Preface
The first spring rays of the sun warm the frozen ground. Slowly and deliberately, nature, shaking off the winter blanket, awakens from sleep. Gardeners carefully inspect their property. Spring garden care doesn’t end with just one inspection—it’s time to get down to business.
Required tools and materials
ScraperWe organize winter garden maintenance
The result in spring largely depends on how the garden care was organized in winter. From late autumn, life in the garden comes to a standstill; plants go into hibernation. However, this is not a reason for idleness. Before the onset of frost, it is necessary to prepare the soil around the trees for cold weather by carefully digging it up. This will protect the plantings from many pests.
Among the troubles that can befall your “wards” are sunburn, freezing of the bark, root system and fruit buds, and rodents of various sizes.
To protect against pests that are not averse to overwintering in the bark of trees, trunks (trunks) are painted with garden paint or slaked lime. The latter can be prepared independently by diluting 0.5 kg of copper sulfate, 1 kg of clay and 2.5 kg of limestone with 10 liters of water. Before whitewashing, the trunks and main branches are cleaned with metal scrapers of moss, lichens and dead bark, and the resulting waste is burned to avoid infection of the plants by pests.
Early snowfalls pose a particular danger. Heavy precipitation in winter breaks fragile branches, so in order to avoid such “injuries” it is necessary to promptly shake off the sticking snow crust from the trees.
Roots and bark - protect from troubles
In harsh snowless winters, it is necessary to protect the roots of plantings from freezing. To do this, it is advisable to cover the areas near the trunk with a layer of humus, peat, straw or pine needles, which will increase the soil temperature by 5–7 °C. Snowfalls alternating with thaws lead to an excess of moisture at the root part of the trunk and cause putrefactive processes. Mulching and hilling the soil in the fall will help avoid such problems.
The bark of young trees is a favorite treat for rodents and hares. Wrapping trunks in matting, branches of coniferous trees, roofing felt or chain-link mesh will save young shoots from death. Mint and black root are good repellents for mice, and sawdust soaked in a creolin solution for hares. During thaws, it is necessary to remove and burn mummified fruits from trees - they are often nests of pests.
Garden care in spring - new worries
With the onset of spring, work in the garden intensifies. Caring for a garden in early spring involves inspecting the trunks of green spaces for the formation of cracks and swellings, pruning affected areas of trees and shrubs, and treating perennial plants and flower beds. Frozen bark can be easily identified by pressing on the darkened area of the trunk. It peels off and emits a specific smell of alcoholic fermentation. When “slipping” or swelling occurs, the bark is tightly wound to the trunk for fusion. Bandaging with plastic film helps to cure cracks, which is repeated again in the summer.
1. Before the onset of cold weather, it is necessary to conduct a thorough inspection of the garden: cut down damaged branches, remove moss and lichens from the trunk.
2. If you find a hollow in a tree, then you need to clean it, and also do not forget about disinfection.
3. It should be remembered that many insects and pests can settle in the bark of trees for the winter, so even before the onset of cold weather, the trunks should be thoroughly treated with slaked lime or simply painted.
4. Take care of the birds: build feeders and hang them on trees or in other suitable places. This way you can accustom birds to your garden and save them from hunger.
5. To protect trees from rodents, you should tie the bases with matting or special burlap. Young seedlings need to be covered with a plastic mesh and sprinkled with earth on top.
Garden work in winter
1. The garden must be periodically cleaned in winter, and fallen snow must be removed.
2. Heavy snowfall can damage the branches of trees and shrubs in the garden, so gardeners recommend shaking off the snow. This should be done with extreme care, since the branches of trees and shrubs are very delicate.
3. With the onset of the first cold weather, roses, hibiscus, hydrangeas and other shrubs must be carefully wrapped with agrofibre.
4. If you find a tree with a broken branch in your garden plot, this place should be treated with garden varnish.
5. Lack of snow can damage trees and shrubs, so you should rake the snow to the base of the trees in a small mound.
6. In winter, don’t forget about lawn care. The most important rule is to reduce the load, i.e. It's better not to walk on the lawn. Otherwise, with the onset of spring, you will find bald spots on it.
