Japanese quince: autumn care and processing of the crop. Useful and medicinal properties

Landing Japanese quince(Japanese genomeles) will bring a lot of 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: it strengthens blood vessels, has an anti-sclerotic effect, relieves inflammation, treats colds, hypertension, and 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 in 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 waxy skin keeps the fruit fresh 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, add sand, leafy turf, organic and mineral fertilizers(compost, phosphorus, potassium). 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 circle 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. Carry out these procedures in summer period it is necessary regularly, 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. Around low shrubs, pour a thick layer (about 5 cm) of peat, chopped tree bark, sawdust. 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. , in the autumn 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. In summer, you can fertilize with 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 the bushes from cold and winds, cover them with 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(creating a cold wet environment) when the seeds under the snow accumulate moisture and nutrients 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.

Almost every owner personal plot dreams that his garden looked not only beautiful, but also unusual. Therefore, recently, many began to grow in front of the house not only pears or apple trees familiar to everyone, but also some exotic plants. The latter include a shrub of incredible beauty called "Japanese quince". Photos, care, features of growing this amazing culture - all this is presented in this article. This small tree fascinates with its incredible beauty. The aroma that spreads throughout the garden during its flowering leaves no one indifferent.

Japanese quince - photo and description

Despite the fact that this culture is considered to be exotic, it takes root well and even bears fruit in many Russian regions.

Today, Japanese quince, planting and caring for which do not require special knowledge, grows even in the areas of novice gardeners. This culture has several other names. Experts know it as chaenomeles, and among the people it is also called the "northern lemon." Quince Japanese, related to decorative fruit crops, is a fairly thermophilic plant, so it grows very well in those regions where the climate is mild. The chaenomeles tree has a dwarf size, so it is often called a shrub. The cultivation of Japanese quince is becoming more common every year. Most often, the fruits of this culture are used in canning - for making jam, marmalade or preserves. In the cuisines of some countries there are very tasty chaenomeles side dishes. These small trees have characteristic flexible arc-shaped branches, glossy leaves with carved edges, sharp spines (in most species) and bright beautiful flowers. The latter can be red orange, white and pink.

In total, there are three varieties of Japanese quince. At the same time, there are much more interspecific varieties - about 500. The main representatives of the family have taken root not only in the southern regions, but also in the conditions of the middle zone of our country. These include the "garnet bracelet", which is characterized by frost resistance and quick fruit ripening, "pink queen", "falconet scarlet", etc.

Bloom

At one time, Japanese quince was grown in European countries exclusively as an ornamental plant. The culture was used to decorate alpine slides and paths, it was planted in the middle of the lawn as a separate bush, bonsai and living fences were created from it. Chaenomeles is especially beautiful during the flowering period.

Japanese quince, as you might guess from its name, comes from the land of the rising sun, although it is also quite common in China and Korea. The northern lemon blooms luxuriantly and richly, delighting the owner with beauty for almost a month.

Fruiting

You can admire the plant during this period for a long time.

This culture gives fruits only in the third year. They are shaped like a pear. The yellow fruits of Japanese quince have a specific taste reminiscent of lemon. They are rarely eaten raw due to their sourness and tough flesh. The waxy skin of a quince allows to keep fresh fruits long enough time.

Harvest ripens by the end of September or beginning of October. When mature, Japanese quince fruits may have a bright orange or green-yellow color. Covered on the outside with a wax coating, which perfectly protects them from damage, they can endure even slight frosts on a tree. About half of the volume of the fruit is occupied by its brown seeds, which outwardly resemble apple trees. From each small tree, you can collect two or more kilograms of quince.

The benefits of chaenomeles

This fruit contains many biologically active components. It is this high concentration that determines the benefits and harms of Japanese quince. Chaenomeles is an excellent assistant in such a common pathology as obesity.

Nutritionists often recommend using it in the daily diet not only as a low-calorie fruit, but also as a means of strengthening the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Quince Japanese relieves toxicosis during pregnancy. Its diuretic action is also widely known. Regular use of chaenomeles can prevent the formation of edema, normalize the balance of copper and iron in the body, and serve as a prophylaxis against anemia. Japanese quince, whose fruits are famous for their high content of vitamins C and E, as well as carotene, is used for colds to increase immunity. An infusion of its seeds is an excellent expectorant. The leaves and branches of chaenomeles are also quite widely used in traditional medicine due to its medicinal properties. Decoctions and infusions of them perfectly cleanse oily skin, help strengthen hair follicles and lighten pigmentation. A nice plus of this culture is the absence of allergens in its fruits.

