The addition of trees near our homes or in our community lets us enjoy nature and its benefits in an everyday environment. Trees give us shade when the sun is at its peak, and also give us a cool breeze in a hot and humid afternoon. But before deciding to add these majestic plants in your community or homes, there are a few responsibilities that you must know and do to keep your trees healthy and strong.

First, pick the right tree for your area and find the best place where to plant them, somewhere with enough sunlight and space for when they grow bigger. Properly water your trees and give them mulch and fertilisers to moisturise soil and encourage healthy growth. Pruning your trees is also an important job when your trees have grown a considerable height.

Unlike in our forests, the trees in our streets or homes don't have much freedom when spreading their branches. You must ensure that the trees in your yard are not close to any streetlights, electrical lines, and most especially that they are not blocking any traffic views. Old and diseased trees with dead and weak branches are also potential hazards in a community.

Pruning trees is the answer to your problems as they make them stronger and healthier. This is because the dead and weak branches pruned will make way for the growth of new and healthier limbs. For your landscape goals, pruning can help you create and maintain your vision of an ideal yard. Your trees can be pruned in ways that will encourage flowering and fruiting. It can also shape your tree into specific forms and control its size.

For smaller branches, it is important to remember that your pruning efforts will encourage new growth. Only cut about ¼ inch tree limb above a bud facing the outside of the tree. This will now become the direction for the new growth. And to prevent water damage and disease, your cut must be at a 45-degree angle.

For thicker branches, there are three basic cuts to follow. The first cut will be done halfway through the branch and is approximately 18 inches up the underside of it. The second cut will be at the top side of the branch and an inch further out from the first. Cut it down carefully until the branch finally breaks free. The final cut will be at the outside of the branch collar on your tree trunk. Do not leave a stub. Just like in smaller branches, your complete cut must also be at a 45-degree angle to prevent water damage and to encourage a rapid formation of the callus - a tissue formed around the edges of a tree wound that is essential to the health of a tree.