Tapping Depth - Buckets, Bags, Gravity Tubing

[DrTimPerkins]

How deep do you tap trees on gravity?
If you tap different depths depending upon size, please give the average depth for all your trees.
(Please note...there is a seperate Poll for vacuum tubing producers)

[DrTimPerkins]

Hey folks....keep those answers coming please......we'd like to get quite a few more responses. Thank you.

[mike z]

1.75" deep

[DrTimPerkins]

1.75" deep

Thanks Mike....if you haven't already, please respond in the Poll question section (top) too.

[DrTimPerkins]

Hi Folks...We need more responses....keep them coming!

[RiverValleySugarhouse]

I heard from someone that most of the sap runs within the outside 1" of the tree.???

[gcec]

1.5 inches

[Turtlecreek]

1.5 although I have thought about tapping slightly deeper to see if I get better production. I use all buckets

[DrTimPerkins]

1.5 although I have thought about tapping slightly deeper to see if I get better production. I use all buckets

Thank you.....did you also input this information into the poll (at the top....click on the appropriate depth choice and then click the "Vote Now" box)?

[Big_Eddy]

Dr. Tim
I see the results above. What's the general consensus at UVM as to best practices? I've always tapped to the depth of the spile plus 1/4", and have a line ground into my drill bits to mark it. I want to make sure I don't bottom the spile and leave a small space behind to gather sap.

I'm trying health spiles this year on half my trees. I've been drilling less deep than with the typical metal spiles as the health spile itself is shorter. I have 50 of each in - will know in a few days if there is any difference in output between the 2. I used the health spiles last year too, but I tapped them 2 weeks later, so not a fair comparison.

[DrTimPerkins]

I see the results above. What's the general consensus at UVM as to best practices?

In general, both vacuum and gravity producers are tapping in the 1.5-2" depth range. This seems to be a reasonably good compromise between production and wounding. With gravity, you will definitely get more sap with a deeper taphole. With vacuum, there is the same trend, but it isn't quite as large a difference. If your trees are 12-20" dbh and growing well (you've thinned recently or they are in good soils), then tapping a little deeper is OK. If they are smaller, or very large, or unhealthy for some reason, tapping shallower is probably better.

[bowtie]

after actually tapping this year i realized i tap at a depth of 2" max, not 2.5". i was wondering what effect tapping as close to possible to last years taphole, 2-2.5" to right or left and up or down 3-4", would have on my sap totals and quality. i am trying to stay as close as i can so as not to "run" out of tree in the future. bad idea or ok. would like to hear from you dr.perkins even if on a different thread.thank you

[DrTimPerkins]

after actually tapping this year i realized i tap at a depth of 2" max, not 2.5". i was wondering what effect tapping as close to possible to last years taphole, 2-2.5" to right or left and up or down 3-4", would have on my sap totals and quality. i am trying to stay as close as i can so as not to "run" out of tree in the future. bad idea or ok. would like to hear from you dr.perkins even if on a different thread.thank you

Some people like to do a regular pattern to keep track of old tapholes, but it is better (at least on trees > 12" dbh) to randomly tap in the entire tapping band, although avoiding obvious old tapholes. The reason for this is to spread the risk of it being an abnormally warm or cold season. If you tap all your trees on the north, and it is a cold season, you may never get decent sap runs. If you tap entirely on the south, and it is hot season, you run the risk of premature taphole drying of all your taps. By spreading them around, you are more apt to get some decent sap runs across the entire season.

If you are on vacuum (particularly on high vacuum), you definitely want to be sure to avoid tapping near an old tapholes ....so tapping a few inches away from an old taphole is NOT a good idea.

Eventually, you will be able to tap on top of an old taphole....after 2-2 1/2" of new wood (depending on your tapping depth) has grown over that spot.

[supersapper]

I tap all on gravity and try to maintain 1-1/2" . This year I will have 100 taps. Yeahaa !!!