Mine still looks pretty sad and despondent after a couple of years. I hope it's beautiful someday, but for now it's pretty dull next to its glamorous Japanese maple neighbor.

Well, check on soil quality, maybe add compost, check water supply, maybe add a dripper, check that the soil isn't rock-hard, so the roots can get around. If you want to know exactly what the tree needs, though, research is probably in order.

OK, here's a pretty thorough guide to the hackberry: https://homeguides.sfgate.com/special-care-hackberry-tree-56...

Sounds like you should keep crap off the trunk so it doesn't rot, it needs to be pruned to grow right, and if the soil gets dry it will start dropping leaves about it.