Quince or Cydonia Oblonga belongs to the Cydonia family and have been cultivated for their ornamental properties all over the world. They also produce a golden yellow-colored fruit that looks similar to a pear. They are considered to be small trees and usually grow up to 25 feet tall. The fruiting period for this variety is from early to late summer.
Let’s take a look at how to kill Quince trees and their root system.
How to Kill Quince Trees?
Some of the most popular methods for killing Cydonia Oblonga are:
- Foliar Spray
- Cutting the tree down and treating the stump with Herbicides
- Gridling or ring barking
- Basal Bark treatment
- Injecting the tree with killing chemicals
- Cut surface treatment
Not all of the above methods are discussed in this article, if you wish to learn more about them, read my article here.
The best way to kill a small Quince tree
A small Cydonia Oblonga is considered to be less than 10 feet tall.
The first option is to simply cut down the tree using a chainsaw or an ax and treat the stump with a herbicide like Tordon RTU, Relegate, etc. Here’s a more detailed guide about this process.
Using a herbicide will prevent any growth and sprouting in the future.
Cutting down a small quince should not be an issue and you can probably get it done without any professional help. But if you don’t want to cut down the tree, there is an alternative method you can go for.
Basal Bark Treatment
Keep in mind that you can only use this method if the diameter of the trunk is less than 6-7 inches in diameter.
You will need a backpack sprayer, a strong herbicide, and an oil-based solvent.
Ideally, you should choose herbicides that contain Trycloper or Trycloper Ester as the main chemical or use Imazapyr-based herbicides. For example, Garlon 4 Ultra, Relegate, Forestry Garlon XRT, Aligare Trycloper are good options you can go for.
The carrier to mix the herbicide in would be diesel, basal oil, fuel oil, or kerosene.
The ideal proportion for mixing should be 1 part herbicide and 4-part solvent, so about 20-25% concentration.
Some types of herbicides in the market can directly be used for this method without needing to mix with anything like ‘Pathfinder II’, so make sure to read the label before buying.
- Once you have the solution, spray the bottom 20 inches of the Cydonia Oblonga tree with this solution and let it dry out.
- Repeat this process a few times to increase the chances of killing the tree. It helps to increase the amount of chemicals absorbed by the tree.
- Make sure that the tree is not wet while performing this technique as most of the chemicals used for basal bark treatment are hydrophobic, which means they will not be absorbed as effectively
The best way to kill a large Quince tree
As I mentioned in the introduction, a large Cydonia Oblonga can grow up to 25-30 feet tall.
Since a mature Quince is relatively small, the first and best method is to cut down the tree and treat the stump with herbicide.
If you don’t want to cut down the tree, there is an alternative you can use.
Chemical Injection
- You will need a drill and a herbicide for this method.
- Simply drill holes, 2-3 inches deep along the circumference of the tree, about 2-3 feet above the ground. The angle of the holes has to be downward to increase the absorption.
- Inject a strong herbicide like Roundup or Tordon RTU into these holes and let it absorb. I would recommend this product from Amazon (Affiliate link).
- After about an hour, inject more herbicide into these holes to increase the amount of herbicides absorbed.
What’s the best time to kill Quince?
The best time to kill Cydonia Oblonga trees is during the winter season. They shed their leaves during the beginning of fall and they start flowering from early spring.
During the flowering and fruiting season, the tree requires the most nutrients. Killing them during the winter or early spring will stop nutrient supply during spring and speed up the killing process.
Should you hire a professional tree removal service?
Cydonia Oblonga is usually small so you can manage to kill them by yourself.
On the other hand, if you have to get the tree killed, cut down, and transported, it takes a lot of time. Especially if you do not have any prior experience and if you have to kill more than one tree.
From killing the trees, the chemicals needed, tools to use, and getting the Quince cut down and transported – there are a lot of factors to consider
On top of this, the cost factor also plays an important role. Figuring out all of these separate logistical details can turn out to be quite costly.
Here you can find my post about how much tree-killing and removing service would cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you kill a Quince without cutting it down?
Yes, the preferred method to kill a Quince without cutting it down would be Chemical Injection or Basal Bark treatment.
What diseases are Cydonia Oblonga prone to?
This species is very prone to black spots or Fabraea Maculata which if not treated can eventually kill the tree.
What herbicides work best on Cydonia Oblonga?
Roundup or Tordon are two of the most popular herbicides used for killing Cydonia Oblonga.
Conclusion
A small Cydonia Oblonga, smaller than 10-15 feet, can be killed using Basal Bark Treatment. For bigger trees than 10-15 feet, you can use the Chemical Injection method. Alternatively, you can always cut down the tree and treat the stump with a herbicide.
Recommended reading:
Hi!
I am the guy behind Theyardable.com. I grew up on a homestead and I am here to share the knowledge I have and things I learn while living in the countryside.
