Once your tree starts to carry a lot of fruit you should periodically pick some of the fruit so that the branches aren't weighed down too much. If the fruit gets too thick, the branches can break off. On some years your tree might not bear as much fruit as others, but this should not worry you. Healthy trees often take years on vacation where they produce little or no fruit. However, many people fail to realize how easy it is to obtain a fairly serious infestation of worms in their fruit. I can t think of anything more unpleasant than biting into an apple off of the tree you ve slaved over for so long, only to find that you have not been diligent enough with your pesticides. Staking a Young Tree When a tree is in the young stages, one of the most vital things you need to provide for it in addition to water and nutrients is support. If you don t hold up the tree somehow, it might end up bending in a certain direction and growing extremely crooked for the rest of its life. So hopefully I have provided you with a basic knowledge of pruning. There are more situations and types of branches that require pruning, but what I ve outlined is the very basic parts. These can alter depending on how old your tree is. For example, for the first 3 years of a tree s growth it requires pruning that follows more formative guidelines. Generally in an orchard, the trees are planted in a row, then pruned to be in a two dimensional shape. This is known as either a fan or an espalier shape. There is one main branch in the center that is completely vertical, then multiple branches that go off to the side. If the side branches are horizontal it is known as an espalier. Another part of making sure that your fruit tree stays healthy is planting it in fertile soil. If you plant anything in soil that doesn't have the proper amount of nutrients in it, it will not grow and flourish as I am sure you would like it to. You also have to be sure that you plant the right tree in the right kind of soil, because some types of fruit trees do better in drier soil while some kinds or trees do better in damp soil.