Chaenomeles (flowering quince) first repot

I was asking the below mentioned questions on an old thread (didn't want to start new) https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t13826p15-quince-purchase-worth-the-chance but I have had not much response, except Leatherback's opinion but which is a general one and I need something more specific...
So, here I start a new thread. I have bought a Chaenomeles and I need info about it since I have no experience with this species. It is a nursery plant into a 8-9lt pot but I don't know the exact variety, however it has bright coral red flowers and one or two of them have one of their petals a cream/beige colour.
I have read a lot here on IBC but didn't find anything addressing in specific my questions. I need to repot the plant into a training pot and I wonder if I can do it right away (spring time coming in my country - 9b zone) and these are my questions :

- Does it matter that the plant is in full bloom? No leaves emerging yet.
- How much root work shall I do safely?
- From my readings I would say that it can take hard pruning, am I correct?

Thank you very much in advance for your help.

If it ever stops blowing a gale for long enough that I can go outside without getting blown across the country to Edinburgh (heaven forfend!) then I am hoping to dig up a couple of ones I have been growing out in the garden for a few years. I will be doing a fair bit of root work to get them into their training pots and I will be doing some hard pruning too. I think they can stand a fair bit of hard treatment, but would have to add that this is here in the wet and windy west of Scotland. The added factor is that mine are only just thinking about blossoming at the moment and I was hoping to get them out before they did. If not, I may just wait until after they have bloomed. But to be honest, I don't know if it would set them back to work on them when they are in bloom. I suspect here it wouldn't make much difference, but then I don't need to worry about excessive heat and lack of water.

Hello, Fiona!
Sounds pretty harsh your weather there. So, the wind is blowing east to west (Edinburgh) isn't it? I was consulting the map to get an idea of the location
Nevertheless, I would very much like to be somewhere high up (in a sheltered dwelling with full view) looking at and hearing to the mighty sea waves! Splendor and absolute sovereignty of the sea!
Thank you for your response.

fiona wrote:... ...But to be honest, I don't know if it would set them back to work on them when they are in bloom. I suspect here it wouldn't make much difference, but then I don't need to worry about excessive heat and lack of water.

This is what bothers me, too.

Nellie Darling

Your Flowering quince is probably Chaenomeles x superba, a hybrid of which there are many variations.

It is safe to transplant when in flower, because this means that the plant started to grow.
But you will have to remove all the buds and flowers, cut them off using a scissors and leave the petiole to drop of by itself. This way it will send out leaves quicker.

Flowering quince can be Manhandled very roughly without any ill effects. As long as there is some roots and something at the top...hihihiih

Fiona, you are so funny ..........have you been away, I missed you terribly.

Love and Light

trying to fill in the gaps between the various answers...

If the quince has been in the nursery pot for more than a season, it ought to be pretty packed with roots, so expect to knock it back fairly hard.

Quince are not delicate so be prepared to find a nice sunny place for it to recover.

I find that they appreciate their moisture in summer, so if you are the type of keeper that loves her watering and daily care and don't travel much you may select a training pot
that favors the tree size. If you however may be gone on summer weekends you can go to a deeper training pot or add a bit more organic moisture retaining soil mix. a dish underneath the pot filled with water can also help while gone a day or two.

because quince love to throw shoots, they lend themselves towards producing a clump style. The japanese referr to it as Kabudachi. It gives you more blooms. The other expression is a single trunk. You have to keep on the new growth away from the single trunk and constantly remove them as they take strength and growth away from the main event. Should you decide to wire some movement into limbs be sure and wait till the new growth hardens from greenish looking to more brown before starting. They do tend to wire scarr but will hold a movement fairly quickly.(3-4 months)

when fall comes I like to feed fertilizer missing the first element (nitrogen) for a month, to get them encouraged for a good show the following spring.

Next year after it has it's first season under it in a training pot, enjoy the blooms but remove them before they set fruit. The next year you can allow one to mature.
allowing lots of fruit to mature takes too much out of the tree.

In a year or two you'll probably want to put it in a proper glazed pot so start looking now to find the right size and complimentary color. Red usually shows well against a deep dark blue, but I've seen a tan pot with brown specs that is awesome and a favorite of mine with my red chojubai.

Bout the only pests I've seen with them are aphids which easily can be sprayed off or killed with contact spray.


hope that fills in the gaps

always appreciate photographs....

Dear André and Dick, thank you so much for the detailed replies.
All seem much more clear now. No gaps

Regarding photos, well... maybe tomorrow. I always feel a little reluctant to post photos because my plants are not of any special interest

Here it is.
Twin trunk, low branches to make use of, very humble indeed but I hope it might keeps a secret under the surface

WOW! that's nice. great color....

As of today in its new silhuette.
I need advice regarding that "V" branch to the right side. An of course any suggestions are wellcome.
   

This ugly root will be cut in the future.

This little plant did well last year after its first re-potting.
Two or three health problems were successfully treated with the appropriate chemical control.

This is how it was three days ago, before I removed all its flowers. I hope it will ramify sufficiently.


As you can see the color of flowers is different than last year's. It is paler.
I think it has to do with the temperature.

good idea to remove the flowers.Will save a little strength not needed to be wasted on bluoms.Now you need to find it's happy place for amount of sun, no strong breezes and a little nutrition when the time comes. It may try and send up some growth around the single trunk. If it does consider not cutting them off ASAP. The strength needed to start the growth can be repaid by allowing the new growth to develop leaves and pay back the "loan" of energy. Once they've hardened off you can
snip them off, dip in rooting hormone and start some new ones of your own. I do best with the liquid rather than the powder form. Mediom that works best for me is 90% fine screened pummace and 10% peat moss. A misting system really helps.

good luck with your chojubai...

my nellie wrote:. . . As you can see the color of flowers is different than last year's. It is paler.
I think it has to do with the temperature.

On many varieties of quince, the first flush of flowers is paler than typical. I have a pink variety whose first flush is green and white with just a tinge of pink. Nothing to worry about.

Thanks everybody!