What Boizeau said. I would suggest removing the tree, particularly if it is a standard, (not on dwarfing rootstock) and buying a well-started tree from a good, reputable nursery. In two or three years you could be eating excellent fruit from it. There are excellent discussions here on the different approaches to pruning apples- vase or central leader, and so on. Your county extension agent can point you to good material too. Expect to have to control codling moth, at the very least. If fireblight is an issue you might want to consider a tree that is naturally blight resistant. I believe Empire is one; I have a Liberty that seems untroubled. Same for cedar apple rust. The connection between fireblight and pruning is two-fold. Pruning active fireblight probably can spread the bacteria, so real caution is needed; dormant pruning will stimulate new growth in the spring, and that new growth is more susceptible to infection. Good luck, Mark

See link on pear scab (aka blackspot). As I mentioned earlier, immunox should take care of it, although as the article says, it's not as severe or devastating as apple scab. Regarding your apples, I posit leafhopper b/c the upper leaves of your apples are curled, a result of the leafhoppers sucking the sap out of them. If you can kill the leafhopper nymphs (often seen on underside of leaves) it will be easier to control damage in future. Insecticidal soap, pyrethrins, and imidacloprid are all apparently effective, esp. the last as it's systemic in leaves -ie suck the sap, and bang your dead:).Honestly, you could probably ignore all of it and be OK, as they're not devastating issues. Here is a link that might be useful: blackspot

Josephine, this is getting confusing because you are adding to an old thread about fireblight with new questions about a different topic. I suggest again that you begin a new thread with your own topic. FWIW the fruit on your tree don't look new. They appear to be old fruit still hanging on after leaf drop which is not that unusual.

I live in Beltsville, in the DC suburbs. Here are my thoughts. Hopefully Jellyman and Scott Smith can reply to your post too, as they have more experience at this. Apples: I've done well with dormant lime-sulphur oil spray + a couple of sprays of Surround, followed by bagging. I grow Williams Pride and Enterprise; I've also some heirloom varieties, but they are too young to report on. Both WP and Enterprise are mega disease resistant. Williams Pride is tasty but very early; must be refrigerated to keep, but you will only get a few weeks. Probably fine for applesource. Enterprise ripen later (October) and keep much longer. Liberty would be another good choice. These are all good apples if you wish to avoid spraying for disease. Pears. I grow Seckel. No problems with fire blight. A little brown rot last year and some codling moth. In general, pears are not hit as hard with Plum Curculio as apples, and you might get away with a few sprays of Surround and then benign neglect. I know my neighbor's Bartlett were hit hard with fire blight, though. I would recommend looking into Asian pears too. Sweet cherries: have not grown myself, but my neighbor has, and has major problems with rot in Maryland. You would need to spray with fungicides. I only grow sour cherries, which usually do ok without sprays and, in my book, are a more versatile cherry (cherry brandy, pies, drying etc.). I grow Montmorency and North Star, but I'd also try some of the Eastern European varieties now available, such as Ballaton. Cherries must be netted, or the birds will get them. Plums -- Scott Smith can help here. I grow the Euro prune plum Stanley; needs spraying for curculio early on. Does not seem to strongly attract the other main pest, Oriental Fruit Moth, later in the season if you have the much preferred nectarines or peaches also growing. I have had more brown rot and splitting this year with recent heavy rains (occasional heavy rains are a real problem in MD). Quince: I have an Aromatayna. Serious problems with galls and some fire blight. I suspect this plant was diseased when I bought it. This is probably going to be a problematic fruit -- a pity. Medlar: have a couple growing. So far no problems with insect pests or disease. Heavy rains cause splitting, but as the trees get older this problem seems to be diminishing. A pretty tree and Medlar jelly is very tasty. Juneberries; I have Regent from Edible Landscaping. Slow grower and has got rust. Fruited last year and fruits are interesting - sort of like a blueberry with an almond after taste (from seed). Juneberries are probably worth growing, but do some research on varieties. I suspect Regent is not a particularly good variety. Figs: take a few years to start production. In early years need to be covered in winter (caged with leaves or straw around them). After a couple of years mine have survived MD winters without protection or significant die back -- but try to plant in a protected south facing area. I have Celeste and Brown Turkey. Celeste is much superior in flavor, but has smaller figs and not as many. Definitely worth growing in MD. Hardy Kiwis: probably 3-4 years before fruit. Must buy male and female. A little tricky getting started, but once they get going, pretty bullet proof. Need a trellis or some sort of structure to grow on. No spray. Blueberries: grow well, few pests, provided they have acid soil. I've had mixed experience with varieties. Jersey, for example, is a poor choice. You need to net blueberries against birds. Raspberries are pretty easy, but here too variety choice is important. The much touted Heritage has been a dog for me. Asian persimmons, both astringent and non-astringent, are my choice for a no trouble delicious fruit, and I would highly recommend them. I have no experience with Jujubes or paw paws. The jujubes I have tasted at Edible Landscaping did not taste good (I'd love to know of varieties that do taste good off the tree). I've tasted good Paw Paws, but not grown them. They are on the list of future things to grow. Other possibilities: blackberries, provide a trellis, prune and they are trouble free. Che fruit from Edible Landscaping; so far no pests. Elderberries: no good for fresh eating, but excellent for jam, wine, syrup for flu. A greatly underrated fruit. Goumi: grow well, but must net to keep birds off. They stripped mine well before they were close to ripe. Gooseberries: a trouble free, underrated fruit - highly recommend. Currants: relatively trouble free, though tend to get mildew later in the season. Grow well in filtered light area. Send me a personal email if you'd like to discuss these things more or come out and see what I am growing.