I bought my house for the big backyard — and the lone apple tree in the corner. For a decade, it produced maybe five apples a year. I thought it was old, dying, or just decorative. An orchard guy at the farmers’ market told me, “It’s not dead. It’s neglected. Apple trees need pruning like teenagers need rules.” So that winter, I followed his steps: Remove inward-growing branches Open the center for airflow Cut back weak, thin shoots Leave strong lateral branches Seal large cuts with natural wax Spring came, and the tree exploded — blossoms everywhere. By fall, I had so many apples I filled three buckets, gave some to neighbors, and still had more for pie. Turns out some trees don’t need replacing. They just need boundaries. #Gardening #related