How to Grow Quince
Quince At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Tree Fruit
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -23°C
Plant Family
Rosaceae
Growing Season
Cool Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Buy a young grafted quince and plant it in early spring while it is still leafless, about 4 weeks before your last frost. Soak bare roots for a few hours, plant so the graft bump sits above the soil and water deeply. It stays a small, shrubby tree, so about 4 m of space is plenty, or grow it in a large pot.
Quince is an old-fashioned fruit tree with pale pink spring flowers and golden fruit with a wonderful perfume. A single tree fruits on its own. The fruit is too hard and sour to eat raw, but cooked it turns pink and sweet in jelly, quince paste or apple pie.
When To Start
Quince likes cool weather. Sow it in early spring, as soon as the ground can be worked.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Quince?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Quince Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Quince Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Plant your quince tree while it is still leafless
30 days before your last frost
Lightly prune your quince while it is bare
45 days before your last frost· every year· optional
Pick quinces once fully golden, before a hard frost
2 weeks before your first frost· every year
Water your new quince plants well while they settle in. Deep and slow is best.
About 1 days after you plant it
Lovely, your quince is planted! Water it deeply once a week while it settles in.
About 30 days after you plant it
Checking in on your quince. Keep grass and weeds away from the base so the young roots get the water.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Quince's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Plant quince in full sun, in a warm, sheltered spot, since the fruit needs a long season to ripen.
- 2Mix compost into the planting hole and keep a layer of mulch over the roots.
- 3Water deeply once a week for the first 2 years, then during long dry spells.
- 4Spread a layer of compost around the tree each spring as its food.
- 5Prune lightly in late winter, only to shape it and remove dead or crossing branches.
- 6If shoot tips turn black and curl over like a shepherd's crook, cut them off well below the damage and wipe your pruners clean between cuts, since this disease (fire blight) spreads on tools.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
400 cm
Mature Height
350 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
21 days
When to Pick
Pick when fully golden-yellow and fragrant, late autumn before hard frost
How to Harvest
- 1Quinces are ready in fall when they turn from green to fully golden yellow and smell sweet and flowery.
- 2Pick them before a hard frost, twisting gently, and handle them carefully since they bruise easily.
- 3Rub off the grey fuzz on the skin before cooking.
- 4Store them in a single layer in a cool spot for up to 2 months, away from other fruit, which picks up their smell.
- 5Cook them slowly into jelly or quince paste, or add a few slices to an apple pie.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
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