Harm

When using Japanese quince, it is necessary to take into account not only its benefits, but also contraindications. For example, people whose professional activities are associated with a load on the vocal cords are strictly forbidden to use fresh chaenomeles. The fact is that the structure of the skin of the fruits of Japanese quince can lead to a deterioration in the condition of the larynx. This fruit is also contraindicated for those who suffer from constipation, since the fruits have a high content of tannins. It is forbidden to use fresh henomeles and pleurisy.

How to plant a northern lemon

The culture is thermophilic, therefore, Japanese quince is planted only in spring. The soil must be free of weeds.

Her looseness mandatory requirement for the normal development of the root system. To lighten the soil, it is recommended to add a small amount of sand to it. It is necessary to choose a place for planting Japanese quince, based on its requirement for good lighting. It is recommended to plant a crop in the southern parts of the garden. This plant does not tolerate transplantation, so it is immediately advisable to choose for it. permanent place.

When preparing a pit for planting chaenomeles, several requirements must be observed: the width should be no more than sixty, and the depth - up to eighty centimeters. The main condition for this is that the root collar is not exposed. The hole prepared for planting should be filled not only with fresh soil, but also with fertilizer from a mixture of one or two buckets of humus, superphosphate (300 g), potassium nitrate and wood ash. Only then can the plant be planted. When planting a seedling, the roots should be completely underground, but not too deep. The plant must be well watered, and then mulched with humus. Henomeles does not like to be "disturbed", so it is advisable not to transplant. In a correctly chosen place on the site, Japanese quince can grow up to sixty years.

How to care for chaenomeles

Japanese quince, the care of which requires certain knowledge and skills from the gardener, can grow well in the conditions of central Russia.

Adhering to all the required agrotechnical standards, even a beginner grower will be able to get a good harvest. This ornamental shrub requires the following rules. Watering it should be moderate. Japanese quince can easily tolerate short periods of drought, but it does not like abundant soil moisture. It is also important correct formation culture. It should not have more than twenty branches. Formation should be carried out annually. It is necessary to cut not only dead and dry branches, but also those that, due to the small height of the bush, touch the ground. This event should be carried out in the spring, even before the appearance of the kidneys. Winter care for Japanese quince consists in covering the bush with spruce paws.

reproduction

There are three ways - seeds, division or cuttings. The most popular among Russian gardeners is the first option. For propagation of Japanese quince by seeds, it is necessary to prepare in February-March fertile soil and drop off planting material. After a month and a half, small sprouts already appear, which are transplanted into peat cups to strengthen the root system. By the end of May, the plant is already ready for placement in open ground.

For propagation of chaenomeles by cuttings, planting material must be prepared in the fall. Mature cut shoots should be stored in cool place until early spring. From mid-March, rooted cuttings can already be placed in open ground.

Reproduction of Japanese quince by division is quite simple. Seedlings just need to be planted at a distance of about a meter from each other in late spring or late autumn, after which it is already possible to graft the plant.

top dressing

In the third year after planting, Japanese quince requires fertilizer. This should be done for the first time in early spring. Organic and mineral fertilizers are used for top dressing. The near-stem soil must be filled with compost, as well as potassium and superphosphate. The second time the plant is fertilized in the summer with ammonium nitrate and bird droppings.

Diseases

The main pest of chaenomeles is the aphid. Her appearance on the bush can be a disaster for the plant. Therefore, the culture should be periodically inspected, and if aphids are found, immediately process special formulations. In conditions of high humidity, in wet weather, various fungal diseases. For example, with necrosis or spotting, quince leaves begin to deform, dry out, when they are affected by cercosporosis, brown spots are observed on them, and with ramularia - brown. The most effective way to combat these diseases is to use a solution of copper-soapy liquid with the addition of 0.2% foundationazole. A less dangerous method is to spray the bushes with a tincture of the husks. onion.

Or chaenomeles (Chaenomeles japonica), — perennial shrub, one of the most elegant and productive plants that decorate the plots. Japanese quince is unpretentious, decorative, easily and quickly multiplies. Chaenomeles can be called a long-liver. In good conditions, he lives 60 - 80 years.

