[Ben_H]

My neighbour's Japanese Quince ( Japonica spp.) has been growing under the fence and forming a wild and straggly mess that encroaches across our patio. It produces lots of pretty flowers and occasional fruit.

Having read a few threads on the subject I'm undecided whether it's worth cutting it back and trying to train it in a more orderly fashion for fruit production (and pretty flowers) or just try and get rid of it.

Thoughts?

[Trillium]

Since the tree is still on your neighbour's side, you can't really damage/touch it without their permission. Approach them, tell them what's happening and discuss an amicable solution. If the tree has gotten so out of control, then it's possible they wouldn't mind if you cut it down. But only with their permission.

[madcat]

As Trillium says, its not yours so you cant just kill it off.  And chopping it back each year is a chore.  So why not make virtue of necessity, prune it and train it up your side in a pretty fan shape.  However, before you put a lot of care into it, check your neighbour isnt promptly going to uproot/kill it and waste your efforts (if he is, get some cuttings first  - they strike very easily!).

[DD.]

English law says that you can cut it back, but the cuttings remain the property of next door. They must be offered them back. (By the book).

Not by the book says don't throw them back!

If you train it for fruit production - it still belongs to next door.

As Trillium says, negotiation is the best way forward,  but be prepared for them to say no.

(In that case they'll have a load of cuttings to deal with!)

[Ben_H]

Thanks for the replies but I should have been a bit clearer. The stuff on my side is mainly suckers and describing it as tree is extremely charitable as there is no main stem.

Interesting on the cuttings point. Does that go for fruit as well? When we first moved in the neighbour came round to collect the fruit as he'd "always done" but never offered us any of the jam which I thought would have been nice. Since then the fruit production has been minimal though this year we have more than normal with 4-5 fruit of a reasonable size.

Previous threads seem to be divided over whether the fruit is edible or just too bitter. We're not producing enough fruit at the moment to do anything useful with so I will need to put a bit of effort and a couple of years of growing into finding out whether or not I should have kept it in the first place. Just wondered whether it was really worth it or should I scrap it, try to prevent regrowth on my side and put something else in that is equally "attractive" but has a more edible end product.

Cheers

[mumofstig]

I'd cut it back to the boundary line....top growth and roots/suckers. Then put some sort of barrier in the soil to try to prevent the roots coming back through in the short term.

Then you can grow what you'd like to eat, rather than what a neighbour decides on

It will take some hard work but will be worth it IMO

[compostqueen]

The Japanese quince is not the true quince which is Cydonia, but is related.  The fruits are generally decorative and not eaten.  Quince jam comes from the cydonia oblonga which is a proper fruit tree and looks a bit like a pear tree

I have a Japanese quince and it looks beautiful when it's flowering but maybe your neighbour's one has had its day and needs replacing. It's your garden so plant what you like 

[crh75]

The Japanese quince is not the true quince which is Cydonia, but is related.  The fruits are generally decorative and not eaten. 

I grew up eating quince and rosemary jelly made from a Japanese Quince.  Recently I have started making they same jelly with proper quinces and I can't tell the difference in taste!

[compostqueen]

Oh that's worth knowing then. I have a lovely white Japanese one in my garden 

[madcat]

I've got a batch waiting to be jarred at the moment.  I make it half and half japanese quince (a lovely red one) with apple, sometimes plain, sometimes with cinnamon (lovely with turkey at Christmas) or chilli and sometimes with herbs.  very flexible and fragrant.