Flowering Quince - Slow Growing

[Daluke]

Does anyone have any tips about how to grow this successfully - I have a few and they haven't changed much in the last few years.

I fertilise, water and let them do their own thing - but heck, they seem to grow so slow.

I've tried everything!

[shibui]

I think that is the species. All the ones I have tried have produced similar results. Lots of suckers coming from the roots but very slow thickening of the main trunk.

[Lane]

I have a couple in the ground for exactly this reason and I cannot tell if they have thickened at all just by eye.

Will keep them there for another year or so just to get some taper and bends into some sections.

[Jow]

Chijubai is the variety to get. Small flowers and leaves and a good grower.

[treeman]

Daluke,

They are slowing down now so forget about this season.
Repot them each year. I do it in late autumn and into winter not spring. It doesn't seem to matter if they are in bud.
Use a rather heavy soil. The coarse modern mixes are no good for quince. Even standard p/mix is better.
They need heavy fertilization. 4- 5 cakes on a 150mm pot every month plus a liquid feed every week is ok. Mix a bit of osmocote into the mix as well. Give them dolomite lime twice per year. If you don't have cakes sprinkle a mix of blood and bone and perhaps a little dynamic lifter. Use seaweed extract, they like it.
Water heavily before they wilt and keep in semi shade during hot bright weather unless you can water 2-3 times per day.
Remove any suckers coming from the base if you want the main stem to thicken. Even for a clump, remove most suckers and let only 1 or 2 new ones develop each year. If you want a really big plant, cut only once every year or two.
When repotting, look closely at the roots and if you see root lesions (lumps) stuck to the roots here and there, you have root knot nematodes. Nematodes will stop the quince from growing and it will just sit there looking miserable. Cut off what ever you see and repot. If the plant is heavily infested with the galls, burn it and make sure you disinfect the pot and all tools before moving to the next plant. They are extremely difficult to get rid of. There are no chemicals currently available to the home grower. You can achieve a good measure of control my giving seaweed (seasol or similar) each 2 weeks religiously. If you can get hold of good fresh worm tea extract (home made not the crap you buy) that helps a lot as well. Allow the branches to grow long before cutting to 2 leaves. You can direct them a bit with wire but it's mainly clip and grow with flowering quince.
You need patience as they are not fast growing but well worth growing.
The branches are susceptible to infections so it's is extremely important to seal large cuts with a good wound sealer. Large cuts on roots must also be sealed. Use a bitumen based sealer for that.
Spray for aphids which attack flower buds and new growth spring and autumn.
That's about all I can think of.

[Daluke]

Thanks for the replies.

Their flowers are amazing.

It's funny that the trees itself grow so slowly, but cuttings root so quickly.