Japanese quince fruit

It is difficult to say how many chaenomeles bushes grow in our area. I can only say with certainty that there are a lot of them. Feelings of tightness and thickening do not occur, since the Japanese quince bushes are grouped into a long hedge and a three-meter line that acts as a screen.

I am often asked how much money did you have to pay for such a luxury? Many have seen and remember the price tags on chaenomeles seedlings, which are sold in nurseries and garden centers. In response, I hold out a few fruits of chaenomeles, from the seeds of which it is not at all difficult to grow a large number of shrubs. The fragrant tissue of the fruit can be used instead of lemon, prepared with sugar for the winter, dried or made into jam.

Japanese quince is incredibly beautiful at any time of the year. During the flowering period, from mid-May, there are so many orange and coral-red flowers that from a distance the bush seems to be blazing. In summer, you can "play" with the shape of the bushes. In autumn, chaenomeles is strewn with lemon fruits, which must be harvested before the autumn frosts. Autumn is an important period in the life of the Japanese quince, on which not only its winter hardiness depends, but also the condition of the plant and its decorative effect.

Caring for Japanese quince in autumn

Chaenomeles is unpretentious. However, many complain that they fail to grow healthy bushes. Such that they do not have dry branches, were beautiful shape, bloomed and fruited profusely. As a rule, this is a consequence of not only the wrong choice of landing site, care errors, but also an inattentive attitude to chaenomeles in the autumn.

Pruning chaenomeles. At the end of the summer, I walk along a Japanese quince hedge with a pruner and garden shears in my hands. They are needed in order to correct an even line of bushes planted in a row. It is necessary to remove all dried, broken and old branches, which are easily distinguished by the darkened bark. I do not need and protruding to the side and too long shoots.

Chaenomeles tolerates pruning painlessly. Closer to autumn, tillering slows down, so the plant retains its shape longer. second autumn pruning I spend after all the "apples" are collected. You can't leave them for the winter. It is more convenient to care for Japanese quince in tight gloves, since the branches of most species have thorns.

Japanese quince is a plant that can even be used to create bonsai. I saw a wonderful composition of flowering chaenomeles, turned into a dwarf tree, moss and stones.

Chaenomelis hedge

Watering and feeding. On the eve of strong nighttime autumn frosts, it is desirable to moisten the soil under young bushes. After picking the fruit, I wash off the dust from the leaves accumulated over the summer with a strong jet. The last watering occurs at the end of October - November (according to the weather). It must be done before the cold pre-winter sets in.

In September, I feed Japanese quince with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. Along the way, I loosen the soil under the bushes and add well-decomposed compost.

Warming for the winter. The unpretentiousness of the Japanese quince increases with age. Young plants are less resistant than adults. I remember how carefully I mulched the soil under the young bushes. She covered them with spruce branches, covered them with snow. And they still managed to freeze the tips of the branches. Less hassle with older bushes. They have already built up a solid root system, a guarantee of their recovery.

If only a few chaenomeles bushes grow on the site, and there is little snow in winter, then before the start of winter, it is advisable for tall forms to bend all flexible branches to the ground. No need to be afraid that some of the shoots will freeze. They are cut out in the spring during thinning and the formation of chaenomeles. Soon a young shoot appears, thanks to which the plant quickly recovers. Low-growing and creeping forms often have a prostrate arrangement of most branches, so even a small layer of snow completely covers the bush.

An overgrown Japanese quince, caught under the snow, endures even severe frosts. The more snowdrift, the better. They say that young bushes of Japanese quince are a delicacy for hares. Therefore, where they are, it is better to cover the henomeles with spruce branches.

Reproduction of chaenomeles. Japanese quince is propagated by root offspring, layering, cuttings (summer), dividing the bush and seeds. The lower branch, accidentally sprinkled with earth, takes root and gives vertical shoots. In place of the dug out adult bush, young shoots will appear for a long time from the roots remaining in the ground.

I have always liked Japanese quince. The decision to make a hedge from this wonderful plant came after I saw how easy and fast chaenomeles reproduces. Podzimny sowing seeds from several fruits the next year gave a lot of seedlings. A year later, I had excellent planting material, which was enough to lay a hedge. It remained to transplant seedlings from the garden to a permanent place. Of course, valuable forms of quince (with double flowers, rare color, etc.) have to be propagated vegetatively (by summer cuttings, root offspring, layering or dividing the bush). Freshly harvested seeds are sown in autumn, stratified seeds are sown in spring.

