Every gardener is annually faced with the problem of spring garden preparation after winter. Trees and shrubs require inspection, as well as the necessary procedures, so that at the end of summer or early autumn you can get the expected harvest, so we will discuss the main stages of garden preparation, as well as talk about problems and their solution.
Where to start
In early spring, when the temperature is rapidly approaching zero or positive marks, we need to do a lot of work to prepare fruit trees and shrubs. Starting with snow removal. Many cultures have fragile shoots, so sticking melting snow, the mass of which is not so small, can damage shoots and young branches. To avoid this, you need to walk through the garden and gently shake the snow to the ground.
After you have removed the snow from the aboveground part of the plant, you should view the skeletal branches of trees and tall shrubs. If some of them are caved in, care should be taken to build a support. As it can be used welded in the form of the letter "Y" iron rods or find a branch like a slingshot of sufficient length. 
If the lower branches are bent, they can be tied to the upper ones. It should be understood that you should tie up to thick skeletal branches that will precisely withstand the mass of the bent escape. If a similar problem arose with a small shrub, then for a while all the shoots can be tied up in one bunch. When the snow melts, you can trim, or, if everything goes as it should, the escape will remain in the position in which you fixed it.
Next we need to take care of plot moisture. If your garden is located on a slope, you need to create natural obstacles, otherwise melt water will come down in the lowlands, and trees and shrubs will lose the necessary moisture.
Important! Melt water collected in the tank will help you save on watering. Also, this water is soft and the presence of trace elements, so it is better to keep it.
To prevent this, create small shafts of melting snow across the site. So that the flowing water faced an obstacle, and did not continue its movement along the slope.
Then you should make sure that in the event of the appearance of pests or diseases, you have everything at your fingertips. To do this, check stocks of poisons and other chemicals, which you used last year to deal with uninvited guests. Many of them have a short shelf life, so you can automatically apply an already expired chemical. The effectiveness of this tool, as you understand, will be close to zero. 
After the snow disappears, you need to clean the site from plant residues. Remove all leaves, branches, dry grass and take care of first weed.
Learn more about weed control: biological groups and the most common weeds; methods of weed control - folk remedies, tools, herbicides.
Inspection of fruit crops
After the initial inspection we proceed to the identification of possible problems with plants planted in the garden. It is impossible to delay, since the lack of timely intervention will lead to a decrease in yield or loss of culture.
We start with the bark. Inspect the shoots and stem of plants for the presence of scratches, cracks, burns, lack of bark. If there is damage, you need to find out the reason for their appearance. If they are caused by the activity of rodents, then various poisons should be prepared in advance. If the problem was provoked by sunburn, whitewash it. 
Cracks may appear on the branches and trunk. It is impossible to leave everything as it is, because the violation of the integrity of the shoot or trunk leads to further damage by pests. To avoid this, you need to properly seal the crack. To do this, you should initially cut off the dead bark, then remove the dead wood. If you do not do this, but simply plug the hole, the dead tissues will begin to decompose, causing rot. Peeling off dead tissue is necessary until live wood and bark appear.
After stripping, give time to dry. This will take 1-2 days, after which the "wound" must be processed and closed. Treat any copper-containing substance, it is best to take the copper sulphate or Bordeaux liquid. At the end, the problem area is covered with a liquid solution of clay or with special putty agents.
Gardening is often used to treat wounds of garden plants.
Video: cleansing and treatment of fruit tree wounds
We turn to problems with broken or dry shoots. If you notice that some of the shoots on the tree are too dry and there are no living buds on them, then you need to take care of their removal. Cut dry branches should be hacksaw or shears. We cut off until we see the living tissue. The cut should be smooth. After pruning, all slices must be plastered so that the tree does not hit the disease.
See tips for garden pruning shears.
We should also tell about what to do with hollows formed in the trunk. We will solve the problem in the same way as in the case of cracks. First, we clean the hollow of dead tissue, then we process the copper-containing preparations and completely gloss it with cement mortar.
At the last stage, we must carry out preventive actions against pests. Many parasites overwinter either on the tree itself or in the near-stem circle (soil). They are afraid of frost, so they bury themselves to a sufficient depth so that they do not get cold. In early spring there is no point in spraying with chemicals, so we simply dig a barrel circle on a bayonet of a spade. 
If there were larvae or eggs, then when digging, they will be on the surface, and then quickly die due to low temperature.
Did you know? The oldest garden in the world is considered Levens Hall, which is located in the north-west of England. The garden was created in the XVII century, while in it still grow those trees that were planted at the time of founding.
Protection from spring frosts
Spring frosts are the biggest problem, as they are able to destroy the crop at an early stage. Not only small gardens suffer from them, but also huge plantings, from which products are delivered to many shops. Next, we will figure out how to overcome the frost, and whether it is possible to do it.
