The leaves of my quince are all curling up

[iferner]

I planted a quince in my London clay soil about a month ago and I have recently noticed that it does not appear to be thriving as the leaves are all curling inwards and there are no new flowers.

Please can anybody help

[applestar]

Have you examined the leaves? I'm currently battling oily black aphids -- which I think is MUCH more villainous than green ones -- on my cherry trees. They congregate on the underside of the cherry leaves sucking the life out of them, and in the process -- I don't know if it's the fluid loss or it's something the aphids do to create a protective habitat -- cause the leaves to tightly curl up.

My trees are newly planted last fall and only knee high as I'm training them into fan espaliers, so they can't afford to lose too many leaves. I've been unfurling each leaf and blasting them off with the hose. Of course there are the ever-present ants attending them. I think if it weren't for the ants, the aphids wouldn't make it back up on the leaves as easily. As it is, I have to go back every few of days -- but they're starting to recover.

With another cherry that is being trained into a bush, I've been systematically removing the curled up leaves and putting them in zip closed plastic bag along with the mob of aphid extended families and cousins and their ant attendants.

[Gailann]

Hi iferner, sorry to hear of your problem. I read that If leaves turn up and inward you have a problem with insects. If the leaves turn downward and inward you have a problem with not enough water. Hope this helps. Good luck.

[iferner]

Thank you for your comments. I have now dug up my quince and planted it in potting compost in a pot and it already seems much happier. My flowering cherry was originally in the same spot and I'm wondering if the problem lies with the soil itself rather than the plants. Thanks again