Japanese quince harvest

Japanese quince recipes

Chaenomeles is the champion in the amount of vitamin C and organic acids. It is often called northern lemon. Lemon or greenish-reddish fruits may be round, ribbed, oval or pear-shaped. Preparations of Japanese quince for the winter retain its wonderful aroma and vitamins. In addition, the fruits are rich in pectin.

After you have eaten any preparation with Japanese quince, be sure to rinse your mouth. clean water or brush your teeth. This preventive measure will not allow acid to corrode tooth enamel.

The tissue of the fetus is very dense and hard. Not only that, it's incredibly sour. It is impossible to eat a raw "apple". Slices placed in brewing tea give the drink a lemon flavor. Useful and tasty are preparations for the winter: compotes, syrups, jams, marmalades, jams and crushed fruits mixed with granulated sugar.

Japanese quince seeds. The seeds are not thrown away. Infusion of Japanese quince seeds helps with colitis. To do this, a spoonful of seeds is poured with boiling water, kept for 8-10 hours and drunk during the day (3-4 times) in a third of a glass. With this infusion, the eyes are washed (for infections and irritations) and the “problem” skin is wiped.

Japanese quince with sugar. Finely crushed ripe fruits with sugar are an excellent source of vitamin C in winter time. The mass or syrup can be diluted with water and drink a healthy refreshing drink. Sweet and sour mixture is added to cottage cheese, spread on pancakes or slices of white bread.

Fruits (pitted), cut into larger pieces and sprinkled with sugar, have a sweet and sour taste. They can be added to tea instead of lemon. The amount of sugar is about 1.5 kg of granulated sugar per 1 kg of prepared fruits. When stored in the refrigerator, the amount of sugar can be reduced to 1 kg. Preservation allows you to use even less sugar.

Japanese quince juice. If you pour crushed chaenomeles fruits with sugar (taken in the proportion of 1 part of crushed pitted fruits per 1 kg of granulated sugar), then after two weeks sweet juice will begin to stand out. It is drained and used as a concentrate for a vitamin drink. It is better to keep chaenomeles juice-syrup in the refrigerator.

Japanese quince jam. You will need: 1 kg of peeled fruits, 1.5 kg of sugar and 1.5 glasses of water.

The fruits of the Japanese quince are washed, cleaned of stones and hard films, and then cut into thin slices. They are boiled in water for 10 minutes. The broth is used to make syrup, which is poured into slices and kept for several hours. Then boiled in one or more doses (5 minutes boiled, then left for 4 - 5 hours). As a result of cooking, the slices become almost transparent. Fragrant sweet and sour jam from Japanese quince turns golden-pink. It is cooled and covered with paper. It can be poured hot (“from the fire”) into clean jars and rolled up with lids.

Spices (nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, etc.) are sometimes added to chaenomeles jam. You can cook with apples or with chokeberry (chokeberry). A gourmet will love Japanese quince jam with nuts. But you should not replace sugar with honey, since honey becomes “poison” when heated strongly.

Candied Japanese quince. Candied fruits from Japanese quince are tasty if the fruits, cut into pieces, are boiled like jam, but always in several doses. Each time you need to stand longer, at least 10 hours. The amount of water is therefore increased to 3 glasses. At the end of cooking, the slices are thrown back on a sieve, and then dried. The syrup is used for dilution with water.

Japanese quince marmalade. This delicacy, rich in pectins, is prepared as follows: the washed fruits are cleaned of stones and hard plates, boiled (better baked in the oven) until soft, then crushed with a blender or rubbed through a sieve. Sugar is added (1.3 kg of granulated sugar is taken per 1 kg of mass) and boiled over low heat until the mass becomes viscous. All this time they do not leave the stove, because. cooking marmalade burns easily. As soon as the mass becomes viscous, it is laid out on a baking sheet moistened with water or a flat plate. After a while, when the marmalade has cooled, it is cut into pieces and sprinkled with powdered sugar on top.

Japanese quince compote. Many people like this particular option for harvesting chaenomeles fruits for the winter. Prepared fruits are cut into slices (or pieces of arbitrary size), placed in clean glass jars and poured with hot syrup. It is prepared from the calculation: for 1 liter of water you need at least 0.5 kg of sugar. After pasteurization (20 minutes for liter cans) jars are rolled up using lids designed for sour fruits. My friends summer residents do without additional sterilization of compote. They pour boiling compote into jars, after which they are rolled up and wrapped in a blanket until they cool.