02.01.2018
The main work in the garden occurs in spring and autumn; in winter, amateur gardeners relax. But completely relax and forgettake care of the garden in winternot worth it, as there are some points that require attention even at this time of year.
How to protect your garden from frost and frost before it snows
Increasingly, snow falls in the Moscow region only in January, while temperatures at the beginning of winter can drop below zero and last for several days. Mild short-term frosts down to -7 degrees cannot damage your trees and shrubs if they are mature, healthy and have been properly cared for, in which case you can do without shelter. It can only do harm if the temperature suddenly rises to above-zero levels, and under a warm hood the plants decide that it’s time to start growing or simply overheat.
If stable subzero temperatures persist for a long time, it is worth thinking about shelters. Young trees and shrubs, as well as those that have recently been planted, can especially suffer from them. It is also worth protecting plants if you have predominantly clay soils that tend to freeze quickly due to abundant moisture.
You can cover plants with artificial materials, spruce branches or cut perennials. If such a natural shelter is used, the first snow will linger longer on the soil surface, it will not be blown away by the wind, and will additionally protect plants and roots from frost. If there are oak trees nearby, you can use oak leaves for cover; they don't rot like other leaves. Peat or sawdust is also suitable as protection.
During winter thaws, if possible, plants under artificial covering material can be ventilated.
What to do in the garden in a snowy winter
If the weather decides to treat your region with snow, please note that large beautiful snow caps on the branches can break them. After all, in winter, sap flow in plants stops, and the wood becomes more fragile. This is especially dangerous when the snow is wet and there are still fallen leaves on the branches. Then the branches may break under the weight of the snow cover. Just shake off the white snowdrifts and free the tree from excess weight.
When a lot of snow falls, and the thermometer drops lower and lower, and now it’s -30 degrees outside, even mature fruit and decarat trees may need protection. Just shovel the snow so that it covers the tree trunk, and if possible, the lower skeletal branches. You may be able to do this in two or three snowfalls, but ideally it would be good to cover the tree in this way before the onset of the worst frosts.
When you shovel snow, do not remove it from the surface too much. At least 20 cm should remain under the tree to protect the upper layers of soil, which contain numerous root branches.
Taking care of the winter garden,Cover not only trees with snow, but also fruit bushes, such as raspberries. Next year's harvest largely depends on whether the branches are not frozen during the winter frosts. Raspberries are usually tied into a bunch and bent to the ground, secured with thick wire or other material.
Protecting the garden from rodent infestation
Here's what else you might need withto do in the garden in winter.At the end of the cold season, small nimble neighbors plan to raid your fruit trees. If the trunks of young trees were not tied in the fall, mice, hungry during the winter, may covet them. Therefore, at the first thaw, it is necessary to create a barrier for them and compact the snow around the trunk with a diameter of up to 50 cm. To do this, it must be trampled down thoroughly, without damaging the young branches. This is especially true for apple trees.
If your site is located close to the forest, then hares may visit you in winter. You will learn about their visit in the spring by the gnawed young branches of apple trees. Even the trunk can be damaged, which can lead to the death of the tree. To prevent this from happening, you can fence young trees with a metal mesh for the winter. Hares will not be able to cross it to the tree.
We take care of the residents of the winter garden
Not only the garden suffers from frost c, the small feathered inhabitants have difficulty finding food for themselves on especially harsh winter days. And they will be very grateful to you if you take care of them and build a simple one in the garden, where you will regularly add simple food.
We stock up on seeds and plan changes in the garden, repairing damage
While gardeners take a break from regular chores in the garden in winter, they can start planning, purchasing tools and seeds for the new season, and studying literature. Winter is a great time to think about how to make it more comfortable. You may realize that you need some other area, a pond, or additional paths.
If the snow has not yet covered the ground, then it is quite possible to put the outbuildings in order, start repairing benches, gazebos, paths, if necessary.
Perhaps everything your garden may need from you in the winter. And the best thing you can do while the garden is sleeping is to get plenty of rest so you can meet the new season with fresh energy.
House project “Time to create gardens”, Oksana Tsyganova
Winter garden care
The garden needs to be maintained all year round. Even in winter, the garden requires a lot of attention.
