I ve found that these usually do very little to help any situation, and only serve to make the tree look unnatural. Those planting plum trees might deal with something called Black Knot. The symptoms of black not are rough tumors or growths that can be seen on the tree s branches. If you see any of these, you should immediately chop off the branch it has attached to. One of the most important things of all to keep in mind when planting a fruit tree is whether or not your soil in your yard is suitable for your tree. You have to make sure that is has enough nutrients, it has enough moisture, there is proper water drainage so your tree doesn't drown, and it is the right texture. Maintaining a Healthy Young Tree Making sure that your fruit tree stays healthy is very important, but not as hard as some might think. There are several vital things you need to do: don't harvest all of the fruit on the tree at the same time; make sure the soil is healthy; watch out for pests; plant it correctly; be sure it is protected when it is young. The first thing to look for when you start pruning is any branches which are dead or diseased. These are quite easy to recognize. Usually they don t bear any fruit, and might be misshapen or discolored. Don t hesitate at all in chopping these guys off, as they are nothing but detrimental to the health of your tree. Also, staking gives your yard an unnatural look and can present a hazard for people walking or running across the yard. The staking process is actually rather simple. Just take 3 stakes and tie each one separately near the base of the trunk. If you use some sort of tether to prevent rope burn on your tree, that would be an even better solution. They were first introduced in 1874 in Peru, Iowa. They become ripe in mid to late September. They are usually best when they are fresh off the tree. Golden Delicious apples have great, juicy flavor. Their insides are firm, white, crisp and sweet. They are great for cooking because even when they are cooked or baked they keep their great taste and shape.