North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Kieran &/or Donna" <holycow@frontiernet.net>]

Doug wrote:
Pears on Quince A rootstocks do just fine on Vineland fine sandy loam
(peach soil) here. From what I read they are less tolerant of wet soils
than pear and demand underdrainage.


This is very odd.  I have read that quinces are one of the few fruits that 
can be grown on boggy, poorly drained soil.  When I had my husband "talk" 
with the quince cuttings I wanted to plant, he said they wanted the soil 
downright wet, and with as much dark organic matter as possible, like leaf 
compost.  (He doesn't know anything about quinces, I try not to tell him 
anything about the plant he's talking with.)  Our soil is heavy clay, but 
with good slope ie external drainage.  I talked with someone in the PNW who 
has excessively well drained soil, and quince didn't do well for him.   Mind 
you, the quince rootstocks I paid big bucks for last year rotted and died in 
all the early spring rain.  Annie Black said maybe it was the rain, but this 
year my cuttings seem to like it.  Not the ones in pots though, only the 
ones in the ground.  Will have to do some more research.  Anyone else with 
experience with quince or books handy?  Sounds like our books are 
disagreeing.      Donna