In the fall, even before the onset of cold weather, the trunks and skeletal branches of mature trees are cleared of dead bark. This is done with wooden scrapers or metal brushes. All the bark is collected on a canvas laid around the trunk and then burned. It is advisable to whiten the trunks and main branches, especially in continental regions, in the fall. This protects the tree from burns and performs some disinfection role. Whitewashing is carried out with chalk, slaked lime, to which up to 1/3 - 1/2 clay is added. To prevent the whitewash from being washed off quickly, add a little cow dung to it. For the same purpose, place 300 g of table salt on a bucket of lime.
Whitewashing is a slow process, especially in low-growing gardens with many trees. It can be accelerated by using hose sprayers. In this case, the solution is prepared liquid so that it passes well through the sprayers. Spring whitewashing provides less benefits than autumn whitewashing and is more of a decorative nature. In the southern regions such work may not be carried out at all. 
Mice and hares bring a lot of trouble in winter, which can destroy the entire garden in one year. To avoid damage to trees by mice, you need to systematically destroy weeds and not accumulate piles of straw, weeds, leaves in the garden and nearby where mice can hide. Areas adjacent to the garden should be cleared of crop residues and plowed early to fallow.
If mice are found in the garden in the summer or early autumn before the onset of frost, poisoned baits should be laid out. In warm weather, murine typhus works well. Its culture is prepared by bacteriological laboratories and must be fresh. With the onset of cold weather, various poisons are used.
Even a small number of mice can cause significant damage to the garden, so methods of individual protection of trees by tying are used. Trees are protected from hares in the same way. For this purpose, since the fall, trees have been tied with reeds, sunflower stems, tobacco, willow twigs, mulching paper, roofing felt, coniferous branches, shavings and other material. Anything that attracts mice (straw, weeds) cannot be used to protect trees from rodents. Do not do it 
also eat corn stalks, which they quickly gnaw through. They can only be used if they are coated with some kind of odorous substance on top: waste oils, hexachlorane, naphthalene. The bollards must be tied carefully so that there are no holes where mice can crawl through.
The work of protecting gardens from rodents by tying trees is reliable, but very labor-intensive. It must be started in advance, when the autumn weather is still warm, which contributes to greater output by each worker. Taking this into account, at the “Red Garden” state farm in the Rostov region, tying of fruit trees begins in September and by the onset of cold weather all gardens are protected. For this purpose, reeds that grow near the farm are used.
In winter, you need to look into the garden regularly, especially after strong winds, when the harness can come off. In this case, the risk of tree damage increases. Monitoring and correction of the strapping is necessary.
Due to labor shortages, some farms are trying to find cheaper and less labor-intensive ways to protect trees. Recently, many recipes have been developed locally that make it possible to protect trees from damage by rodents by coating trunks and skeletal branches. But many of these 
techniques turned out to be ineffective or required resumption in winter, and sometimes cases of severe damage to fruit trees were observed. Fish oil, fresh animal blood, autol and many other substances had negative consequences. Therefore, before using any compositions to protect trees from rodents, they must be carefully tested on a small number of plants.
In the USA, a metal mesh is used to protect against mice, which is placed on the trunks of fruit trees. She serves for several years. In Rostov, as the author observed, thick plastic film with small holes is used to protect against hares and mice. It is spirally wrapped around the trunks. According to S.N. Stepanova, in England, fruit trees are protected from hares by tying the trunks and skeletal branches with thick and wide vinyl chloride tape. This tape lasts for several years and, as the trunk thickens, it stretches freely.
Snowless winters cause great damage to gardens. Trees on weak-growing rootstocks are especially affected by them. This is due to the fact that the root system of rootstocks from the southern regions is not winter-hardy enough and is located in the surface soil horizons. 
Freezing of roots is observed not only in the middle zone, but also in more southern regions. For example, during a harsh snowless winter, the roots of weak-growing rootstocks in a number of regions of Ukraine and the North Caucasus were greatly damaged.
