Drops

[Round Mtn Mapler]

When taping a group of maples that share a root system is it ok to tap say all 6 trees that come out of same root system. Each tree is 9-12" diameter.

Last year I made drops and put 4 drops into one 5 gallon bucket at each cluster of 6 trees.

This is leased land so I can not thin the clusters or modify the land at all.

[spud]

I would tap then all. The chances of the whole cluster to live long is very slim. You might as well get what you can out of them before they die or blow down.

Spud

[spencer11]

I have some that are 3 trees in a cluster but not that many, I go by ifn they split below my head they are seperate trees, if they split about they are one

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

When taping a group of maples that share a root system is it ok to tap say all 6 trees that come out of same root system. Each tree is 9-12" diameter.

Last year I made drops and put 4 drops into one 5 gallon bucket at each cluster of 6 trees.

This is leased land so I can not thin the clusters or modify the land at all.We tap alot of soft maples, so we have alot of trees like this in our woods. If there is 6 trees in a cluster and they measure 9-12", I would put 2 drops, 3 at the most on them, then you can tap each stem every other year. If they all share the same root system, then it is one tree. 6 taps is too many for one root system. I have noticed soft(red) maples tend to grow like this alot. Neil

[Russell Lampron]

I have red maples like that in my woods. I tap them all figuring that they are all culls. If one stem dies I chop it out and remove that drop. Might as well get as much out of them as you can.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

They are all culls from a logging standpoint, but if you use your trees for maple syrup production and plan on doing that for more than a few years than you will benefit more by only putting 2-3 taps max. on one root system, no matter how many stems are on it. You have to remember each stem shares the same root system so if some are dying, then the tree is stressed; over-tapping will only stess it more. Furthermore, after a period of time, you will run out of "tappable" wood. By alternating and only tapping each stem every other year you will get alot more years of good tappable surface area in that tree. Neil

[unc23win]

I agree with Spud. If each tree is 9-12" I don't think you will run out of tappable wood that fast however you might want longer drops so you can reach around better. To each his own.