Dried fruits of chaenomeles. Dried fruits, cut into thin slices, are brewed in a thermos in winter along with rose hips and hawthorn. During a flu epidemic or with a cold, be sure to add dried blackberry leaves to them.

Japanese quince is used to make liqueurs, liqueurs and liqueurs. They insist on vodka. Japanese quince juice can be added to vodka and insisted for a couple of weeks.

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In gardens, not only ordinary shrubs and trees are often planted, but also exotic ones, which include. Another name is Chaenomeles. The home of the plant is Japan. It is also found in China and Korea, though only the wild variety. The tree is also planted in the gardens of Ukraine and Russia. Quince prefers to grow on plains, mountain slopes (up to 1.4 km above sea level), forest edges, clearings and clearings. It can also be found in swampy areas, along reservoirs.

Japanese quince: photo and description of the shrub

The plant is a low tree or deciduous shrub, reaching a height of up to three meters and living for about 60-80 years. Distinctive features quince are:

Chemical Review

Quince fruits contain a storehouse of components useful for the body. So, vitamin C in them is about 100-150 mg, in addition to it, vitamins E, B1, PP, A, B2, K, B6, various organic acids (citric, malic, tartronic), fatty acids, proteins, sugars, fructose, tannic substances, ethyl esters, antioxidants, glucose, pectins, mineral constituents such as calcium, boron, iron, phosphorus, copper, zinc, pectins, silicon.

Quince seeds contain: amygdalin glycoside, starch, glycerides of myristic and isoleic acids, mucus, tannins, including tannin.

Cultivation and care

There are no problems in growing quince. For proper development and good growth, all requirements must be met.

Where to locate

Quince bushes love good lighting, so you need to choose lighted areas in your area. In principle, the plant grows well in the shade, but you will not wait for the fruits from it.

Be especially careful when planting and caring for Japanese quince in the Moscow region. Of all the existing varieties, many winter well without warming. But at very cold winter annual plants may freeze. Trees are recommended to be planted in areas where a lot of snow usually falls. And if harsh winters are a regularity, shrubs are covered with spruce branches for the winter.

The soil

Henomeles feels great on any soil. Favorite are raw clayey and poor sandy ones. But they need to be fertilized with humus and moistened. Saline and limestone soils are categorically unacceptable.

Landing

For planting, sand, leafy soil and peat are mixed in a ratio of 1: 2: 2. Additionally, fertilizers are added to the well: (0.2 kg), 1-2 buckets of humus (1-2 buckets), potassium nitrate (0.3 kg), ash (0.5 kg).

Plant quince bushes in 3-5 copies in one group. Adult plants are placed at a distance of at least a meter from each other, so that the plants develop well.

Young growth is best transferred to the ground to a permanent place with the advent of spring, when the ground thaws. It is possible to plant quince in Japanese autumn during a period of strong leaf fall. But this is fraught with the fact that the plant does not have enough time to take root before frost and it will die.

Position the tree so that the root neck is flush with the soil. If the plant is already an adult, 3-5 years old, for them you need to dig a hole 0.5-0.8 m deep and 0.5 m wide.

reproduction

Japanese quince can be propagated in several ways.

seed

The core is removed from the ripened fruits, and the seeds are pulled out. They should be sown directly into the ground in the fall. Seed germination is excellent.

If it is not possible to sow before winter, the seeds are sent for stratification: they are kept in wet sand at + 3 + 5ºС for 2-3 months. When they hatch, the seeds are planted in the ground.

cuttings

In early June, early in the morning, when it is not very hot and dry, green cuttings are cut so that they have 2 knots. It would be best if you cut the cutting with a “heel” up to 1 cm. Place the cuttings in growth stimulants (for example, a 0.01% solution of indolylbutyric acid) for a day. You can use Kornevin. The prepared material is planted in the substrate (peat and sand, 1: 3) according to the scheme 7 * 5 cm, arranged obliquely.

Root delenki

Quince gives a large number of root layers. To get them, you need to dig up the plant and separate the divisions 0.5 cm thick and 10-15 cm high. At the same time, make sure that root system was well developed.

From one bush you can "get" no more than 6 divisions.

The resulting shoots are planted vertically and cared for, maintaining the moisture content of the substrate and watering. After spending wood chips, humus, shavings.