To prevent such damage, you need to systematically monitor the soil temperature in the garden. To do this, install soil thermometers at a depth of 10 and 20 cm, that is, in the zone of the root system most susceptible to low temperatures. For widespread low-growing rootstocks of the southern zone, the critical temperature is -10, -11 0 C, and for quince it is even less -8, -9 0 C. But the temperature cannot be allowed to drop to these limits. Therefore, when the soil temperature drops to -6 0 C for quince and to -7, -8 0 C for most weak-growing apple tree rootstocks, decisive measures must be taken to protect the root system.
The author's research has shown that the best material for this purpose is half-rotted manure. On sites where snowlessness was artificially created, when the air temperature dropped to -34 0 C at a depth of 20 cm it was -19.8 0 C (soil - 
degraded chernozem, sandy loam in mechanical composition with moisture saturation up to 80% of field moisture capacity). On the site, mulched with a 12 cm layer of rotted manure, at a depth of 20 cm, the minimum temperature did not fall below -6.3 0 C. Such conditions completely ensure good overwintering of trees on weak-growing rootstocks.
After mulching with a layer of manure of 8 cm, the temperature in the coldest period at a depth of 20 cm dropped to -10.6 0 C, that is, to critical limits. Consequently, a very thin layer of manure (8 cm) when the temperature drops to -35 0 C in a snowless winter does not guarantee the preservation of the root system of weakly growing rootstocks from freezing. A 12 cm layer of manure reliably protects the roots from low temperatures.
In addition to manure, other materials can be successfully used: peat, moss, reeds, fallen leaves, tops, sawdust and other agricultural waste. It is important that the mulching material does not attract mice or that measures are taken against them.
Where the likelihood of a recurrence of snowless winters is high, mulching tree trunks 
It is better to carry out circles not before the onset of critical temperatures, but in the fall. Even if there is little snow or a warm winter and the mulch material does not have the desired effect in protecting the roots from freezing, it can always be used as an organic fertilizer.
If manure and other organic materials are in short supply or the farm has difficulty mulching due to a lack of workers, cover crops can be planted that are left unploughed for the winter. To this end, we tested a wide range of cultures. Mustard showed the best results in the middle zone. It grows quickly and can withstand temperature drops down to -4 0 C. With the onset of more severe frosts, its stems fall and a kind of mulch layer is created that insulates the root system. Observations showed that, while under the cover of mustard the soil was thawed, on the free trunk circles it froze 4-5 cm. When the air temperature stood at about -10 0 C for several days, in the soil at a depth of 10 cm there was -5.2 0 C in open areas and -3 0 C where mustard grew.
Strong gusty winds often blow snow out of gardens. But in areas with integumentary 
It is well retained by crops, which has a positive effect on the thermal regime of the soil. So, if in the soil at a depth of 10 cm in open areas the temperature dropped to -8.8 0 C, then at the same depth where there was mustard and snow accumulated, only -2.5 0 C was noted. These results indicate the need for more extensive experiments with cover crops. Their positive influence on the thermal regime of the soil cannot be ignored. Apparently, in areas where there is often a risk of freezing of the root system of fruit trees, it would be advisable to sow cover crops and plow them under in the spring.
It is important to note that cover crops left over the winter can attract large numbers of mice, so timely measures should be taken against them. Due to the need to plow cover crops in the spring, their effect on soil water regime, microbiological processes and nutrient dynamics should be studied. It is now clear that cover crops can be recommended to protect the root system from freezing only where there is sufficient rainfall in the second half of summer or irrigation is used.
In winter, where snow falls, measures must be taken to prevent its accumulation. For this purpose, when plowing green manure, some of it is sometimes left in the form of strips between the trees. To accumulate snow, snow compaction is successfully used between the rows of the garden. Snow is not only water for the garden, but also an excellent protection for the root system from low temperatures. Under good snow cover, the ground does not freeze deeply and absorbs a lot of water during snowmelt, creating good reserves for the growing season. Near the boles, the snow must be trampled down. It is better to carry out this work during the thaw, when the snow is well compacted and then frozen. After this, mice, which usually move under the snow, cannot approach the trees. During the winter, snow is trampled several times.
