Tapping Every Other Year

[RC Maple]

There are some who try not to tap the same trees every year and rotate from one woods to the next. I would like to know from those skipping a year on some trees if mostly the idea is to rest the smaller trees 10-12" or if all trees benefit from getting a year off? Do you get more sap from trees that are tapped every other year -vs- trees that are tapped every year?

[RC Maple]

This post may be in the wrong forum but "sugarbush management" seemed to fit my question better than any other. I would like to hear if you can get more sap by giving trees a year off. I know it would be hard to know for sure but someone has to have an opinion or noticed a difference either way. Thoughts?

[noreast maple]

Not sure if it makes a differance or not ,but I would think if you had the set up to do this ,it would give you many more years to enjoy surgaring. I just got use of another lot and am looking at athird one too. Ifigured that iwould try to do just that and on slow years like this last one ,icould tap two lots andhelp take up the slack if you know what i mean.

[ennismaple]

My children are tapping some trees that my grandfather started tapping just after WW2. If you follow proper tapping guidelines I don't see how much benefit there would be from giving the trees a "rest" year. If anything, the larger trees would benefit from a rest year because they add girth more slowly than 10"-12" trees. Most of our smaller trees heal completely over old tapholes in a single year but the 24"+ trees take longer.

[Sunday Rock Maple]

Not sure if my math is right but it seems like you would have to get double the sap to make it worthwhile (assuming no damage is being done to the trees in both systems).

[happy thoughts]

Do you get more sap from trees that are tapped every other year -vs- trees that are tapped every year?

I don't see how you could ever quantify a difference from year to year as each year's sap yield will be different from another due to any number of variables such as weather during both the growing and sugaring seasons, rainfall, temps, etc. That said, if you look at the organic certification guidelines adopted by VT which could be considered best practice for sugar bush management in general, alternating years is not even mentioned.

http://nofavt.org/assets/pdf/programs/MapleGuidelines2007.pdf

[RC Maple]

I have the opportunity to tap a woods with all 2 bucket trees (18-24"). If I put 2 taps in all of them I could have more taps than I did this year. All the trees I tapped this year in one woods were 10-14". The only problem with the woods with latger trees is it isn't easy to get to and my gathering system (which will have to improve anyway) consists of me carrying 5 gal buckets. It might be nice to save the woods I tapped this year in case we tap early again and those dry up. I was just trying to find out if that was an advantage for the trees too.

[spud]

I just looked at all your photos and it seems you have a nice new set-up. Instead of looking to skip a year on some trees I would be tapping every maple you have every year. Don't worry about the trees their going to out live you and your grand kids. Tap away and enjoy the experience with family and friends.

Spud

[RC Maple]

Thanks for the comment Spud. Just wanting to make more syrup, manage the trees well and not bite off more than I can chew.

[Thad Blaisdell]

No maple left behind.