I would go ahead and start a spraying schedule. You may have some pests already, but you'll certainly cut down the numbers enough to have some nice apples. We planted a Granny Smith last year as well, and this year it surprised us by being covered in blossoms. After we planted we found out that they are not recommended for zone 5 (long ripening time), but I figured the apples don't have to be totally ripe for pie!

Almost all apples and crab apples can pollinate each other, so as long as you have different kinds, I wouldn't worry about it. Crabapples are particularly good pollinators because they bloom for a long time. More importantly, what kinds are you planting exactly? When you say you've started some trees, do you mean from seed? Apple seedlings are very variable. They'll resemble their parents only as much as, say, we resemble our own parents. And if you don't know who the father (pollen parent) was, it's even harder to predict what the offspring will be like. What if that tasty light red apple of yours was pollinated by a tiny sour crabapple? If I were you, I'd make sure I knew exactly what I was planting, and buy some grafted trees. Then again, it can be fun to be surprised, so if you like surprises, enjoy.

If you can't post a photo, for whatever reason, can you take a sample of the problem leaves (assuming it's leaves that are the problem) or twigs/branches (if they are the problem) to your county extension agent's office - look in the phone book under county offices? If your county doesn't have one, a neighboring county should. The agent should be able to tell you what's going on, or can send the samples off to the relevant lab at the state university for tests. Your other options are to take samples to a knowledgable local nursery, but that may be hard to find, and they may say "oh yes, that's thus-and-so, just spray with this and it will go away", without fully understanding the problem - their bottom line is important to them after all. And the person you talk to may have no tree knowledge, only of the commonly sold plants they carry at the nursery, and doesn't want to say so. The other option I can think of, but it will cost money, is to find a good, certified arborist and have him/her come and look. Again, they may simply offer a spraying program without good results - especially if they have a tree service - that old bottom-line again. And I may be totally maligning the nurseries and arborists in your area, but I have had, and known others who have had problems. Also, if you are having a fungus or insect problem, the culprit MAY be overwintering in the fallen fruit, so if that is the case, removing the fallen fruit would limit the problem. The fallen apples may also have nothing to do with it, but without a diagnosis of the problem, who's to say.

tree hugging aside .... trees.. IN THE GARDEN... are and should be.. as disposable as any other garden plants ... if you dont like them... or they are irritating the beegeebees out of you.. just get rid of them ... lifes too short ... and as you note from experience ... you arent going to beat ma nature with money ... you may delay the inevitable.. but you wont win ... so just cut the equation short.. and get rid of the problem .... just invest in the removal.. and skip the boat payments for the tree sprayers.. lol ... actually.. they dont have time for boating.. probably snowmobile money.. the off season .. lol .. ken