Snow drifts are also dangerous. Near protective plantings, sometimes so much snow accumulates that the trees are completely covered. During snow settling, breakage of skeletal branches is observed. Sometimes the damage is so great that only one trunk remains without branches. Trees often break. To avoid massive damage, it is necessary to dig up such trees and fasten the main branches. If snow accumulates near protective plantings every year, this means that they are too thick and need to be thinned out somewhat. First of all, it is necessary to thin out the bushes to create an openwork type of garden protection strip.
In the southern regions, where there is almost no snow and a lot of precipitation falls in the winter in the form of rain, it is necessary to install drainage ditches and ensure that the erosion process is reduced to a minimum.
Great damage to the garden can be caused by flakes of falling wet snow. It sticks in a large mass to the branches, which bend under its weight and then break off. This phenomenon is more often observed in the southern regions. To prevent massive damage to gardens, it is necessary to shake off snow from trees. This work must be carried out primarily on varieties that are most susceptible to fracture.
Black ice can cause a lot of trouble for fruit growers. During frosty periods in winter, ice sometimes forms on trees, which often leads to fractures. Especially a lot of ice accumulates on trees that are protected from rodents by tying them with material that greatly increases the overall surface. On all trees where there is a risk of damage, the ice must be removed. Sometimes it is enough to lightly shake the trees to loosen some of the ice and reduce the degree of damage.
On warmer days of winter, it is necessary to remove the nests of hawthorn, goldentail and other pests from the trees, as well as the remaining mummified fruits. It is more convenient to carry out this work on dwarf trees. To remove pests from semi-dwarf and medium-sized trees, install an air pruner or a special device in the form of wide pliers with a spring that closes their doors. Sometimes three nails without heads are simply driven into the upper part of the pole and with this triad they pry up the pest’s nest, turn it slightly and remove it. All collected pest nests and rotten fruits must be burned.
During winter, we often forget about our bird friends. They destroy a huge number of pests. Birds need to be attracted to the garden. To do this, it is necessary to feed them in winter, and closer to spring, hang nesting boxes for various birds.
In the spring, we should strive for the greatest possible accumulation of melt water in the garden. To do this, starting in the fall, during the plowing period, intermittent furrows are made in the plowed land, in which a lot of water is retained. During snowmelt, the strips are sprinkled with some kind of black powder: finely ground peat chips, ash, coal dust. Here, earlier than in other places, thawed patches form, which absorb more water than areas covered with snow. Thawed or shallowly frozen soil absorbs more water than deeply frozen soil, so mulching and planting cover crops will promote greater moisture retention.
In the arid southern regions, where there are almost no severe frosts in winter and the ground does not freeze, moisture-recharging irrigation can be carried out in winter. This is very important, since in winter water is not taken for other crops, but it is available in sufficient quantities. Good moisture-recharging irrigation can wet the soil to a greater depth and create a moisture reserve for the growing season. In terms of the amount of water absorbed by the soil, such irrigations can be equated to two or three growing seasons. On the Pobeda farm (the steppe part of Crimea), where there is often a lack of water in summer, winter water-recharging irrigation played a significant role in increasing the yield of gardens.
In the southern regions, pruning is in full swing in winter. At the end of winter they begin in the middle zone. At this time, fruit growers have other concerns. Manure should be removed by placing it in piles. In the spring it is used in areas where they have not had time to apply it since the fall. In winter, they prepare equipment, all kinds of materials, purchase mineral fertilizers, pesticides, etc.
Winter is the period of agricultural studies. It is necessary to prepare people well for spring, summer and autumn work, when great labor stress is created and it can be difficult to improve the skills of workers.
30.01.2018
Winter has come, and until it ends, gardeners cannot rest assured about their “pets.” Berry bushes and fruit trees often suffer from severe cold, and frost holes appear on trunks and skeletal branches. To help your plants survive the harsh season more easily and be less damaged, take care of them now.
Winter injuries
Sunburns of trunks and bases of skeletal branches are the most common and dangerous injuries. Burns appear in the form of dead and dry spots on the southern and southwestern sides of the tree. The dead bark begins to fall away and the wood becomes bare. This happens especially often at the end of winter, when the air temperature rises during the day and drops sharply at night. If you reduce the heating of the bark, you can protect fruit trees from burns. To do this, the trunks and forks of the branches are whitened with lime or tied with some light-colored material. Whitewashing is carried out in late autumn and late winter at positive temperatures.
