(thus they pass stratification).

Seeds are sown in planting containers in February - March, after 1.5 months they dive into separate containers and at the end of May and beginning of June, the seedlings are ready for planting in open ground.

Regular watering and fertilizing until autumn, for the winter, not yet fully strengthened seedlings are insulated with fallen leaves.

The easiest way is to immediately plant the seeds collected in autumn in prepared rows, sprinkle with earth, cover with polyethylene and cover with foliage.

The germination of these seeds is excellent., since they have gone through a natural stratification, in the spring, thick seedlings need to be thinned out, leaving the strongest ones. By autumn, the seedlings are ready for transplanting to a permanent place of growth.

cuttings

At the beginning of June, green cuttings . Annual cuttings are cut with a "heel" (a piece of last year's wood). Sections are processed by "Kornevin" for better rooting and planted in a shkolka at an angle.

Plantings are covered to maintain humidity. plastic wrap. By autumn, the seedlings are ready for transplanting to a permanent place, but it is better to do this in the spring.

You can cut the matured cuttings in the fall, dig under a bush at a depth of 20-30 cm, be sure to mark the place.

During the winter, callus forms at the ends of the cuttings, and with the onset of spring, the cuttings are planted immediately in a permanent place.

By dividing the bush

The easiest way to reproduce. Shoots with a well-developed root system are separated from the mother bush (root shoots) and transplanted.

Horizontal layering

Quince often grows creeping shoots, having dug which you can get seedlings for subsequent reproduction.

Chaenomeles pruning rules

The shrub tolerates pruning very well, but most gardeners do not do it in vain due to the thorniness of the plant. Quince needs pruning to improve growth and crown formation for decorative purposes.

There are three types of pruning:

Sanitary- in early spring, dry, frozen and broken branches are removed.
Formative- they begin to do it from the age of 4, when the branches begin to branch. Shoots growing inside the bush and thickening it are cut out, excess root shoots are removed, leaving no more than 2-3 young shoots annually to avoid strong growth of the bush in breadth. The shoots creeping along the ground are also removed, they take food on themselves and thicken the bush.
Anti-aging- it is produced from the age of 8 bushes, when the annual growth becomes less than 10 cm. Thin and elongated shoots are removed, leaving the strongest 10-12 in the bush. When thinning, you need to remember that the most productive are shoots at the age of 3-4 years, older branches should be removed.

In order to avoid the penetration of diseases into the plant, all sections must be treated with garden pitch.

Pests and diseases

Chaenomeles is not damaged by pests and has great resistance to diseases, but in cool and rainy summers, diseases such as:

leaf necrosis- the appearance of a gray coating along the edge of the leaf with further dissemination over the entire surface of the leaf, the leaves dry out;
cercosporiosis- manifests itself in the form of dark brown round spots that lighten with time;
ramulariasis- the formation of brown spots on the leaves.

To combat diseases, spraying shrubs with solutions of copper sulphate (10% concentration) or a solution of foundationazole (concentration 0.2%) work effectively.

Varieties for cultivation in the Moscow region

Of the domestic varieties, the most common are:

Fragrant- bush up to 1.2 m high, winter-hardy, fruit weight 50-60 g, with a pleasant aroma;
Nikitskaya – early term maturation, medium vigor, winter-hardy;
vitamin- winter-hardy, compact bush, bright yellow fruits weighing up to 100g;
Muscat- large-fruited variety (fruits up to 200 g), self-pollinated, winter-hardy;
Teplovskaya- a variety of late ripening and long-term storage of fruits.

The most famous foreign varieties:

Gaillardi- a variety with large orange flowers;
Malardi- magnificent pink flowers with a white border;
Papel- an interesting variety yellow flowers and a pink border around the edge of the petal.

Harvesting in autumn, fruit storage

Quince fruits are small, hard and sour in taste, but very fragrant. and with a high content of vitamin C. They are collected in September - October, before the onset of frost.

They are stored at an air temperature of 1-2 ° C for 2-3 months. As a result of maturation, they become softer, the sweet aroma intensifies.

The easiest way is to cut the fruits of quince into slices or grate, sprinkle with sugar in a ratio of 1: 1 and store in the refrigerator. This blank is used in the preparation of drinks and added to tea.

Jams, jams are also prepared from the fruits of chaenomelis, added to compotes. Sliced fruits darken quickly due to the high content of iron.

Japanese quince. Northern Lemon:

Preparing jam

For 1 kg of quince you need: 2 kg of sugar and 1.5 cups of water. Wash the quince, dry it, remove the seeds and hard white partitions, cut into small slices.

Put slices into boiling syrup, boil for 10 minutes over low heat, removing the foam, then remove from heat and leave for 12 hours. Boil the jam again for 10 minutes, etc. until the quince slices become transparent.

We lay out the finished jam in sterilized jars, leave until winter. In winter, fragrant jam will remind you of beauty flowering shrub and the approaching warm summer.

Japanese quince is unpretentious in cultivation, it is undemanding in attention and easy to care for, but at the same time it is beautiful in flowering and useful in application.