This is a collection of ornamental plants offering an edible harvest all year long. Each month I will highlight my favorite plant to be harvested at the time, its uses and attributes in the garden, as well as seasonal recipes to put it to use. Enjoy!
November
December
January
February
Featured Plant : QUINCE!
Quince Tree
Ornamental Qualities
Recipes
Care/Maintenance Tips
Quince Care
Plant Quince in a full sun, well drained location. Fall-Spring is the best time to plant any fruit tree as it gives the tree a chance to get its roots established before suffering through the heat of summer. Add a 2 in. layer of compost mulch around the drip line of the tree to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and feed the soil. Continue mulching each year. During the summer, water new plants deeply once a week. Make sure water penetrates the soil to 6 in. by digging down after watering. Once established, Quince will require less supplemental water.
Quince are trained to the shape of a tree or shrub early on, usually before purchasing and transplanting into the yard. Both trees and shrubs should be pruned yearly in the winter, when the plant is dormant. Keep in mind that fruit will form on the growth from the previous season, so shearing the entire plant will result in few, if any fruit. For Quince trees, prune the leaders of the main branches back by half of the previous season’s growth to an outward facing bud. For Quince shrubs, prune out oldest shoots all the way to the base to encourage new vigorous growth. Keep between 5-7 main shoots depending on the age and size of the tree. Always prune out any dead, damaged, or diseased branches. Look for branches that are crossing, rubbing, or crowding each other and prune one out. Thinning the tree each year provides proper air circulation and allows ample sunlight to penetrate the branches to ripen fruit.
Avoid pest issues by keeping the Quince well-mulched and well-watered. At the first sign of aphids, spray off with a strong jet of water and use soap spray at a last resort. Fire blight can also become an issue with Quince trees. This is a disease which turns the leaves black. At the first sign of fire blight, prune affected branches to 6 in. below the evidence of disease. Always sterilize pruners in an alcohol solution to avoid spreading the disease around the tree.
