Generally the shape of the tree is much more natural looking if it has been pruned. 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. If you do a little planning before you rush out and buy a tree, you should be able to find trees that can survive on lower amounts of water. Usually the most adaptable plants are the ones that are indigenous anyways. If you live in a zone that is suffering a water crisis, usually the only plants that survive are the ones that have been there all along. The clusters of flowers that appear in the spring are rather breathtaking, and have inspired many a song or poem. If you re looking to plant a cherry tree, you might consider black cherries. It is best known for being the tallest tree available, and producing beautiful white clumps of flowers. The fruit, which becomes ready to pick in the summertime, is small and black. When you think your tree has been staked long enough to stand on its own, you should remove the stakes from the ground as soon as humanly possible. Every moment the tree is constricted it is losing some of its vitality. As soon as it seems like the wind is dying down around your area, look on the weather reports and see how much wind is forecasted. 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. Occasionally it might be a few feet off due to human error during the cutting process, but if you have some strong friends pull on the ropes you tied, you can line it back up with the path you wanted it to take. The entire process shouldn t take more than an hour. Removal of the stump can be slightly more difficult.