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Once a fruit tree has been properly planted, each type of tree has its own individual requirements for care. However, there are some principles of caring for fruit trees that apply to all varieties.

Don't Rush New Trees
After planting, new fruit trees need three to five years to develop the branch structure to bear fruit and the root structure to nourish a crop. Dwarf trees usually need less time to establish than standards. While some fruit trees will set fruit in the first years after planting if left alone, the tree will produce a better harvest and have a longer fruitful life if they are prevented from setting fruit until at least the third growing season. Growers can enjoy the blossoms in these establishing years, then pinch the stems off when the petals drop to prevent fruit set. In the third and fourth years after planting, the tree can be allowed to set some fruit, but a full harvest should not be expected or allowed until the fifth year after planting.

Train the Trees Early
Training the trees to the appropriate shape should start as soon as the tree is planted. In addition to pruning off damaged, diseased or undesirable growth, training involves using limb spreaders-wooden clothespins work well-to achieve a good branch angle for each limb. Pruning off growth should take place in late winter or early spring, while the tree is dormant but after the hard freezes of winter are over. Pruning a tree in summer can stunt its growth, and should only be done to remove damaged growth or if a dwarfing effect is desired.

Peaches, nectarines and citrus trees are trained to an open-center system with the main trunk ending low on the tree and branches forming a vase shape. Apples, cherries, pears and nut trees are trained to a central leader system, with levels of branches coming off a central trunk, like a Christmas tree. Plum trees can be trained to either system. Training the tree early to the appropriate shape eliminates the need for severe pruning later in the trees life, and allows the fruit tree to focus early energy on growing only the branches it will keep.

Be Vigilant for Pests and Diseases
Check the trees often for signs of diseases and pest infestation, as both are easier to control the earlier they are spotted. Not all insects around a fruit tree are pests. In fact, most are beneficial. Aphids and Japanese beetles are two notable exceptions. Different types of fruit trees are susceptible to different diseases, and even within a single fruit, different cultivars

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