The quince is an old fashioned fruit. I love it. Some say it's an acquired taste. We bottle it and have in on cereal over the winter. Its tart and turns pink when its stewed. I particularly love Quince jelly a floral smelling, pink jam- especially on toasted rewana or a bread like Vogels, and also the paste on a cheese board. In Palmerston North and I suspect all over New Zealand, the Quince tree does really well. Its also a root stock for other fruit trees like pears. Here's a little mihi to our Quince trees.
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| Early Oct |
Its still cold in October, but there's a shift going on, Things are just starting to get moving in the garden. Inside the Quince tree the sap rises and the buds pop and out come the leaves and very shortly there are blossoms ready to bloom. They start off tucked in a spiral in October in Palmerston North.
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| late Oct |
Ahhh, the blossoms open, this is the joyful time of tulips and daffodils. The insects wake up and get active. The flowers are visited by many insects including butterflies and bumble bees.
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| Mid Nov |
Within less than a month we have small fruit developing. They grow and bulge over the growing season. Some may fall off due to weather conditions.
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| Late Nov |
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| Mid Dec |
The fruit has a furry bloom, and its hard, harder than a pear.
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| Early March |
When they start to get fragrant, and I notice the birds going for them, I pick all the ones I can reach and have a big bottling session to fill the cupboards with jelly and stewed quince.
(I really should remember to take photos of the buds when the sap rises in early spring, and also the twiggy tree dormant in the winter. They're sorta the ugly stages- not exactly a photographers magnet)
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