Diseases and pests

For Japanese quince, the main problem is aphids, which can cause the plant to die. As soon as you notice the first signs of these insects, you should immediately treat with insecticidal preparations.

With the onset of cool and damp weather, accompanied by high humidity, trees can be subject to a variety of diseases of fungal origin. For example, it could be:

cercosporosis, which is detected by the appearance of brown spots that turn pale over time;
leaf spotting and necrosis, leading to drying and deformation of the foliage;
ramulariasis, the signal of which is the formation of brown spots on the leaves.

Problems can be dealt with by treating the plant with a soap-copper solution and 0.2% foundationazole. If you are afraid to use chemicals or you simply don’t recognize them, then you can use onion infusion (0.15 kg of onion peel is poured into 10 liters of water and insisted for a day), which should be sprayed several times with a frequency of 5 days.

harvesting quince

Quince is considered a medicinal plant, and not only fruits, but also leaves and seeds are used.

Novice gardeners are concerned about when to harvest Japanese quince. Fruits are harvested in autumn before the first frosts. Further, each fruit is well wrapped in paper, placed in a ventilated box and stored in a cool place (6-10 ° C), devoid of light. In this state, even unripe fruits can be stored until February. If there are not enough "apples", they can be placed in a plastic bag and put in the refrigerator. They can be stored there for up to 3 months.

Quince leaves are harvested when the plant is still in bloom. It is laid out on a baking sheet and dried in the shade or a dryer at a temperature of 40 degrees, transferred to tightly closed containers and used for its intended purpose.

If you need to collect seeds, then they are pulled out from ripe fruits, dried at 40-50 ° C. Then they are transferred to containers with a well-closing lid and stored for no more than a year.

At proper fit and caring for Japanese quince (chaenomeles), the shrub will not only delight you with beautiful flowering, and later a good harvest, but also support your health.

All about planting and caring for chaenomeles - video

The Japanese quince is photophilous and needs a lighted area; it develops poorly in the shade, which also affects flowering. Although it is drought-resistant, moderate moisture is required at a young age and after planting, with no signs of moisture stagnation.

All types and varieties of chaenomeles grow well on light sandy, loamy and soddy-podzolic soils rich in humus with a slightly acidic reaction (pH 6.5), they tolerate peaty soils worse. If Japanese quince is planted on alkaline soil, then leaf chlorosis can be caused. When choosing a place on a garden plot, priority is given to the territory on the south side of the house or a corner protected from cold winds and severe frosts. If the garden is located on a hilly area, then the southern and southwestern slopes are especially preferred.

Soil preparation and planting

For spring planting, the soil is prepared in the fall. If the site is clogged with weeds, then they are completely removed and the site is kept under black fallow until the planting date. Leaf soil and sand are added to infertile and heavy soil (in a ratio of 2: 1). In addition, peat-manure compost (10 kg / m 2), as well as phosphorus and potash fertilizers (40 g / m 2) are introduced. The addition of these components to a depth of 10-15 cm contributes to the creation of a loose water- and air-permeable soil horizon.

It is best to plant a Japanese quince with an open root system in a permanent place in the spring - in the period after the soil thaws and before the buds open. Autumn planting, when the time comes for mass leaf fall, is possible, but less desirable, since the shrub is thermophilic and may die without having time to take root. Japanese quince takes root well at the age of two, planted from a container (with a closed root system). For single plants at the age of 3-5 years, they dig planting pits with a diameter of up to 0.5 m and a depth of 0.5-0.8 m, fill them with humus (1-2 buckets), with the addition of 300 g of superphosphate, 30 g of potassium nitrate, or 500 g of ash.

Japanese quince can be placed in a small group or along the edge of a garden path, forming a low hedge from it. In a row, plants are removed from each other at a distance of 0.5-0.6 m. The distance between plants in a group is about 0.8-1 m.

During planting, the root neck of the Japanese quince is placed at the level of the soil. In no case should the root be exposed, this is the case with improper planting, when the root collar is placed above the soil level. It is also important not to deepen the root neck, which will slow down the growth of the shrub. You should know and remember that Japanese quince bushes do not tolerate transplanting very well, so you should not disturb them once again, transplanting from place to place. They are immediately selected a site for permanent cultivation and planted there as early as possible. Japanese quince can grow in one place without a transplant up to 50-60 years.

