Sick quince - please help me help my blooming beauty

malacoda

Hi All,

I've got a Chinese Quince that seems to be resisting all my efforts of help.

I picked up from a nursery mid-summer last year, cut it back in the fall, and left it in its pot to winter.

It handled the VA winter w/o trouble. And seemed fine in spring. I then repotted in late spring - end of May or so. Come early July when the real heat set in some of the leaves started to brown around the edges, then the centers would slowly yellow and the affected leaves would drop.

I thought it was the heat and so I stepped the watering just slightly. The past 6 weeks or so haven't been hot yet the problem seems to be increasing. I then thought that perhaps, since I used some premixed soil from a bonsai nursery, that perhaps the soil was a bit too high in ph. So I tried a bit of iron & acidifier additive a few days ago... still no change.

I've been checking it all summer for pests as well but - with the exception of 2 green bugs on it this evening (don't really know what they were...) haven't seen any sign of insects.

Anyone have any ideas what the ailment might be and how to treat it?

Thanks,
Malac

Attached Images

	quince_1.JPG (72.9 KB, 43 views)
	quince_3.JPG (73.2 KB, 39 views)

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RedPine

Maybe it is doing like mine are and getting ready to go dormant...winter fast approches.

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Joanie

The iron and acidifier was probably a good idea... but it will take more than a couple of days to show any signs of helping. The leaves probably won't go back to green... but the new leaves will look better. Which, since the tree is also going dormant, you may not see until next year.

Watch that you don't water too much. Let it dry slightly in between.

Other people with much more experience may also chime in here, and if so, their information is probably more pertinent. But my guess is that the tree is mostly just going dormant, along with perhaps lack of iron.

Joanie

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Brent

First, that doesn't appear to be a Chinese quince, Pseudocydonia sinensis, but rather a Flowering quince, Chaenomeles sp. Secondly, from the size of the stem, it appears to be literally swimming in that volume of what looks like a very water retentive soil. My guess is that it is staying far too wet and you have root issues. I would take it out of that pot, wash off the soil and inspect the roots. Repot in a more aerated bonsai type soil and smaller pot more suitable to the size and stature of your plant, probably a four inch pot. It could still get significant root growth before winter. Do NOT prune off any of the leaves, it needs all the help it can get. Fertilize it once, then let it go dormant.

Brent
EvergreenGardenworks.com
see our blog at http://BonsaiNurseryman.typepad.com

Joanie

Brent, thank you!!!

Joanie

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