Crops › Quince
How to grow Quince
in the US
Sow March to November, plant out December, harvest July to October. About 730 days from seed to plate.
Shown for zone 6. Zone table further down.
Quince, it's a proper old-fashioned fruit, isn't it? A bit different from your apples and pears, but well worth a spot on the plot if you've got the room. Takes a bit of patience, like, but the reward is something special for your kitchen.
Sowing
Right, so quince seeds need a good start. You'll want to sow them indoors, really, in pots or trays with some good quality seed compost. Depth-wise, about half an inch (1.5 cm) is plenty. Timing depends a lot on your USDA zone, you know. For zones 5-7, you're looking at March, April, or May. Colder zones might lean towards April-May, whilst warmer ones can even sow in late fall or early winter, sometimes January or February. Keep the compost moist and warm; they're not the fastest to get going, to be honest.
Growing on
Once your little quince seedlings have a couple of true leaves, you can prick 'em out and pot them up into individual small pots. Give them a bit of space, like. Before they go out to their final spot, you'll need to harden them off for a week or two, gradually getting them used to the outdoors. Plant them out once all danger of last frost has well and truly passed in your area. They're trees, remember, so give 'em plenty of room, maybe 15 feet (4.5 meters) apart if you're planting more than one. If you're trying a dwarf variety, a big container works a treat.
Looking after it
Quince trees are pretty hardy once they get established. Keep them watered, especially in dry spells when they're young and bearing fruit. A good mulch around the base helps keep moisture in and weeds down, you know what I mean. Not much in the way of feeding needed, just a bit of general purpose feed in spring keeps them ticking over nicely.
What goes wrong
Like most things on the plot, quince can get a few visitors. Aphids can be a nuisance, especially on new growth; a good spray with soapy water often sorts them out. Slugs, well, they're always about, aren't they? Keep an eye out for them nibbling young leaves, and use your preferred method to keep 'em at bay. Healthy plants tend to fend off the worst of it.
Harvest
These beauties take their time, about two years from sowing to get a harvest, but it's worth the wait. You'll be picking your quince in September or October. They're ready when they turn a lovely golden yellow and smell absolutely cracking. Gently twist them off the branch. Store them in a cool, dry place; they keep well for weeks, or you can refrigerate them if you like. Proper good for jellies and crumbles.
My best tip for quince is just be patient with 'em, they're a long game, but that smell when they ripen is just something else, proper chuffed when I get a good crop.
Dates for your plot
Type your zone and the plant-out advice shifts to your frost dates.
Varieties, and whether the club would grow them again
| Variety | Club verdict |
|---|---|
| Smyrna Smyrna variety of Quince, a reliable performer. This one's a solid choice for any gardener looking for a dependable crop. | No club votes yet |
| Aromatnaya Aromatnaya variety of Quince, another reliable performer. You can count on this one to give you a good yield year after year. | No club votes yet |
| Pineapple Quince Pineapple Quince variety of Quince, a reliable performer. Known for its distinctive flavor, it's a good one for cooking. | No club votes yet |
| Portugal Portugal variety of Quince, a reliable performer. This sturdy variety produces good quality fruit for all your culinary needs. | No club votes yet |
| Crimea Crimea variety of Quince, a reliable performer. A robust choice that consistently delivers a healthy harvest. | No club votes yet |
| Orange Orange variety of Quince, a reliable performer. This variety is known for its lovely color and good flavor when cooked. | No club votes yet |
| Van Deman Van Deman variety of Quince, a reliable performer. A solid choice that will give you plenty of fruit for your kitchen. | No club votes yet |
| Champion Champion variety of Quince, a reliable performer. This one lives up to its name, offering a consistent and good quality harvest. | No club votes yet |
| Cooke's Jumbo Cooke's Jumbo variety of Quince, a reliable performer. This variety is known for its good size fruit and dependable harvest. | No club votes yet |
| Vranja Vranja variety of Quince, a reliable performer. A trustworthy option for good, solid quince fruits. | No club votes yet |
| Meech's Prolific Meech's Prolific, a heavy producer with excellent yields. If you want a proper glut of quince, this is the one to go for. | No club votes yet |
| Rich's Dwarf Rich's Dwarf, a compact variety perfect for containers. Ideal if you're short on space but still fancy growing your own quince. | No club votes yet |
| Fuller Fuller variety of Quince, a reliable performer. A good, consistent producer that you can depend on for your harvest. | No club votes yet |
| Karp's Sweet Karp's Sweet variety of Quince, a reliable performer. This one's got a lovely sweet flavor, cracking for pies and preserves. | No club votes yet |
| Kaunching Kaunching variety of Quince, a reliable performer. Another dependable choice that will provide a steady supply of fruit. | No club votes yet |
Votes are members rating varieties in their Seed Tin, one vote per gardener. Tap a variety for the full page and where to buy.
Buy Quince seeds
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Sowing by USDA zone
| Zone | Sow / plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April to May | August to September |
| Zone 4 | April to May | August to September |
| Zone 5 | March to May | August to October |
| Zone 6 | March to November | July to October |
| Zone 7 | March to November | July to October |
| Zone 8 | February to November | July to November |
| Zone 9 | February to December | June to November |
| Zone 10 | November to February | June to November |
Cook the harvest
Whole quince halves poached slowly in a fragrant syrup of sugar, red wine, cinnamon, star anise, and vanilla until they turn a stunning deep rose-red and become tender enough to cut with a spoon. The resulting poached quince is elegant as a dessert served with thick cream or yogurt, alongside a cheese course, or as a festive condiment for roast pork or lamb. Most of the work is hands-off — the oven does everything.
170 min · easyThinly sliced quince and apple are layered in alternating fans over a buttery almond cream filling in a crisp tart shell, creating a visually stunning dessert that highlights the quince's unique floral perfume. The quince is poached briefly before slicing to tenderise it and coax out its rose-gold colour, while the apple stays raw to provide a contrasting fresh crunch. This is autumn baking at its most graceful.
90 min · challengingMembrillo is the jewel-like, deep amber quince paste that is the definitive companion to Manchego cheese on any Spanish-inspired cheese board. Made by cooking quince pulp with equal weight sugar until it sets into a sliceable paste, the result is extraordinary — dense, perfumed, sweet-tart, and deeply complex with a flavor unlike any other fruit preserve. A labor of love that keeps for months and impresses absolutely everyone.
110 min · mediumQuince halves slowly poached in a fragrant spiced syrup of red wine, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and vanilla until they turn a magnificent deep rose-ruby color and become completely tender. This classic French preparation is one of the most elegant autumn desserts imaginable — served with a spoonful of thick cream, a slice of tarte, or simply alongside vanilla ice cream, the poached quince is both beautiful and extraordinary.
75 min · easyWatch for, and grow alongside
Companions: nasturtium, chives, comfrey, white clover, yarrow, daffodils
Questions people ask
When do you sow Quince in the US?
Sow Quince from March to November in zone 6, earlier or later by zone. Plant out December, after the last frost.
How long does Quince take from sowing to harvest?
Roughly 730 days, with the harvest July to October.
Which Quince varieties do gardeners grow again?
Club members rate every variety they grow. This page shows the grow-again votes for Smyrna, Aromatnaya, Pineapple Quince, Portugal and more.
Track your Quince from packet to plate
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.
Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 3 September 2026.