Japanese Quince

[out in the cold]

Hi folks,

I had thought my Japanese Quince had turned up it's toes and shuffled off to the big compost heap in the sky, however it has started sprouting leaves again.

I only got the plant last year and have never pruned it, has anyone got any advice as to how I should prune this back in the spring?

Thanks

[VirginVegGrower]

I would leave it to establish if it was me. No dead bits I assume? Is it Chaenomeles? They have a ground cover, low and spreading habit. Let it do it's thing in the first two to three years.

[out in the cold]

It is a Chenomalaes. (White Jet variety IIRC).

It apparently likes shade, so it is in a half barrel tub in a fairly shaded part of the garden. I had thought about maybe trying to trellis it, so I could improve the shape and floral spread.

Any fruit would be a bonus, but I am partial to a bit of quince, if I can manage it

[veggiechicken]

I've only had the bog standard orange ones but they're as tough as old boots. A bit straggly if left to do their own thing. I had some against the house, under the window and it was kept clipped into a hedge shape.
The japonica quince are quite different to the big furry quince. Still useful for jelly though!

[VirginVegGrower]

I too had mine under a window and clipped but not at a year old! It needs to put down its roots and establish before shaping it. Mine didn't go straggly and I did have the white one. Got killed by hard frost of three years ago. So they like a bit of sun on their face they do work well if trained and I used vine eyes and wires with mine, but trellis would provide support/structure. I would establish some lateral shape before chopping away IMHO.

[Two_Sheds]

Mine's (pink flowered) being pruned back to the fence. It hasn't needed any support, the wood is incredibly strong.

I don't like it (cos I hate pink), but the birds do (they shelter between it and the fence panel). I made jelly with the fruit one year, it was OK (I don't eat much jam, so won't bother again).