Garden Care Guide

Medlar Care

Mespilus germanica

A hardy, traditional small tree whose fruit is eaten only after it has ripened and become soft ('bletted' after cold). It likes full sun or partial shade and adapts to most soil types. It is also ornamental, with spring flowers and autumn leaf color.

Hardy · -25 °C / -13 °F

Monthly care calendar

Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.

January
  • Pruning: Main pruning time. Remove crossing, dry and diseased branches to open up the crown.
  • Plant protection: Bordeaux mixture or dormant oil (mineral oil) can be applied for overwintering pests and diseases.
  • General care: Remove pruning debris from the garden.
  • Pests & diseases: Check the trunk for scale insects (Coccoidea).
February
  • Pruning: While dormant, remove dry, broken, crossing and inward-growing branches so that air and light reach the inside of the crown. Its fruit is eaten only after it softens and ripens; it is picked while hard on the tree and left to ripen.
  • Plant protection: Before the buds wake up, Bordeaux mixture or a copper-based fungicide can be applied.
  • General care: Remove the weeds in the root zone.
March
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Fertilizing: Apply a balanced fertilizer or well-rotted organic fertilizer once when it wakes from dormancy. Because yield and fruit quality depend on nutrient balance, having a soil analysis done is especially useful for this plant.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
  • Pests & diseases: During humid and cool periods, monitor the leaves and trunk for signs of mold, spots and rot.
April
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Weed control continues.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
  • Frost risk: Because its flowers open late, the risk is generally low.
May
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Flowering begins. Spread a 5-7 cm layer of mulch over the root zone. It conserves soil moisture and suppresses weeds. Keep the mulch away from the stem.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
June
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The root zone should be wetted to a depth of 30-40 cm.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: The fruits reach the size of a hazelnut.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
July
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The root zone should be wetted to a depth of 30-40 cm.
  • General care: The fruits continue to grow.
  • Pests & diseases: Monitor leaf health.
August
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The root zone should be wetted to a depth of 30-40 cm.
  • General care: The fruits enlarge but are still hard and unripe.
September
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
  • General care: The leaves begin to change color. The fruits are still hard.
October
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Leaf fall begins. For harvest, wait for the first frosts or for the leaves to drop completely.
  • Pests & diseases: During humid and cool periods, monitor the leaves and trunk for signs of mold, spots and rot.
  • Frost risk: Light frosts are beneficial for the ripening of the fruits.
November
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting. Collect fallen leaves; many disease agents and pests overwinter under them.
  • Pests & diseases: During humid and cool periods, monitor the leaves and trunk for signs of mold, spots and rot.
  • Frost risk: The tree is hardy; a light frost on the fruit helps it ripen.
December
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Pruning: Once the tree has entered full dormancy, you can begin pruning toward the end of the month.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.

The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.

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