"0tterbot" wrote in message
tbh we're not 100% sure they are quinces - there was no fruit last year,
so i'm guessing :-) they look like quinces, though.

however, there are several, & they have water shoots at their bases, &
even worse, clumps of suckers coming up out of the ground.

i have read that one should not cut water shoots or suckers, but rather,
tear them off, otherwise they just grow back (is this true?). but these
are a bit too sturdy for tearing (i've tried).

I've read the same thing and done the same thing but I'm never sure if it
works or not. If they are too big, I now cut them off and that seems to
make no difference either.