Quince trunk chop?

[Dirty Nails]

Hi all, new member here.

The other day I was crusing through the Lowes garden center and got a surprise. There was a row of Toyo Nishiki quince in 3 gal for only $16.98. I was stunned as I had been growing a couple of starters for 2 years with (what I thought) was typical slow growth (the main "trunk is still thinner than a pencil). These Lowes quince had some thumb thick trunks but had been mutilated by bad pruning.

My question is can you trunk chop these quince? If so when? I would like to take one down to 3-4" but not sure how they back bud. Thanks...

 

[Jason]

Hi all, new member here.

The other day I was crusing through the Lowes garden center and got a surprise. There was a row of Toyo Nishiki quince in 3 gal for only $16.98. I was stunned as I had been growing a couple of starters for 2 years with (what I thought) was typical slow growth (the main "trunk is still thinner than a pencil). These Lowes quince had some thumb thick trunks but had been mutilated by bad pruning.

My question is can you trunk chop these quince? If so when? I would like to take one down to 3-4" but not sure how they back bud. Thanks...

Toyo Nishiki at Lowes? I clearly have to get out more. You can trunk chop a quince. If you take it back too far it will usually re-sprout from the root. Usually you'd be safe taking it back to 1-2 internodes. Successive chops are always safe (starting at first leaves or shoots). The time would be now (provided its healthy).

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Agreed. I bought a couple Toyo Nishiki quinces and planted them in the ground a few years ago, and have chopped them back from a 4' bush to 6" a couple times now. They respond very well...tough, and fast-growing.

They sucker up, grow straight, and close wounds slowly, so keep that in mind. Prune so cuts are on the eventual back side if possible, and prune to create/develop short trunk sections with as much movement as you can get.

 

[tolz]

Trunk Chop

Brian, Any photos of the your quinces?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Brian, Any photos of the your quinces?

Not much to look at yet, but here they are:

 

[Dirty Nails]

Pictures

Here are the 2 quince I got at Lowes. What do you think?

 

[fredtruck]

They are good starts. Quince don't thicken up the way many trees used for bonsai do. I have one I got from Brent recently that is over 25 years old and is just over an inch in diameter in the trunk. It won't make any difference whether you put them in the ground or not. They'll fatten up just as quickly in a pot. If you have a lot of patience, put them in the ground and let them go for 15 or 20 years. Then you'll have something to work with.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I know people say quince thicken slowly, and even show evidence that they may. I can tell you that I bought my Toyo Nishikis at about the size yours were, DN, and they have thickened considerably in 3 years in the ground. From about pencil-thick to greater than thumb-thick.

The quince in the first photo of post #5 has developed a 1.75" base, fusing with another, making it nearly 3.5" across...again, 3 years.

Your results may vary...