leaving taps in the trees

[tomslusher]

I was doing some pondering at work (best to do it on work time, not my own time) and wondering why can't you seal a tap when they quit running with some type of plug and reuse the hole/tap next year? Shouldn't it keep the hole fresh? I'm sure this has been thought of and tried by many people. But what is the reason you can't do this?

thanks,

tomslusher

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

just like when u cut your self and bleed then it clots up. Its your red blood cells stopping the bleeding, maple tree does the same thing when it see bacteria. Once you drill that spot you damage it to the point it wont run sap through that spot next year.

[BryanEx]

Tapping a tree is a very similar to having a small cut on your hand. You tap the tree creating a small wound (the cut) which releases sap (blood), the tree starts the healing process by closing the tap hole over several weeks (your cut scabbing over), and then eventually closes the tap hole entirely (growing back new skin). I have many examples on my property where someone has nailed a wire fence to a tree and over the past 80 ~ 100 years the tree has grown right over the wire so the fence now goes right through the center. Just like you and I, a series of small cuts do not do us any harm but lose a finger, hit an artery, or draw too much blood and it will be serious. If you leave the taps in not only will you have no sap next year but eventually the tree would consume the tap.

[BryanEx]

LOL... Flat Lander beat me to it. :razz:

[Haynes Forest Products]

I think you should Tap with a 1/2 spade bit and install hose bibs. Home Depot has the ones with the NPT male with screw flange:rolleyes: Get the 1/4 turn so you save time next spring:o

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

LOL... Flat Lander beat me to it. :razz:

yea I beat you to it but your explanation was much more exact dam scabs:lol: