Why doesn't my japonica bush have much fruit any more?
By Np2cats
United States 
My japonica bush is in the shadow of our front garden wall. For several years I have cut it back a bit from time to time (but never when in flower) and it has had several years of a bumper crop (delicious japonica jelly!) For the past 2 years I have had only a handful of fruit. Is this because I have pruned it too much or not enough. It has now grown above the wall, so is it being blown around too much by the wind?
Any help would be much appreciated.
My neighbours bushes are smaller. not so dense and still producing fruit!
27 Jun, 2009
Perhaps your plant is getting old (like me!) and not fruiting so well. I think I'd be inclined to hard prune it immediately (even though it is a bit late, should be done after flowering), give it a good feed and make sure it's well watered. You may, or may not, get flowers next year, but if its not performing as you'd like, it's worth a shot. And perhaps your neighbours have a different variety of Chaenomeles japonica - there are several.
27 Jun, 2009