Will my Quince Tree Die?

[Dramaqueen]

Today I started to nip the tree and ended up cutting huge branches off that were about dagging down to the ground. I really wanted to give the tree light and air passage but to do this I had to end up cutting some very large established branches. So now I can easily walk under the tree and stand whereas before, I couldnt even GET under it. My question is this, since the tree is in bloom and small fruits are showing will my tree die from this butchering? It looks nice and healthy now, but will it die or will this help the fruits and the rest of the branches that are there? Remember I had todl you all it was getting mold, well it has all kinds of parasites growing ont he branches also. So hopefully this will give it more air?

[lorna-organic]

I don't know, DQ. Trees are best pruned in cold weather when they are dormant. You'll have to wait and see what happens with your quince. Once in awhile I take off a single branch from a tree during summer, so far so good.

[Dramaqueen]

I don't know, DQ. Trees are best pruned in cold weather when they are dormant. You'll have to wait and see what happens with your quince. Once in awhile I take off a single branch from a tree during summer, so far so good.


It is still fairly cool here in the teens like 14C, I took off quarter of the tree abouts or maybe 1/5th of the tree. I really hope I dont kill it, that will be really tragic

[mjc]

It should be fine. Quince is a very tough tree, a not 'too domestic' relative of the apple and pear. The main concern about pruning after the tree 'wakes' up is the effect it has on fruit production. If you aren't concerned with the fruit don't worry about it. Other things that can happen after it is no longer dormant are the sap can attract bugs, more disease spores are present and more molds are active. But nothing worse than a tree getting damaged by a storm and every years millions of those happen, most them aren't managed in any way.

redbrick is going to be gone a couple of weeks, so he probably won't be able to comment...

[Dramaqueen]

It should be fine. Quince is a very tough tree, a not 'too domestic' relative of the apple and pear. The main concern about pruning after the tree 'wakes' up is the effect it has on fruit production. If you aren't concerned with the fruit don't worry about it. Other things that can happen after it is no longer dormant are the sap can attract bugs, more disease spores are present and more molds are active. But nothing worse than a tree getting damaged by a storm and every years millions of those happen, most them aren't managed in any way.

redbrick is going to be gone a couple of weeks, so he probably won't be able to comment...



I cut them all the way to the mother trunk, not just a cut of a branch, I went all the way inward to meet the mother branch. I have hundreds and hundreds of little quinces now on the tree. If I get any this year fine, if they all drop fine, I am not concerned about the fruits just the fact I want to keep the tree healthy and lush.

[deciduousLychees]

Maybe you could thin some of the fruit to minimize stress on the tree?

[Dramaqueen]

Maybe you could thin some of the fruit to minimize stress on the tree?



I already thinned hundreds of fruit by the chopping process. each leaf lobe has fruits forming. the tree is not all healthy as I had black spot in them last year, I am trying to avoid this by giving the tree more light and air flow, hopefully I will get a couple

[redbrick]

Hmmm, you took off about a fifth, you say? Most experts tell you to take no more than a third at a time, so you're all right there. While massive summer pruning isn't exactly ideal, like mjc said, it happens just about every time there's a thunderstorm. You should be okay. In fact, fruit trees prefer to have major branches removed, as opposed to having a "shear job" done. Opening up the tree will also help to control the black spot condition, although I'd also recommend that you start a spray program of copper and lime sulfur early next spring.

[Dramaqueen]

Hmmm, you took off about a fifth, you say? Most experts tell you to take no more than a third at a time, so you're all right there. While massive summer pruning isn't exactly ideal, like mjc said, it happens just about every time there's a thunderstorm. You should be okay. In fact, fruit trees prefer to have major branches removed, as opposed to having a "shear job" done. Opening up the tree will also help to control the black spot condition, although I'd also recommend that you start a spray program of copper and lime sulfur early next spring.

Yes, I sort of looked at the mass of the tree and see that it was not even a quarter but then again this is one big tall tree. So what if i fertilize it some, will this help a bit or the black spot is going to be here still? It is still cool or cold here so it is not hot at all for the pruning job i did. I didnt get arond to the spraying cuz it was not until fall that I saw the fruits with the black spot in them. isnt tehre anything I can do now to at least get a few good ones? With the hot dry April we had and cool wet May that tree is laden with fruits.

[redbrick]

I'm sorry, but once fungal diseases show up, you pretty much have them for the year. The trick is to treat for them before they spread (late winter to early spring). The other key thing is to make sure you clean up ALL of the fallen fruit, hanging "mummies" and leaves anywhere near the tree. All of these can harbor the fungus spores from one year to the next.

You can try a sulfur or copper spray application, but it isn't a sure thing at this point. I wish I had better news for you.