Hello friends, take a look at these two pictures. My quince is late to wake up. This is my first spring with the tree, and I’m sure it’s fine, but it makes me a little nervous. I don’t remember if this is a new growth, but it must be and it’s a twig near the top of the tree covered in t fuzz. Is this a signal tree is fine. I also expose some cambium down low on the trunk and it was green.
My quince is still sleeping
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vp999
Masterpiece
Mine was pushing out buds over a month ago and now its covered in buds and we've been getting really cold weather here too...Have you been keeping it indoor?
namnhi
Masterpiece
I have the same thought as R0b. Is it still alive? I see some small branches shriveled up. It doesn't look good to me eyes. I have some that just died coming out of winter. I hope your still alive, but I don't like the way it looked.
SeanS
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It’s just inside your lounge for the photos, right?
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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If your outdoor trees, like maples and elms are still leafless, and you are keeping this quince outdoors, then it is fine. Continue to leave it outdoors,
But if you have been keeping this tree indoors, it is probably not fine.
Put it outside AFTER the street trees (elms and maples) in your neighborhood have begun to leaf out. I wait until maples leaves are half open, this is usually past last hard freeze. It is not an indoor tree but must be acclimated gradually to outdoor living. Wait until spring to put it outside. Don't pop it out into below freezing temperatures, the sudden change will kill any life left.
For time being, bright and cool as possible without freezing if it was indoors all winter.
But if you have been keeping this tree indoors, it is probably not fine.
Put it outside AFTER the street trees (elms and maples) in your neighborhood have begun to leaf out. I wait until maples leaves are half open, this is usually past last hard freeze. It is not an indoor tree but must be acclimated gradually to outdoor living. Wait until spring to put it outside. Don't pop it out into below freezing temperatures, the sudden change will kill any life left.
For time being, bright and cool as possible without freezing if it was indoors all winter.
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Many of the small branches look dead. The (very nice!) trunk doesn’t look shriveled from that first photo.
When you water it next, wait 30 minutes and then take a photo of the trunk where it meets the soil. It should show some dark “wicking” at the soil if it is taking water. It’s not the best angle, but the first photo seems to show wet soil and a little wicking at the trunk. That would be encouraging.
Here is mine as an example, rained last night and cool and cloudy today. It is nearly fully leafed out right now, a couple weeks early.
When you water it next, wait 30 minutes and then take a photo of the trunk where it meets the soil. It should show some dark “wicking” at the soil if it is taking water. It’s not the best angle, but the first photo seems to show wet soil and a little wicking at the trunk. That would be encouraging.
Here is mine as an example, rained last night and cool and cloudy today. It is nearly fully leafed out right now, a couple weeks early.
Ok, so that fuzzy covered twig isn’t a sign of healthy growth/live branch at the top of the tree. I purchased the tree this past fall and kept it with all my other trees in an attached garage. I’m able to maintain a 40° temperature there all winter. There might have been pre-existing condition. II purchased the tree this past fall and kept it with all my other trees in a attached garage that might be a pre-existing condition from that season that I’m not aware about. my other Chinese quince has woken up and I’m starting to get bud movement on my Japanese maple. and I’m a bit concerned about this quince tree. I’ve brought this inside the house to warm up and hopefully stimulate some growth. @Brian Van Fleet , ok, I will take a picture of the dark colored bark to indicate wicking. Thanks
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No reason to keep it inside, protect it from frost and expose it to morning sun to warm up. Let the soil dry before watering to ensure the root zone receives air and oxygen. Good luck, as Brian said the bark on the main trunk still looks ok.
Wulfskaar
Omono
What about using the old scratch test to see if the cambium is green?
Scratch testing is not good practice. The bark on the main trunk still looks alive but most of the twigs are definitely dead. So would you scratch the trunk and have an inconclusive result but create a scar when it is still alive? With a tree in my hands I never need to revert to scratch testing to see if it is alive or not. Plenty of better clues and if not bonsai is all about patience.
Wulfskaar
Omono
pandacular
Masterpiece
My mentor tells me that you can’t declare a tree dead from not waking up until July. Give it more time, even if there’s dieback it could still pull through.