Artificial fog. This technology of protection against frost came to us from the United States. There, farmers acquire special installations that produce fog. It does not just reduce visibility, but significantly increases the temperature of the air, which saves the trees from a sharp decrease in temperature. Of course, such plants are not cheap, but if you grow particularly valuable crops that will give a lot of expensive products, then it makes sense to purchase a similar plant in order to solve problems with unexpected frosts for a dozen years. 
Garden fumigation. Immediately it should be said that this method saves only from small frosts. If the temperature drops below -5 ° C, then smoking will not help your plants in the garden.
This is done as follows: at a distance of 4 meters from each shrub or tree, a small “shalashik” is constructed, which consists of thick logs and thin branches for ignition, wet foliage or straw is superimposed over the “shalashik”. After you set fire to such a "structure", it will start to smoke strongly, as a result of which the garden will be filled with smoke. Smoke raises the temperature of the air, so trees do not suffer from frost.
Video: fumigation from frost on the example of grapes
Of course, it will take about 12 hours to fumigate the area, since frosts most often occur at night and stay until morning-noon. At the same time, fumigation will not take pleasure to your neighbors, and those who are particularly shy can call the fire service. For this reason, fires should be used carefully, especially after the final descent of snow.
Important! Smoke fires can be replaced with smoke bombs, which can also slightly increase the air temperature.
Bonfires. An open source of fire can raise the temperature, however, as you understand, the same source can cause a lot of problems, because the fires themselves can suffer from fires if tongues of flame get to them. At high temperatures, branches and foliage dry quickly, and then begin to burn - as a result, you can just burn your entire garden. 
It makes sense to kindle fires only if you have collected a lot of plant residues that have nowhere to go. Then you can dispose of garbage, and at the same time warm the air a little. It should not be assumed that such a tool can save from severe frosts, especially in the presence of wind.
Pruning fruit trees and shrubs
Pruning is carried out only before the start of sap flow, that is, until such time as the buds swell. If pruning is done later, the tree will suffer greatly, and woody sap will begin to stand out at the cut points. It would seem, everything is clear, there are no problems, however, sap flow begins at different times even in one region, so you need to know exactly when to cut, so as not to cut the plants when the first unformed leaves start to appear on them.
Read the general rules for pruning trees in the spring and at other times of the year.
It is also worth noting that sap flow in some cultures may begin earlier, and in others it may start later, which causes serious difficulties in the case of working with a large garden.
Why do pruning:
- To form the crown of a young plant.
- To remove old shoots that do not give a good harvest.
- To remove diseased branches that were not cut at the first examination.
Regarding the differences in pruning young and old trees.
Young trees need the formation of a crown, as they need to be given the desired appearance every year in order to end up with an adult tree with a beautiful and convenient crown for collecting products.
Adults and old trees need rejuvenating pruning, as their crown has already formed. Annually, old 2-3-year-old shoots are removed, which bear poor fruit and cause thickening of the crown. As a result, the plant accelerates the growth and formation of new shoots, on which more buds are tied, and as a result more fruits are formed.
Separately, it should be said that the most productive are those branches that go to the sides. Vertical shoots are not distinguished by good yields, and dangling ones do not really bear fruit at all. Everything is connected with the fact that the horizontal branches get more sunlight, therefore more fruits ripen on them, which have a better taste.
Types of pruning
- Thinning. According to the title, the main purpose of pruning is to reduce the density of the crown. Unnecessary shoots are cut in the place where they are adjacent to the trunk, or in the place of branch from another large escape.
- Nonselective pruning. It is carried out in order to increase the density of the crown. To do this, the branch is cut in any place along the entire length, after which the previously sleeping ones under the kidney trimming site wake up on it. From the new buds grow prongs shoots.
- Selective trimming. Difficult option which assumes shortening of a branch to a kidney or a side branch. In this case, the side branch should be 2 times smaller in diameter than the one you are cutting. If the branch has an extremely small diameter, then it is shortened to the bud. This pruning reduces the size of the crown, while maintaining the shape.
Pruning trees
Next, let's talk about how to crop the most common crops.
Did you know? The longest-growing garden trees boast the longest life expectancy. Home apple can live up to 120 years, and many varieties of pears will grow over 2-3 centuries. In this case, the life expectancy of the same peach is only 20 years.
Apple and pear. These trees should be formed exclusively in one trunk. If several trunks are formed, they will compete with each other for nutrients, as a result of which development will be unequal and this will have a negative impact on productivity. We form apples and pears so that the branches move away from the trunk at right angles, and receive a lot of light. If over the years the main conductor (trunk) starts to bend due to the weight of green mass and fruits, its upper part should be cut off so that the lower branches are not in the shade.
The challenge is to get the most sparse crown, in which each shoot receives enough light and heat. To do this, you can form a kind of tiers, if possible. With this formation, the escape of the lower tier is in the interval between the two shoots of the upper, which gives it the opportunity to receive sunlight. 
