How to grow Quince

Cydonia oblonga · common quince

Quince is a small, self-fertile fruit tree or large shrub, 3–4.5 m tall depending on the rootstock, with white or pale pink blossom in late spring. Its golden, aromatic fruit stays hard and tart, so it is mostly cooked into jelly, jam and marmalade.

Quick facts

Type	Fruit tree
Family	Rosaceae
Light	Full sun
Frost	tolerates light frost
Sowing to harvest	1095 days
Where it grows	Open ground

When to plant

Planted as a young plant from a nursery while it is dormant — in early spring before the buds open, or in autumn after leaf fall.

Harvest from October to November (northern hemisphere).

Frost dates · When to plant

Care

Open ground

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	—	organic, at the start of the stage
Flowering	every 7 days	—	—
Fruiting	every 7 days	—	—
Harvest	every 7 days	—	—
Winter rest	—	—	—

Growing notes

Light

Full sun in a warm, sheltered spot; sun is needed to ripen the fruit, and in cold areas a south-facing wall helps.

Soil

Adapts to many soils but does best in deep, fertile, moisture-retentive, well-drained ground.

Care

Plant between November and March while dormant. Water young trees regularly in dry spells for the first couple of years and mulch each spring with compost. Shape a young tree like an apple; later prune lightly in winter, keeping the shoot tips that carry the fruit, and remove suckers. Pick in October or November before the first frost and store the fruit for 6–8 weeks before use.

How to tell it is ripe

The skin turns from green through light yellow to a bright golden yellow, sometimes with a reddish blush on one side.
The grey felt-like down of the young fruit has gone and the skin is smooth.
Smell it: a ripe quince is strongly aromatic.
It is still hard to the touch: ripe quinces stay hard.
Leave the fruit on the tree as long as possible, pick undamaged quinces before the first frost and let them mellow in a cool, dark place for six to eight weeks.

Pests and diseases of Quince

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.