Spiles

[tonka]

I just recently started using 5/16 in spiles, since its a smaller hole your making in to the tree can a person get away with putting in 2 taps per tree vs one? the trees being 14-18 inches? or tapping trees that are 9-10 inches?

[spencer11]

well i dont tap anything under 8 inch dia. when it gets 2 is when i cant reach around it, probably about 28" dia, i do this regardless of tap size. but thats just me

[Flat47]

When 7/16" spouts were the norm, the rule of thumb was one spout/tap/spile per 12" in diameter. With the 5/16" it's more like one per 10" diameter (diameter measured 4.5 feet from ground - aka "dbh" or Diameter Breast Height for the foresters out there).

[tonka]

Thanks guys! I guess my thinking on this is if guys are putting one tap on say a 16inch tree that's hooked up to a vacuum pump I don't think there would be much difference in sap yield if a person would put 2 taps on the same sized tree that is gravity flow, I don't know how much more vacuum pumps yield over gravity flow, I don't want to put no more stress on the trees then needed but I want to get the most out of it and if I where to run more taps I need to get onto some new ground, which is no problem getting permission but the distance is the kicker, living on a dairy farm doesn't leave me much time.

[RileySugarbush]

It is more about tap damage then sap loss stressing the tree.

Where is there a dairy farm in Minnetonka? !! Or am I missinterpreting where you are in MN?

[tonka]

Tonka is my nickname and I live in central MN (Perham/New York Mills/Wadena area).