I agree with most of the good advice preceding and would add not to pay much attention to a random forester. The only nutrient that consistently creates a vigor response for trees in most soils is N and additional P is often not needed at all, at least in the soils in the northeast. K becomes an issue when it is being carried out of a site in the form of crop. Presumably animals feeding on the fruit would tend to leave in excrement about what they consumed. Soil tests don't really tell you what's needed like a map can direct you where to drive and they aren't in my opinion always essential. In commercial orchards where you need to tweek things to max efficiency, soil tests are used in conjunction with leaf analysis. Soil tests probably represent about a third of the total info provided by both tests and this info is only part of the evidence a grower acts on when determining nutritional needs. Observation of apples, foliage and soil take an equal role. Cornell does offer a maintanence nutrient management program in their "Pest Management Guidelines for Commercial Tree-Fruit Production" which last I checked can be found on-line. I assume this info is for commercial growers getting satisfactory production and aren't doing test based management. I do consider pH adjustment an essential part of fruit tree care and this has to be done in conjunction with analysis.

I know I need to prune some little branches out of the way. I cut the two biggest limbs off the tree when cleft grafting. I only have three small branches left and they will get cut back next spring when I ad more grafts. I left one third of the tree for nurse branches. I can open it up a little more when I get time. So your saying the pear will die. I thought people were growing pears on apple trees from what I have read. Then there were people grafting winter banana and then grafting pear onto that. I have five out of seven pears with leaves. Even if it doesn't take no big deal. It was fun trying.

woodencloud: Plant a Yellow Transparent tree. This is an antique variety that has very sour apples, right up to the time they begin to turn yellow. Unless you have a very sour tooth, they will be sufficiently sour for you. We use Yellow Transparent as our #1 applesauce variety, although it requires a little sugar, and it is also great for pies. Like many of the tart apples, it ripens very early -- around July 15 here in Northern Virginia -- and we pick them just before they begin to turn yellow, at which point they can begin to turn mushy. I also have a much later-ripening sour apple of English origin called Foxwhelp, which is a real mouth-puckering experience. Foxwhelp is not so good for sauce, but it is great for blending in cider. You would probably like it right off the tree. Older apple varieties like these are available at specialized nurseries around the country. You would have to do a little searching with your Google mechanism to find them. I think Cummins Nursery in NY State carries the Perrine type of Yellow Transparent, which is reported to be better than the original. You would be better off with a known grafted variety on a size-controlling rootstock like M-7 than trying to start a tree from seed, which is a real crapshoot. You would get fruit much sooner, and would know what you have. Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

I'm in Rocky Mountain foothill Z5a, which would be pretty different from Midwest 5. My hit list: "Glenora" grape. The only thing fruiting this year after the terrible cold snap of early February. Produces second-rate fruit for a couple of years before it gets going. "Polly" white peach. Cold snap killed the blossoms this year, but otherwise its in fine shape. Its available as a special order from Bay Laurel Nursery. It was slow to come into production, but faultless once it did. "Redhaven" yellow peach. A little marginal for my area, but it seems to almost have a will to produce fruit for you. Its widely available, and very high quality. I am pretty sure you can get one and plant it this weekend. "Rosy Gage" plum is shaping up to be a VERY good plum. A little shy bearing so far, but its still a new plum, and I had pollination issues to solve. I have an idea once it hits maturity it will produce well in a good year. Pollination is an issue with Euro plums more than other trees. You have to make sure you have the right combination. "Castleton Plum?" My fall planted [a mistake in z5] "Castleton" died in the Big Freeze of course. I'm not terribly satisfied with the pollinators I have for "Rosy Gage" I would double check to make sure it cross-pollinates with "Rosy Gage" If it does I would go for it. This is in the realm of speculation and reputation rather than experience, however. Apricots: If you live in an area where you can even occasionally get a crop, you should grow an adapted apricot. There is just no comparison to a store-bought apricot. None. Furthermore, apricots if it grows well in your area are extraordinarily attractive trees that deserve a high-profile spot in your landscape. I like the taste of Wilson Delicious from Stark's best of all. 'Moorpark' works OK too. But as I mentioned, in my area the crop is an afterthought. Sorry, not enough luck with apples or pears to make a recommendation. As I mentioned, if you live Back East, these recommendations don't mean much.