Where to tap the trees this year?

[Lindsey Simanskas]

Looking for suggestions. I assume that I would not tap directly below a old tap hole. But wondering how close left, right or above of the old hole can I go....and how much of a difference in yield between sunny side vs shade side of tree or placing the tap above a root?

[psparr]

I tapped about 2" to the side and about 5" above or below the old hole. The sunny side will definitely run better than the shady side. Last week I had a couple double tapped trees where the sunny side had a gallon in and the shady side nada.
I think the above a root thing is a wives tale but maybe someone knows better.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Sunny side will run better early in the season, shady side late. If you try to always tap on the sunny side, you will have one side looking like swiss cheese. Above a root or below a branch means absolutely nothing!

[Limitpusher]

I do what was recommended to me when I was just starting out by a guy who has 26,000 + taps, 2 inches right, 6 inches down or up. But always 2 inches right. he does it because for a 40 inch tree, it'll take him 20 years to get around that tree, and that way it's uniform when his hired help does it. The up or down is which ever works better for that tree. Hope this helps.

[ennismaple]

Sunny side will run better early in the season, shady side late. If you try to always tap on the sunny side, you will have one side looking like swiss cheese. Above a root or below a branch means absolutely nothing!

True. On vacuum this difference is even less noticeable because sap gets pulled to the taphole from a greater distance within the stem.

[vtmapleman]

I try to never tap on the same side as the prior year. Also, I do not worry if the tap is north, south, west or east - when the season is done you will collect the same amount of sap.