Re-siting a well established quince tree

PippyD

I've moved house and there's a very well established small quince tree/shrub prob. about 15 years old in my garden. It's full of fruit (which I'm not totally sure I can eat) but it needs to be moved as we're having building works done. Grateful for any advice on how to move it w/o causing too much damage to the tree. I'd love to try and save it if I can as it's been in the garden for years.   Any help on pruning, when and how to move it would be appreciated. i'll attach a photo asap.

pansyface

That's the Cydonia quince, not the Chaenomeles quince? Fifteen years is quite an age to be moving it. Can you not build a protective cage around it and tell the builders to take care?

Quince trees don't generaly need pruning. They just grow into interesting shapes.

You can make quince jelly with quinces but in my opinion the game isn't worth the candle.

Dovefromabove

Quinces are wonderful cooked with poultry, especially with guinea fowl or especially pheasant.  They give a flavour that's out of this world

And there's so many other interesting things you can do with them - http://www.thekitchn.com/quince-tough-fall-fruit-with-a-secret-reward-ingredient-intelligence-73041

I don't have a quince tree here, but I wish I had room for one.  I have to beg, borrow or buy my quinces

And a few quinces in a bowl give your home a wonderful perfume

PippyD

Great advice especially tips on cooking the quinces. As for the tree, its a case of move it or lose it because it's got to make way for an extension. I might have to take my chances and move it but it won't be until the autumn so I'll keep up with the research!

thanks all.

PippyD

A pic of the tree 

treehugger80

if the builders are putting in foundations with a minidigger you could get them to dig around it first?

whenever you move an old plant you want as much root ball as possible, a 15 year old tree will need a root ball about 6 foot across and maybe 4 foot deep