it's not as though plants just take care of themselves to be productive
Some do and some don't. Whoever built the house we are renting planted persimmon, pomegranate, tangerine, orange, and lemon trees in the front and backyard. We do nothing for them: trim, water, or fertilize. And this is California, so no water during the drought for the last few years. Yet our biggest problem is the mess the fruit makes when it drops, and the rats and squirrels and raccoons that are rooting around eating the fruit. We probably have to throw away around 100 pounds of fruit a year. I'm sure experiences vary depending what and where you grow.
Some do and some don't. Whoever built the house we are renting planted persimmon, pomegranate, tangerine, orange, and lemon trees in the front and backyard. We do nothing for them: trim, water, or fertilize. And this is California, so no water during the drought for the last few years. Yet our biggest problem is the mess the fruit makes when it drops, and the rats and squirrels and raccoons that are rooting around eating the fruit. We probably have to throw away around 100 pounds of fruit a year. I'm sure experiences vary depending what and where you grow.