Question
Just read a post and your answer about quince propagation from seed and have a follow up question.

I'd just found several fruits along our road where we walk several times per week and have just identified them as quince although I've been unable to figure out what tree they came from.
Anyway, have quince always been grafted onto dwarf stock? Is there a chance that the quince tree along out road wasn't grafted? I'm going to question my neighbor to see if they even know that they have a quince and will try to ascertain possible age of the tree in order to see what my chances are of actually getting a true quince tree from this seed.

thanks,
Judy
Harrisburg, PA


Answer
Hi Judith,
Thanx for your question. I'm not an expert with fruit trees or grafting but here is what I know.  Quince is not a commonly grown fruit or commonly consumed fruit in the United States.  It hails from south central Asia and the Middle East.  It is the quince tree that is usually used as a hardy graft for pears and medlars.  Quince is usually pretty hardy.  Some varieties of quince are grafted onto Hawthorn species.  So, I would say there is a good chance the quince tree about which you speak may be an open-pollinated, non-grafted type.  If the tree is old, it may be difficult to try to determine if it is grafted and the old graft wound may be below ground now.  I would go ahead and give it a go with the seeds.  They'll need a cold treatment of 60-90 days in a damp paper towel sealed inside a plastic baggie and placed in the fridge.  Plant 1/2 inch/2cm deep after cold treatment, in a pot of soil kept at about 75癋/24癈.  Seedlings should begin to emerge in a couple of weeks.  Or, plant the seeds in pot as directed and leave outdoors for the winter, watering frequently to keep the soil from drying out.  Seedlings will emerge in the spring after the last frost.  It will take 5-7 years for a fruit tree started from seed to fruit.  I hope this helps.
Tom