Does anybody have quince?

[coreopsis]

I was thinking about getting one but I still don't know if it's a bush or a tree.The ones I've seen so far were all bushy but when I looked at supplier it looks like a tree.

[BrideXIII]

erm, i do still have some seeds left, from a bushy one, but there is no guarentee to germination! PM me with your address if you want to give them a go.

[FB.]

Quinces are probably best described as large bushes or very small trees.
They appreciate moist soil.

[bobleponge]

Hmmm, I have a monster big quince tree in my front garden. Huge. Its so big I am going to cut one of the boughs this winter, which is at least a foot across.
I can get some seeds and send them when I get back if you like. I'm sure if you trained it in its formative years it would grow how you want it to, rather than this behemoth, which does as it pleases.

[Tam]

You'll find that the fruit won't ripen properly in our climate, as it takes a fair amount of heat for them to ripen properly. I shouldn't grow them from seed as most wild quince ir brick hard and pretty tasteless.

[bobleponge]

Just like mine which is why I am chopping half the tree down.
Makes fantastic wine though, which is why I am leaving the other half

[quark1]

This website will also assist regarding uses and cultivation.

Omitted - whoops!

http://www.agroforestry.co.uk/ansample.html


Tam is correct that they will not properly ripen in UK but I had at the back of my mind that they need to get a bit 'old'. The page confirms that after several weeks of storage the fruits will soften and be less astringent.

Quince has been used for centuries in old traditional British cooking recipes.

[tootles]

Are these one the fruits that should be left to 'blet' ie rot before eating?

[quark1]

Thank tootles - that's the word I was trying to think of!

[tootles]

Yeeuuchhhh!

[bobleponge]

I'm not sure about quince being left to blet but I know you have to let medlars do that, otherwise they are inedible.
My quince, to be honest, are either used for wine, (again I stress it was great!!) or fall on the floor and renourish my soil.

[coreopsis]

I used to make a syrup when I managed to steal some fruit from botanic garden(naughty me).The syrup has wonderful flavour.Quince itself doesn't rot(if the fruit is not damaged).
It dries off with some wrinkles but the scent is still the same-lovely

[swampie sue]

Quince is the original marmalade fruit, you can make delicious jelly from the hard quinces. Eat the jelly on toast, or with meats etc. or put it in your apple pies.