Hi I would love to trade with you. I have tobacco, Wheat. oats, Cotton. For trade

I doubt powdery mildew. I gotta say, it doesn't look so bad to me. It happens on some of my apple trees from time to time, and doesn't seem to be a long term problem. I sometimes think that cold, wet weather brings this on, but I don't really know. :^?

I would take advantage of the situation and keep a few sprouts that are spaced well enough apart and graft on to them. There is no need to have an apple tree for just ornamental value. There is a lot of information available on grafting and there are several resources for scion wood. The mature root structure will give you a faster producing tree than if you replaced them with good apple trees, and you would have the benefit of good apples as well. I must say that I personally have not had a lot of luck grafting, but it is a learning experience. It won't hurt anything for you to try. My most obvious mistake was trying to graft on to rootstocks that barely had any roots. This would not be the case in your situation. My best luck was in situations just like yours. I can't comment on the removal of the stumps. A picture might help. I'm really just a newbie myself so lets see what others come up with.

Rainier Cherry on Mazzard rootstock. In five gallon containers. 6' tall, growing well, and healthy - needs a home (or homes) where they can go in the ground ASAP (much too large to ship!) Have several (at least five) Some of them had a few cherries this year. Needs a pollenizer variety (I do NOT have any other cherry varieties available) Looking for unusual fruits / berries / passion vines (hardy or tropical for the greenhouse) / black raspberry (NOT blackberry!) / purple raspberry / tayberry / loganberry / boysenberry / goumi / chilean guava / mulberry (prefer own rooted must be named variety) / medlar (have one 'Breda Giant' already although I will trade for another) / bilberry / native huckleberry / thimble berry / "Invicta" (or another green named variety) gooseberry - anything edible, I don't have, and it's hardy (or is interesting enough I can find room for it in the greenhouse) I do intend on traveling to the Vancouver, WA area several times in the next month - a person to person trade will possibly work anywhere in Southwest Washington / SeaTac area --- to North Seattle is possible too (for the right plant(s), I will travel!) Also would consider trading my plants for large (10 gallon plus) nursery containers if close or there's a plant trade and I don't have to travel just for the containers (unless there is a quantity of containers!) I'm in SeaTac.