You can whitewash in winter, taking advantage of the thaw. For a 10-liter bucket take 2 - 3 kg of freshly slaked lime or chalk, 50 - 100 g of casein glue, 400 - 500 g of copper sulfate. The solution is diluted with water to the consistency of sour cream. Ready-made mixtures “Pobelka”, “Gardener”, “Solntseshchit” are available for sale. Even better than whitewashing, which is washed off by rain and requires repetition, is coating the stem and bases of skeletal branches with water-based paint EVS-551. The trunks and branches can be tied with white parchment paper or a universal garden bandage.
Damage to the root collar
In years with an early onset of winter and snowfall, when the soil is not frozen, a circular damping-off of the bark near the root collar is observed. Stone fruits, Ussuri pear, and apple tree seedlings growing in the nursery are especially susceptible to this. If there are prolonged thaws in winter, melt water always accumulates in the lowlands. Prolonged stagnation of water leads to damage to the bark and cambium in various areas of the trunk of young trees. And then they are restored only in cases where the ring damping of the bark occurs above the grafting site, the plants are cut back in the spring for “reverse growth.” Damage to the root collar is observed in young plants of apple, pear, and stone fruit crops if they were earthed up in the fall, especially in warm, rainy weather.
Freezing of fruit buds
Fruit buds of stone fruit crops are damaged almost every year, and in severe winters, especially when the air temperature fluctuates sharply, their death ranges from 10 to 100%.
Freezing of flower buds is the main reason for irregular fruiting of stone fruit crops. Severely damaged fruit buds do not open in the spring. If they are slightly damaged by frost, they open slowly, sometimes not completely, and then dry out. If the pistil is damaged, the bud develops outwardly normally, so the death of the pistil often goes unnoticed and is the main reason for the decrease in yield.
In a pear, like an apple tree, the fruit buds usually do not freeze, but the overgrown branches that bear them die, and then the buds themselves. Most often, buds are damaged in late winter - early spring, when, after a period of deep dormancy, even short-term warming can cause growth, and subsequent recurrent frosts kill the awakened buds.
The frost will reach underground too
The root system is less resistant to low temperatures than the above-ground part. Even in the most winter-hardy varieties of apple trees, the crown of which can withstand forty-degree frosts, the roots can be damaged already at minus 12 - 14 degrees. C. Root damage is most likely in “dark” winters, when, in the absence of snow, the soil temperature drops below a critical level. This was the beginning of last winter.
We declare war on rodents
Trees, especially young ones (up to 12-15 years of age), must be protected from rodents.
Mice and voles cause great damage to gardens in winter and early spring. In winter, they move directly under the snow and often gnaw the bark of trunks in a circle at a height of 20 - 50 cm.
To protect against rodents in the fall, the trunks are tied with branches of spruce, pine, and juniper. You can also use stems of sunflower, wormwood, and reeds. When using roofing felt or roofing felt, thick paper, burlap or matting are first placed under them. Any shelter from below is sprinkled with earth. Some gardeners, along with tying, place bunches of dried mint and black root near the trees, which repel rodents with their smell.
More reliable protection of boles from rodents is a metal mesh with a fine mesh.
It is buried slightly into the soil and installed so that it does not interfere with the thickening of the trunk. It is better to paint the mesh before installation, this will extend its service life. After each big snowfall, the snow near the trees is properly trampled down. It's better to do this when it's thawed.
Hares cause significant damage to gardens. They gnaw the bark of the trunk, skeletal and smaller branches, and literally “cut” young branches. In this case, low-growing trees on dwarf rootstocks suffer more. Areas from hares are fenced off with metal mesh, and repellents are also used. The trunks and skeletal branches can be coated with a mixture of clay, slaked lime and mullein (1:1:1 or 1:2:1), adding 100 - 300 g of copper sulfate and 100 g of creolin or 1 tablespoon of carbolic acid per 20 kg of mixture. Rodents are repelled by peat chips and sawdust soaked in 10% creolin, which are scattered around tree trunks late in the fall. These measures will help save fruit trees from uninvited guests.
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