Many of the 'named varieties' were chance discoveries of superior seedling trees, but as fruitnut indicated, native seedlings often produce small, thick-shelled nuts. USDA has a pecan breeding program that has yielded a number of the newer varieties now available - but I'm sure those selected also had siblings that didn't make the grade. I have several hundred home-grown seedling pecans, transplanted as 2-yr old bare-roots, into a riparian bufferstrip planting in 2000, that have not yet begun producing nuts. Some are large enough now that I'm anticipating nuts within the next 2-5 years. So...you're probably looking at 15-20 years to bearing; perhaps longer, maybe less, if some are especially precocious. Black walnut seedlings, planted at the same time, have been producing nuts for 3-4 years now. Most grafts I've made, with scionwood from mature bearing trees onto vigorous well-established rootstocks have required 5-8 years to begin bearing nuts.

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.

2 things here: First not what you asked: You need to prune the main trees. Rule of thumb is that on each branch cut off 1/3 of each years new growth. You do this before the next years buds open. (find out when is best in your areas I'm in Iowa) you can see where each year starts by what looks likes a junction, or some might compare it to how the skin looks on your knuckles. I won't go into the the why's and ect of pruning in this thread. You have some time to read up on that. But read here not the web in general. Here is what you 'can' do on the suckers. Wait until pruning time, then take your time in getting those removed, dig around them with your fingers and see how much root you can get with it without scratching the main trunk or a large root . cut those off 4" above the ground line and replant them in a pot or in the ground. It will need very damp soil to start, but don't let it be waterlogged, that will drown it. So if you get one or more to retake you can bud graft in the fall from your trees or other apple tree in your area. None of this is complicated and you have time to get your mind around it.

Interesting. I haven't seen any aphids but it is as you describe. It's not just under the pecans, it's also under the cedar elm, but not the other trees. Everything is shiny and sticky. I know this happens every year - we've seen it before - but I've never paid attention to how long it lasts or how easy it is to remove since I've never had anything that mattered getting covered...well, except the car and that we have to wash. I just don't want to figure out how to wash off the patio stuff then do it again a week later. I guess I'll wait awhile. Maybe all this hard rain will wash it off.