Allotments 4 All

Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: Lady Cosmos on December 13, 2005, 20:42:04

Title: Never done this so late.....
Post by: Lady Cosmos on December 13, 2005, 20:42:04
(http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/9052/boom11tq.jpg)

This is my 25 years old quince tree and today ( the weather was so nice) I picked the last quinces- 13 december!!!


(http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/2660/boom23hx.jpg)


I had nearly 70 quinces this year and made jelly and sauce.
(http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/544/boom31zg.jpg)

(http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/5426/boom41pf.jpg)

Never had "fresh" quince jelly and sauce at Christmas  ;D ;D
Title: Re: Never done this so late.....
Post by: Salpott on December 13, 2005, 20:46:23
Thaty's quite a harvest Lady Cosmos!!

I've never had quince before, do they taste similar to anything else? 

Title: Re: Never done this so late.....
Post by: Delilah on December 13, 2005, 21:15:02
Wow thats impressive Lady Cosmos :)
Title: Re: Never done this so late.....
Post by: Lady Cosmos on December 13, 2005, 21:29:52
I have no words to tell you how they taste, salpott, only the fresh smell when cooking them :P :P, but Browne called them: the stomch's comforter and Parkinson said: there is no fuit growig in the land that is of so many excellent uses as this serving as well to make many dishes of meat for the table and much for their physical virtues".
But in marmalades, jelly  they taste veeerry good, indeed ;D
Interested? read this:
www.vegparadise.com/highestperch51.html
Title: Re: Never done this so late.....
Post by: Mrs Ava on December 13, 2005, 23:23:03
oooooooooooo so jealous!  Looks fabulous.  Quince tree and peach tree are on my wish list.....now I need another acre of land!! :o
Title: Re: Never done this so late.....
Post by: Paulines7 on December 14, 2005, 10:52:00
Quince was my favourite jam when I was a child.  It is difficult to find nowadays but I found some Quince jelly in the USA and brought it home with me.  It doesn't have the same taste though.  Maybe my taste buds have changed over the years!

Lovely photo's Lady Cosmos.  I will have to get myself a tree and make my own jam.  Are quince trees self fertile or would I need to have two? 

Pauline
Title: Re: Never done this so late.....
Post by: dandelion on December 14, 2005, 11:41:23
OH I Am SOOOO jealous! I planted a quince tree in my previous garden, just a few miles from here. Can't bear to go and look over the fence to see if it's still there.

My garden is too shady for another tree and on the allotment only cordons and espaliers on dwarf stock are allowed.  Your quince looks more like a shrub than a tree though, mine had a proper trunk. How tall is yours? Maybe I could get away with it if I call it a shrub?
Title: Re: Never done this so late.....
Post by: Lady Cosmos on December 14, 2005, 12:28:10
Hallo Pauline, you need only 1 tree, they are small, not more than 3 or 4 meters tall and Yes, I agree, the jelly you can buy in shops is not at all so nice as the one you make yourself. Total different taste.
My quince is a tree and has a trunk but is behind the leaves, Dandelion. It is possible to prune the tree every year, to keep it in shape and to keep a shrub form, but it is really a very small tree and it should give about 30 years fuit. :P :P
Title: Re: Never done this so late.....
Post by: dandelion on December 14, 2005, 12:47:11
Thanks Lady Cosmos. I'm hatching a plan now. Googled a bit and found out quinces are available on dwarf rootstock Quince c, which should be suitable for training as an espalier.... http://www.keepers-nursery.co.uk/stockresults.aspx?fruittype=8
Title: Re: Never done this so late.....
Post by: Lady Cosmos on December 14, 2005, 16:18:06
Dandelion, keep in mind that not all the varieties taste the same!!
Try to find out which one is best for you, Some have much more tast that the other and some of them are better for jelly f.i.and some are better for cooking in the oven...... ???
Title: Re: Never done this so late.....
Post by: katynewbie on December 14, 2005, 16:43:42
 ;D ;D ;D
Ooooooooh quince!! We had one growing against the wall when I was little. Unique aroma........nothing else comes close!!
Mum used to make quince jelly and jam, everyone else hated it so I got to scoff the lot!!

Well done you, Lady C!!
Title: Re: Never done this so late.....
Post by: flowerlady on December 14, 2005, 18:45:39
Lady C  do you happen to know the variety of your Quince? 

Love Quince Jelly.  Delish!! :D

Used to live in a house called Quince House, it didn't have one so I bought it one, then movved and had to leave it behind  :'( :'( :'(
Title: Re: Never done this so late.....
Post by: Lady Cosmos on December 14, 2005, 19:29:49
Mine is a champion.
Very good information about varieties and growing etc is to be find at google
agroforestry news quince cydonia oblonga
Title: Re: Never done this so late.....
Post by: dandelion on December 14, 2005, 20:44:23
I grew Vranja in my previous garden. It's a serbian variety I think. Has anyone tried  Meeches prolific? Some of the other varieties I've seen listed come from Iran and Turkey, but I wonder how well those would perform in the UK :-\?
Title: Re: Never done this so late.....
Post by: blight on December 15, 2005, 12:15:17
@dandelion,
as far as i know, most  quince trees are buddes on "quince type c".
i train my quince- bushes as espaliers.
given the right climate, they make spectacular hedges - gorgeous bloom.
Title: Re: Never done this so late.....
Post by: dandelion on December 15, 2005, 12:39:20
Thanks blight. Good to hear quince can be grown as an espalier! I am asking Ken Muir what rootstock their quinces are on. According to info on the Keepers nursery site quince can be  grown opn its own roots or grafted onto Quince C (dwarfing), quince A (semi-dwarfing) or Pyrus (must be quite a sight! My neighbour's pear tree which grows on its own roots is as big as an oak!)
Title: Re: Never done this so late.....
Post by: Lady Cosmos on December 15, 2005, 12:48:49
The berecrcki (Vranja), Champion, Meechs, Maliformis and quince A are fine to grow. Hardy till -15C at least, not frost tender.
In UK fruit does not become soft on tree, has to be cooked before eating/ And in north of UK grow against sunny wall is the best. For cooler summers can take Orange apple and Smyrna. Meechs is great and earlier than Champion.