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Japanese quince blooms very luxuriantly and beautifully. Sometimes buds do not form – there are various reasons for this problem and options for solving it. The fruits of the perennial are edible, but the shrub may not bear them. Often the reason is the same as in the absence of flowering.
How the Japanese quince tree grows and blooms
Japanese quince can grow up to 3 m. The diameter of the crown in some varieties exceeds the height. The shrub grows slowly. In a year, the height increases by 5 cm, the width – by the same amount. Chaenomeles finally grows by 5-10 years. He lives for decades, with good care up to 60-80 years.
Chaenomeles blooms profusely. The color of the petals depends on the variety. The classic version is red-pink or orange shades. The flowers can also be pink, creamy pink, white. In diameter, they reach 3,5 cm. Depending on the variety of Japanese quince, flowers can be simple, double.
When and for what year quince blooms
The flowering of Japanese quince bushes begins in spring. The buds usually open in late April or early May.
How many blooms Japanese quince
Flowering of Japanese quince lasts 3-4 weeks. Specific dates depend on the perennial variety. The duration of flowering is higher, the smaller the number of buds on one branch and pollen. The reverse rule also applies. This rule applies to most plants.
Why Japanese quince does not bloom
When planting Japanese quince, gardeners expect annual and lush flowering from it. His absence becomes a great disappointment. There are many possible reasons for this problem.
The lack of flowering in chaenomeles may be due to an incorrectly chosen place for planting. The shrub loves the sun, shading is not only not required for it, but it can also do harm. Poor lighting is fraught with a slowdown in growth and development, a reduction in the number of buds, and a complete lack of flowering.
Another important aspect is the soil. Japanese quince prefers sod-podzolic, loamy or sandy soil. The shrub needs an abundance of humus, the optimal acidity is 6-6,5 pH. If the soil is peaty or alkaline, this will have a bad effect on the development of the plant, its flowering. The risk of certain diseases is increased.
Chaenomeles is a cross-pollinated plant, so it needs neighbors of other varieties. Their absence is badly reflected not only in fruiting, but also in pollination. It is optimal to plant a perennial in small groups of 3-4 bushes.
The reason for the absence or deterioration of the flowering of Japanese quince may lie in improper care for it. One of the mistakes is waterlogging the bush. Frequent or excessive watering can cause root rot. This will reflect badly on the whole plant, including its flowering.
Another possible mistake when caring for quince is the abuse of nitrogen fertilizers. Top dressing is carried out in the spring. If you choose the wrong dosage, all the forces of the plant will be spent on the formation of green mass, flowering will suffer.
The flowering of Japanese quince is poorly reflected by the lack of weeding and thickening of plantings. The abundance of weeds and other crops nearby can inhibit the growth and development of shrubs. If there are tall trees nearby, they can shade the quince, and sunlight is important for it.
Another mistake when leaving is the refusal to loosen. This measure is very important for proper gas exchange. Without it, the roots will not receive enough oxygen, which will adversely affect the entire plant. If the soil has a heavy mechanical composition, a hard crust forms on the surface. Because of this, moisture begins to evaporate quickly, the plant is deficient.
Chaenomeles flowering problems can occur with improper pruning. The maximum of buds is formed on the shoots of 3-4 years. You need to leave branches of different ages, cut off old specimens from five years old. Be sure to get rid of diseased, dried, damaged branches. If you ignore pruning, flowering will decline. Gradually, the buds will cease to form at all.
The reason for the poor flowering of Japanese quince or its absence may lie in the excessive deepening of the root collar during planting. Because of this, the bark gradually rots, signs of bush depletion appear, but top dressing does not help. In addition to growth inhibition, the problem can be identified by small and pale foliage, its early shedding. The deepening of the root collar can occur not only during planting, but also for other reasons:
- raising the level of the site;
- ground subsidence;
- subsequent planting of the lawn;
- abundant mulching and hilling.
What to do if the quince does not bloom
The problem of the lack of flowering in chaenomeles in most cases can be solved. You should start by finding out the cause of the trouble. To make the quince tree bloom as in the photo, you can take the following measures:
- Thin out landings.
- Organize proper care – regular and moderate watering, systematic weeding, loosening.
- Properly trim shrubs. Recovery may take 2-3 years.
- Plant 2-3 bushes of a different variety nearby for cross-pollination.
- Provide protection from the north wind.
- Remove shading.
- Normalize the acidity of the soil. It can be reduced by liming, increased by the introduction of peat, compost or manure.
- Reduce the nitrogen content in the soil. One method is abundant watering. With an excess of moisture, the availability of nitrogen is limited, mineralization is slowed down. Another option is to use elements involved in the processing and transformation of nitrogen. These are molybdenum, magnesium, copper.
- Graft chaenomeles on a tree. You can use a pear, according to reviews, flowering improves in both crops.
Why quince blooms but does not bear fruit
Fruiting of chaenomeles usually begins 1-2 years later than flowering. The timing depends on the origin of the shrub. When planted with seeds, the perennial begins to bear fruit by 4-5 years. In the case of grafting with a cutting, the process starts already at the age of 2-3 years.
If the Japanese quince blooms but does not bear fruit, the reason may lie in the absence of neighbors for cross-pollination. This rule applies to most varieties. The problem is solved by planting 2-3 bushes. The fruits will appear in 2-3 years.
An important point for genomeles is pruning. During it, it must be borne in mind that the predominant shoots bear fruit at the age of 3-4 years. It is they who should make up the majority of the branches after pruning. Shoots of other ages are also important, only extra specimens and older than 5-6 years should be removed.
Chaenomeles are usually planted because of the high decorativeness due to flowering. Over the years of cultivation of the shrub, many varieties have appeared, including hybrid ones. Some of them are sterile, that is, they do not bear fruit. This point must be clarified at the time of purchase, so as not to be disappointed later.
Often, the lack of fruiting in quince is associated with improper care. This applies not only to pruning, but also to watering, fertilizing, loosening, weeding.
The reason for the lack of fruiting may be the wrong place for planting. Little light, north wind, heavy or poor soil – all this has a detrimental effect on the shrub.
Chaenomeles comes from warm countries, therefore it can suffer from frost. Buds are leaf and fruit, differentiation occurs in October-November and March-May. Outwardly, they are the same. Kidney development begins in autumn. They are very tender and easily damaged, frost can kill them.
Conclusion
Japanese quince blooms and bears fruit usually from 3-4 years of age. Both processes may not start or stop over time for a number of reasons, most often due to an incorrectly chosen landing site, non-compliance with the basic rules of care. In most cases, the situation can be corrected. Recovery sometimes takes several years, but for a long-lived bush, this is normal.