I have an Aromatnaya quince that is probably 5 years old and 8+ feet. Every year it flowers great, it sets fruit and they grow to about the size of a raspberry (yellow and fluffy) and then they all fall off ;(.
I wondered if it needed to cross polinate so I tried to hand-pollinate from some other local quinces but they fell off this year.
I also tried to graft onto it other varieties using whip and tongue but that has failed two years in a row despite having a warm spring this year (all my apples grafted fine as usual).
Any ideas on why it drops all it's fruit or how to graft quince onto quince. It's super ironic to me given that Quince is a common rootstock. I'll try cleft grafts next year I guess.
Thx,
Scott.
We might or can't be as accurate in assessing yours not knowing where in the Country you are. If you are in an area that receives more than usual rainfall such as Battleground WA (high elevation prune hill for example) then I would be more saying your problem is stemming from bacterial disease, sometime of which the only visual symptoms would or could include lack of fruit which also includes poor takes when grafting. Actually anywhere west of the Cascades in Oregon or Washington these two observable issues are byproducts for many fruit trees in the stone fruit category. Also there are many asian (or nashi) pear cultivars being more destroyed by this moisture causing problem than other cultivars. Is your quince recommended for your area?
thanks I'm in bellevue, washington. I have lots of pears and plums and apples and stuff that fruit fine. even my nectarine struggles but does better. if there is another variety that is better recommended for here let me know.
Hi Scott,
Welcome to the HOS forum. Rain is harder on quince (and peaches, nectarines, and apricots) than on pears, plums, apples, cherries, and "normal garden fruit". I have seen many sole quince trees that fruited and I very much doubt they need a pollinator. I would look to nutrition or drainage, probably nutrition. Mine get rust, a fungal disease, and I have to manage it with compost tea. Improved drainage would help the plant to better use its nutrition.
John S
PDX OR