Landing Care

In summer, in order for the Japanese quince bushes to bloom more magnificently, the soil around them is loosened to a depth of 8-10 cm. Loosening must be combined with weeding. A good result is the use of mulch, which is poured with a layer of 3-5 cm around a stunted shrub. Peat, pine nut shells are suitable as mulch, sawdust or crushed bark. The best time to apply mulch is late spring, when the soil is still sufficiently moist, but already well warmed up. In autumn, mulching is started after the onset of a period of stable negative temperatures. The contour of the coating of mulching material must be at least the projection of the crown of the shrub, or exceed it by 15-20 cm.

In the first year after planting, the Japanese quince is usually not given any liquid feeding, so as not to burn the young roots, since the nutrients laid in the planting holes are enough for the growth and development of the bush. Already 2-3 years after planting, in the spring, as soon as the snow melts, mineral and organic fertilizers in the form of a feed. For this in trunk circle bush pour 1 bucket of compost, 300 g of superphosphate and 100 g of potash fertilizer. During the summer, liquid top dressings are useful, consisting of ammonium nitrate (20 g / bush) or bird droppings (3 liters of a 10% solution).

To protect the shrub from winter damage, late in the fall it is sprinkled with fallen leaves or covered with spruce branches. Such care is necessary for young and adult bushes, especially flowering varieties. Young seedlings and wintering cuttings are also protected for the winter with covering material (lutrasil, spunbond). For winter preservation of compact low-growing bushes, large carton boxes or wooden boxes.

Reproduction by seeds

The simplest and reliable way propagation of Japanese chaenomeles - seeds. When ripe fruits are prepared for processing and the core with large brown seeds is cleaned out, it can not be thrown away, but used for sowing. Seeds are extracted and sown in the ground immediately in the fall, that is, “before winter”. All of them have a high germination rate (up to 80%), give dense seedlings in the spring, regardless of the quality of the prepared soil. If the sowing cannot be sown within these terms, then you will have to lay the seeds for stratification. To do this, they are kept for 2-3 months in moistened sand at a temperature of + 3 + 5 ° C. After they peck, in the spring they are transferred to the ground. Two-year shoots develop a long taproot, so careless transplantation causes damage leading to the death of seedlings. To save the seedlings, they should be planted in a permanent place as early as possible.

Propagation by cuttings and grafting

All types vegetative propagation Japanese quince is less economically efficient than seed propagation. The advantage of cuttings or grafting is that the varietal qualities of the shrub are preserved.

Green cuttings are harvested in early June in dry and not hot weather. Cuttings are cut early in the morning. Each cutting has 1-2 internodes. A good rooting result (up to 80%) is observed in cuttings cut with a "heel", that is, with a small piece of last year's wood (up to 1 cm long). The use of growth stimulants is necessary: a 0.01% solution of IBA (indolylbutyric acid) for 24 hours, or Kornevin. Cuttings are planted obliquely in a mixture of sand and peat (in a ratio of 3: 1), the planting pattern of cuttings is 7x5 cm. At a temperature of + 20 + 25 0 C, rooting occurs in 35-40 days. The yield of rooted cuttings in Japanese quince is 30-50%, growth stimulants increase the survival rate by 10-20%.

More about green cuttings - in the article Green cuttings of woody plants.

spring vaccination(improved copulation) is done in May by a varietal cutting on a seedling of Japanese chaenomeles. For grafting with an “eye” (budding), varietal shoots of chaenomeles (graft) are harvested in July-August during the second sap flow. To do this, an eye (bud) with a piece of bark (with a shield) is cut off from the middle part of the varietal shoot with a sharp budding knife. A T-shaped incision is made on the bark of the rootstock (non-varietal chaenomeles or other rosaceae), the edges of the incision are folded over and a shield with a kidney is inserted under the bark. Parts of the plant are pressed tightly, tied and protected with garden pitch. After 3-4 weeks, the survival rate of the "eyes" is checked. In the spring of next year, if the bud has taken root and given a new shoot, the bandage is removed. On a short bush of Japanese chaenomeles, two eyes can be grafted against each other, or several closely related crops (pear, hawthorn) at once.

Beautifully flowering varieties of Japanese quince grafted on a winter-hardy trunk look very original. As a rootstock, which will serve as a bole, 3-year-old seedlings of a "wild" pear, mountain ash, shadberry, hawthorn are suitable. Due to the insufficient winter hardiness of the varietal Japanese quince, the grafting site should be placed closer to the ground, at a height of 0.6-0.9 m, in order to protect the plant in winter period. With skillful budding, the survival rate of the eyes can be 50-80%.