Trimming system with a central trunk Plum. It is impossible to let the plum into one conductor, so strive to give the tree a cup shape. It is important that the upper part of the crown is open, otherwise the central and lower shoots will not receive light. Also annually should be cut branches that thicken the crown, otherwise you will not be able to harvest, and the amount of products will be insignificant. 
Crown Shape Cherry. Cherry form in one trunk. They create a long, un-crowned crown in order to get the maximum illumination of each shoot by the sun. When the tree starts to grow old, the upper part should be completely cut off to eventually have a crown that will give enough berries.
Important! Excessive pruning threatens severe branch damage with frost.
Peach and apricot. These cultures differ in that they grow very quickly. For a large number of fruits, you need to carry out a strong pruning. It is best to form a small squat crown, annually adjusting the height of the tree. In this case, after pruning, it is not recommended to apply a lot of fertilizer, otherwise the tree will quickly restore the removed shoots. Sometimes pruning stones are carried out during flowering, as in early spring there is a possibility of cancer, which is not treated.
Video: the basics of spring pruning of fruit trees
Pruning shrubs
Grapes Let's start with the fact that the bush is formed of 4 lashes, which depart from the short stem. Shoots diverge horizontally, two - in one direction, two - in the opposite.
Next, we need to choose 4 young shoots that depart from the trunk. We will use them for rejuvenation. We mark these shoots with ribbons, after which we cut off all the old whips. Young shoots should be shortened to a length of 150 cm.
Important! It is necessary to leave just one-year shoots that bear the most fruit. They are thick with a pencil, and the buds are at a distance of 15 cm from each other.
Raspberries and blackberries. Immediately it should be said that it will not be about repair grades.
We start with the fact that we remove all the old shoots in early spring. They will die anyway, so we don’t need them. Removal should be done before the appearance of young twigs. During the entire growing season, it is necessary to shorten the upper part of the shoots, as the berries are formed on the side branches, and the growth of the main branches up reduces the yield. Pinching is carried out after the shoots have reached a length of 90 cm. 
Also pruning is carried out in the event that the shoots fall to the ground under the weight of leaves and berries. In this case, the main shoot should be shortened, otherwise the products will begin to rot after contact with the soil.
Top dressing of garden cultures
We turn to an important topic that relates to plant nutrition in the garden. It will be about all crops, so consider the fertilizers that need both trees and shrubs of various species and varieties.
Soil
Mineral and organic fertilizers are applied to the soil to improve the nutritional value of the substrate. Organic fertilizers include peat, manure, humus, compost. Organic is usually used once every 2-3 years. It makes a large enough volume to provide nutrition for plants for more than one year. Annual application will not work, as organic matter takes time to decompose into more accessible elements for vegetation.
Important! One-year-old trees and shrubs do not feed, as during planting enough mineral and organic fertilizers are applied.
The main minerals are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen is necessary for plants to form the aerial part, as well as to accelerate the gain of green mass. Potassium and phosphorus are needed for the formation of fruits, as well as for preparing the plant for wintering. In the spring, nitrogen is the first to be introduced, and after flowering, potassium and phosphorus are thought to be injected.
Dry fertilizers are made when digging. So that the roots are able to get nutrients, after digging, abundant watering is carried out. Otherwise, such a termination will be ineffective. Жидкие удобрения вносят исключительно после полива, иначе вы обожжёте корни деревьев и кустарников.
Советуем прочитать про разновидности и использование удобрений: азотных, фосфорных, калийно-фосфорных, калийных.
Foliar
Foliar feeding implies sprinkling minerals with plenty of water, while the liquid mixture settles on the foliage and shoots, and then absorbed by them.
The foliar option is used to saturate plants with macro and microelements. These include those compounds, the number of which should be minimal, but their absence can cause disease in plants. For example, sulfur, boron, calcium, iron, and others.
Important! When foliar feeding, organic fertilizers are not used, since they are not absorbed by the elevated organs of trees and shrubs.
It is also worth clarifying that in some cases nitrogen is sprayed so that it is absorbed not by the root system, but by the aboveground part. This is done to ensure that the substance quickly began to be processed by the plant.
Video: foliar feeding plants
Pest protection
The first thing to do is whitewash all the trees, regardless of age. This is done in order to destroy all the pests that are found in the bark and in the space between the bark and wood, and also to kill the fungus that often appears on and under the bark.
Read also about whitewashing apple trees in the spring.
After whitewashing should be engaged in preventive spraying. You need to think about what pests are common in your area in order to purchase directional chemicals. Also do not forget about the diseases, especially those that are not treated. Without fail it is necessary to process landings from black cancer, scab and moniliosis.
Important! Spraying is carried out only before flowering.
Many diseases and pests occur due to contamination of the site, over-wetting of the soil, as well as the presence of weeds. Ensure the absence of these factors - and your crops will be less likely to be affected by pests and diseases. 
This concludes the spring preparation of the garden. If you have a large area of land under your gardens, then it would be useful to ask for help from your neighbors, or to order services from those who specialize in such works. Also remember that everything comes with experience.
