RHS Growing Guides
How to grow quinces
Our detailed growing guide will help you with each step in successfully growing Quince.
Getting Started
Quinces are rarely sold in supermarkets, so why not grow your own?
They are sometimes confused with the Japanese quince (Chaenomeles), a thorny shrub grown for its spring blossom. This also produces aromatic fruits, but they’re much smaller and, although edible, aren’t worth eating. There is also a Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis), which is less widely available but forms an attractive, compact tree with aromatic fruits that can be cooked in the same way as Cydonia quinces.
Month by Month
Jobs to do now
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Harvest |
Choosing
Quinces vary in size, shape, flavour and ripening time
Different quince varieties have differing tolerance to quince leaf blight, a fungal infection that can significantly affect vigour and fruiting, especially in wet summers. If you live in a wetter part of the country, consider planting 'Serbian Gold' or 'Aromatnaya', which have been found to show good tolerance to the disease among the quince collection at RHS Garden Wisley.
You can find quince trees in the orchards and fruit plots of the RHS gardens, so do visit to see how they are grown, compare the varieties and pick up useful growing tips.
What and where to buy
Quince trees may be available in larger garden centres, but for the widest choice visit specialist fruit nurseries and online fruit tree suppliers. Quinces are best bought as two-year-old trees with the first branches already formed. They are sold ready for planting in two forms:
- Bare-root trees – available while dormant, from late autumn to early spring, for immediate planting, and generally cheaper than trees in pots
- Container-grown trees – available all year round for planting at any time, though during the tree's dormant period is preferable
Recommended Varieties
Heavy cropper producing sweetly scented, pear-shaped yellow fruits.
Large, rounded, golden fruits, highly aromatic. Compact tree, good resistance to leaf blight.
Planting
Plant new quince trees between November and March, while they are dormant. Choose a warm, sunny, sheltered spot, as the spring flowers are susceptible to frost damage, and sun is needed for the fruit to ripen.
In southern England or milder urban or coastal locations, quinces usually crop well in open ground, but further north or in colder or more exposed sites, they are best planted against a south- or south-west-facing wall, for extra warmth and shelter. Allow space for the tree’s eventual size – quinces can reach 3-4.5m (10-15ft) in height and spread, depending on the rootstock, position and soil type.
Quinces can eventually become broad trees, so ensure you leave enough space
Quinces tolerate a range of soils, but prefer those that are deep, fertile and moisture-retentive. No soil preparation is generally needed before planting. However, if your soil is light or shallow, add a bucketful of organic matter, such as garden compost or well-rotted manure, to the soil you remove from your planting hole and use this to backfill after planting. This minimises soil disturbance and gets your tree off to a strong start.
Prepare your tree for planting by giving it a thorough watering if it’s in a pot or by standing it in a bucket of water for half an hour if it’s a bare-root tree. Put a sturdy tree stake in place after planting to support your tree while it establishes.
For advice on how to plant your quince tree, see our guides below:
Planting in containers
Compact varieties of quince on a dwarfing (Quince C or Quince Eline) rootstock can be grown in large containers. Choose a pot at least 45-60cm (18in-2ft) wide and fill with a good quality, soil-based compost such as peat-free John Innes No.3. Position in a warm, sunny, sheltered spot, such as on a south or west-facing patio.
Plant Care
Newly-planted quince trees and those growing in containers need some regular attention to ensure they establish well and produce a good crop. Once established, quince trees growing in the ground need little ongoing maintenance.
Watering
- Newly planted quince trees should be watered regularly during dry spells for the first couple of years after planting
- Trees in containers need a steady supply of moisture throughout the growing season, so water regularly in dry spells, aiming to keep the compost evenly moist
- Established trees in the ground shouldn't need watering if grown in moisture-retentive soil. However, trees may need additional water where the soil drains freely or during prolonged dry spells, especially when fruits are swelling
Try to water early in the morning or in the evening to minimise water loss from the soil, ideally using stored rainwater.
Mulching
Mulch trees growing in the ground each spring, spreading a thick layer of organic matter, such as garden compost or well-rotted manure, on the soil around the base of the trees. This helps to improve soil fertility, hold-in moisture and deter weeds. Just make sure to leave a small, mulch-free circle immediately around the base of the trunk to prevent rotting.
Feeding
Quince trees growing in regularly mulched soil shouldn't need any additional feeding. However, if harvests are poor or your tree is showing signs of nutrient deficiency, apply a granular fertiliser to the soil in early spring. Use our page on nutrient deficiencies to work out what is lacking and apply the recommended feed, following instructions on the packet.
Quince trees growing in containers benefit from regular feeding. Either apply an organic, high-potassium liquid fertiliser fortnightly through the growing season, or sprinkle a handul of a general-purpose granular fertiliser on the compost each spring.
Repotting
Container-grown trees need repotting every few years into a larger container of peat-free compost; this is best done in spring. Once it becomes impractical to move the tree into a larger pot, repot into the same one, removing and replacing any loose compost and lightly trimming the roots.
In the years between repotting, topdress by removing the top layer of compost and replacing with fresh.
Protecting flowers from frost
Quinces produce attractive white or pale pink, dog-rose-like flowers
Pruning and Training
Prune newly-planted quinces in the same way as apple trees, aiming to create an open-centred, goblet shape. If you get your quince into good shape early on, then only minimal pruning should be needed in future years. See our guide to initial pruning – although this is about apples, it applies equally to quinces.
Quinces produce fruit at branch tips, so take care not to remove these when pruning
Once established, quinces only need light pruning, which should be done in winter, while dormant, if necessary. Remove any dead, damaged or diseased wood and thin out any congested, unproductive, overly-vigorous or wayward stems. Aim to maintain a framework of well-spaced branches on a clear trunk. Quinces are tip-bearers, meaning the fruits mainly form on the tips of shoots formed the previous year, so take care not to remove these. As quince trees are usually grafted, also remove any suckers that sprout around the base.
With overgrown or congested quince trees, you can remove up to a quarter of the oldest branches if necessary, to open up the centre and create a balanced shape. Prune these back to just above their point of origin, or to a lower shoot that is around one-third of the diameter of the branch being removed.
Harvesting
Harvest just before the first frost, to give the fruits time to develop their aromatic flavour
The fruit should be stored for at least six to eight weeks, to allow it to ‘mellow’ before use. Only pick and store undamaged fruits, placing them in a cool, dark place in slatted wooden or cardboard trays – ensure the fruits don’t touch, and don’t wrap them. Quinces are strongly aromatic, so avoid storing with other fruits.
Quinces will keep for two or three months, so have the benefit of a long season of use. They can’t be eaten raw, but can be turned into deliciously aromatic jams, jellies, sweet pies and tarts, and a traditional Spanish quince paste called membrillo.
Problems
Quince trees are usually robust and healthy, with few issues other than quince leaf blight. Although many of the diseases and insects that affect apples and pears can also affect quinces, they are seldom significant problems. See Common problems below for details.
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.