Tapping trees with buds starting?

[MJFlores]

Hi all, new guy here with millions of questions! :lol:

I am having a HECK of a time getting sap. I'm small time, back yard....last week I collected 4 gallons and made my first 8 ounces of syrup. That was 11 taps. I had hoped to have between 6 to 8 but my trees aren't giving me as much as I had hoped. They're all red maples or varying sizes. I'd like to boil this weekend but I only have 1/3rd of a gallon so far so I need to step it up. There's this one large maple in the yard that's got buds on it, can I tap it? Whats the deal with buds...does the tree not give sap once it buds or does the sap taste off? All my trees are in the woods with their root zone in the shade, so maybe they're too cold yet so I'm looking at that big one and am tempted to try tapping it. What do you think? Is it too early for me to start getting desperate? If others say I should I'll pick up a few extra taps and buckets and try that one tomorrow night after work.

[happy thoughts]

In my short experience, reds can be finicky. That's all I used to tap because that's all I had. They made good syrup but some trees never produced much of anything and treewise that stayed pretty consistent from year to year. The last year I tapped them, I didn't bother tapping the real non producers and moved on to other trees. I don't know if others have seen the same thing but it seemed a waste of time and a tap to try to coax any sap from some trees that weren't producing much in previous years. Reds also tend to bud out earlier so the season can be shorter than if tapping sugar maple. As the trees bud out, the sap of any maple can take on an unpleasant flavor and smells bad when boiled.

That said, this winter has been so warm that I don't think anyone knows what to expect. In my area I've noticed some reddening of the hillsides in the last couple of days so it appears the red maples may be waking up but they are far from fully budding out. I'd say go for it on your big red. You may have a couple of weeks left yet but other people in your location will be better able to guide you there. If you tap, keep an eye on the buds and maybe keep that sap separate if it's buds really start to swell and especially if you see it's flower buds appear.

Good luck. Hope you reach your syrup goal for the year:)

[PerryW]

red maples look like the buds are swelling even in january, especially the healthy, vigorous ones. not sure where in NH you are, but I doubt the even on the seacoast the maples aren't really budding enough to give you bud run.

If you're really worried, keep the suspect sap separate and just bring a small amount of sap to boil on the kitchen stove. Buddy sap give a bitter, unpleasant smell when boiling.

[Vermont Creation Hardwood]

Even way up north near the Canadian border the vigorous red maples have bigger buds on them than I've seen in years. But they haven't changed, they've been big all winter. They won't bud out up here for a long time yet. Tap your big red maple. My biggest red maples produce well and are sweet.