Update: Documentary ended 5/26/23

I love this thornless flowering quince because the sight of her reminds me home back in Oklahoma and Texas where she shines with her bold colors in the spring during Vietnamese Tết and Lunar New New Year, but she is not happy with me. I was documenting her life for my plant documentary but will have to end my plant-and-owner relationship with her.

I saw her and fell in love with her at first sight online. I researched her profile and background well before welcoming her into my life. I was confident she and I would be happy together. But things happen. She is a hard-to-please and high maintenance beauty. She stresses me out. Beauty is important but characteristic is even more important. I have had a rough two-year relationship with this beauty. Enough is enough. I have to let her go. Sigh.

Folks, please stay on subject and understand I am still referring to my beautiful Scarlet Storm, not some girl I met online. 😂

I will discuss about the potting versus in ground planting, fertilizer used, pruning technique, and just simply showing off my photography skill. I prefer Double Take hybrids over original flowering quinces because Double Take quinces are thornless. I searched online and noticed its hardy zones are 4 to 9.

Photoshoots:

3/5/22: I gave my Double Take “Scarlet Storm” quince a photoshoot. I used a white scrapbooking paper for the white backdrop. It brings out the flower so much better. I took the pictures with my Canon 6D body and Canon 35mm f1.5 prime lens and edit with Adobe Photoshop CS6.

Where to Buy Double Take Flowering Quinces:

There are four Double Take quince colors available. I gifted myself the Orange Storm and Scarlet Storm. I just ordered the Pink on Amazon for a special deal at $9.99. Now I’m just waiting for someone to love me enough to gift me the Double Take Pink to complete my collection. Click on the link to purchase or read the description about the Double Takes.

• Double Take Scarlet Storm
• Double Take Orange Storm
• Double Take Pink
• Double Take Peach

Potting Mix:

I bought the Scarlet Storm and Orange Storm in April 2021. It arrived in a one-quart pot and was about 8-inches tall. I pot it up in a 10-gallon black plastic pot at first with a bag of Lowe’s Sta-Green Potting Mix and a quart of perlite with an all-purpose-fertilizer. I place the pots out in the middle of my backyard garden so the sprinkler can water it three times a week.

Pest Issues:

I’m at year two growing and caring for the Double Take flowering quinces and it’s been two years in the row that I have noticed some pest issues.

• Aphid infestations: Aphids noticed on the Double Take are the little tiny green colored bugs and they multiply quickly too. Concentrated are of infestation focuses around new young buds and leaves, but not so much on the stems.
• Caterpillars: I’m unable to take a snapshot of the tiny caterpillars but they are very small about half an inch long and appear to be attracted to the flowers. This type of caterpillar likes to feed off on the Double Take flower petals.

(insert image of quince with aphid infestation here)

(insert image of caterpillar feeding on petals here)

Pest Treatment:

Planting In-Ground: I’m going to plant one of my Double Take quince in the ground to compare how the growth rate, habit, and health in zone 9B to see if it’s better than potting it up or not. This section will be updated later.

Mulching:

I recently started adding a one-inch layer of fine mulch in the potted Double Take flowering quinces. I would do the same if I planted mine in the ground.

Fertilizing Double Take Flowering Quinces

I was recommended to not let fertilizer touch the base of the plant. Too much fertilizer may burn the shallow roots. Miracle Grow’s Super Bloom fertilizer was recommended in the early spring after the last frost to encourage flowering. Flowering for these Double Take quinces occur only on hard wood that’s about two years or older.

Growth Habit & Pruning:

Since flowers bloom on old wood, pruning is not necessary. This is a bushy flowering plant that expands out to 3-4ft wide and 4-5ft tall. I like to have it with a few main branches instead of a thick flowering bush so I do pruned off any new bottom growth popping out from the soil level.

(images of before and after pruning)

Root System: to be updated

(insert image of root system)

(insert gallery slide for Double Take Scarlet Storm quince)

(insert gallery slide for Double Take Orange Storm quince)

(insert gallery slide for Double Take Pink storm quince)