north slope bushes

[bees1st]

do any of you out there have any north facing sugar bushes if so how do they compare? thanks

[gmcooper]

Most of mine has a north west slope. Definately takes a bit longer to thaw in the morning but proabaly runs a bit later in the day. Also seems to run a tad later at the end of the season.

[Brent]

ours, thank god not many, take longer to start running and freeze up earlier.

[bees1st]

do you think over the course of the season ,you make as much syrup from them?

[Brent]

That's the real issue isn't it !

I don't think we get as much, but we have never tried to measure.

Reflecting a bit more. We often see nothing on the north slope for several days after the rest of the trees start running. I think it just takes them longer on the first thaw.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

My season usually runs from aprox Feb 10th to March 21st. I have about 390 taps on south side that I start tapping around Feb 10th and I don't tap the 235 taps that are all on the same north side bush until around March 1st or after. If I hit them right I can get as much sap out of them in 2 to 3 weeks as I do in 6 weeks from the south side. They run really good but don't start until later in the season due to the ice and snow. You would be amazed at temperature difference from these taps and taps on the south side 1/2 mile away.