During each season, it is necessary to form a crown, and periodically remove wild shoots from the stem below the grafting site. To increase stability, the trunk is tied to a stake. Under the long whip-like shoots formed on the trunk, you can substitute metal supports. However, one must not forget that standard forms less hardy, so should be planted in a protected area and covered for the winter.

Reproduction by root offspring

The Japanese quince tends to produce numerous offspring. Due to them, the bush gradually spreads in all directions. At the age of 20, it occupies an area of up to 2 m 2. Due to the overgrown offspring, the root system of the Japanese quince is able to firmly hold the soil on the slope. It is so branched and resilient that if there is a desire to completely get rid of an adult bush, then this will not be so easy to do.

When digging the root shoots, shoots 10-15 cm long and 0.5 cm thick with a well-developed root system are selected. From one bush you can get no more than 5-6 root offspring. They are planted vertically, watered regularly, maintaining sufficient soil moisture, then mulched around the bush with humus, wood chips or shavings. However, the disadvantage of this method of reproduction is that some offspring growing from a taproot have a poorly developed root system, and the resulting seedlings have to be grown. It has been noticed that at first such seedlings even have smaller fruits than usual.

shrub pruning

Chaenomeles Japanese tolerates shearing and pruning well, which is valued in horticulture. But gardeners reluctantly approach its thorny branches. It is more comfortable to work in thick long gloves - garden leggings, without damaging the hands with sharp thorns.

In spring, Japanese quince needs sanitary pruning. All dry shoots damaged by frost should be cut. For pruning bushes, they take sharply sharpened tools: a pruner and a garden file. Places of cuts must be lubricated with garden pitch. After removing dried and broken branches, the plant quickly recovers.

Pruning related with the formation of a bush, start at 4-5 years of age and spend in early spring. In order to prevent the bush from growing in breadth and thickening, a part of the root growth is cut out annually, leaving no more than 2-3 root offspring for further growth. The most valuable are shoots that occupy a horizontal position at a height of 20-40 cm from the ground. Those shoots that creep along the ground or grow vertically upwards must be removed.

TO anti-aging pruning Japanese quince start when the age of the bush reaches 8-10 years. The signal for this is the weakening of annual growths to 10 cm. First, the bush is thinned out, removing all weak, thin and overly elongated branches, leaving only 10-15 of the strongest shoots. Since the main fruiting is concentrated on branches of 3-4 years of age, the Japanese quince bush is formed in such a way as to preserve them and remove those that are older than 5 years of age.

Disease protection

Japanese quince is practically not damaged by pests. In damp and cool weather, when air humidity is increased, favorable conditions are created for the appearance of various spots on the leaves and fruits of Japanese quince, sometimes necrosis appears. As a result of the development of fungal diseases, the leaves are deformed and gradually dry out. With ramulariasis, brown spots are visible, with cercosporosis - rounded brown spots that fade with age.

Most effective way the fight is spraying the bushes with 0.2% fundozol, or copper-soapy liquid (100 g blue vitriol per 10 liters of water) until the leaves unfold. Less dangerous infusion of onions: 300 g of juicy scales (or 150 g of husks) insist 1 day in 10 liters of water. The filtered preparation is used during the summer three times every 5 days.

Collection and storage of fruits

The fruits of Japanese chaenomeles ripen in late autumn, at the end of September or in October. Harvest from one bush can be 1-2 kg, and with good care more, up to 3 kg. Due to the fact that this crop is cross-pollinated, in order to obtain a good harvest, it is necessary to plant 2-3 varieties or several seedlings side by side.

IN middle lane Russia, especially when the summer is cool and rainy, the fruits ripen poorly and remain green for a long time. Then hurry to harvest the entire crop before the onset of frost. Fruits stuck by frost quickly fall off, become watery-soft, lose their taste and aroma. In this state, they are not suitable for processing and storage. The fact is that the fruits of chaenomeles normally ripen in bed at room conditions, then they can be stored for a long time, acquiring a yellowish color. Sometimes fruits, similar to small apples, wrinkle slightly, but do not rot and are suitable for all types of processing. At a temperature of +2 o C and high humidity air, they persist until December - February.