sap? or no sap?

[Zamkev]

Following a recent wind storm, a friend's mature maple (likely greater than 30" in diameter), broke off at the fork and was threatening to fall on his house. This is in a residential location - not the bush. He had a company come and cut that major limb off and as it turned out the other limb was rotten as well so it also got removed. Now only the trunk of the tree remains standing probably 20ft.

So.....the question is......if he hangs some buckets(when the time if right) - will he get any sap? Should he seal the top so the sap doesn't "overflow"?

Any idea?

Thx.

[Run Forest Run!]

What a cool question. I can't wait to hear the answers.

[not_for_sale]

I had a maple tree last year that got damaged in the crown when we felled an oak. It was raining underneath some days from the overflowing sap. I have though about how to use that fact, since we have to trim some maples around the house.

[danno]

My experience is that the tree will give very little sap.

[Zamkev]

Hmmm.....one experience with "very little sap", one experience with "overflowing sap".

Anyone else have any thoughts/experience? Is the good Dr. in the house?

Thx.

[happy thoughts]

Following a recent wind storm, a friend's mature maple (likely greater than 30" in diameter), broke off at the fork and was threatening to fall on his house. This is in a residential location - not the bush. He had a company come and cut that major limb off and as it turned out the other limb was rotten as well so it also got removed. Now only the trunk of the tree remains standing probably 20ft.

So.....the question is......if he hangs some buckets(when the time if right) - will he get any sap? Should he seal the top so the sap doesn't "overflow"?

Any idea?

Thx.

Are you saying there are no limbs on the tree, just a maple totem pole is left???? If so, what are the plans for the tree? If it's going to be completely cut down, then I'd tap it and see what happens.

If there is some hope of the tree surviving I would not tap it this year if it was cut after the growing season. It sounds like some major limbs were cut and it may not have had time to heal well. I would consider the tree stressed, but that's just my 2 cents not knowing what the tree looks like. Any cut into fresh wood will likely bleed sap just as even broken twigs may rain sap this time of year. I have seen birds and squirrels drinking sap from broken limbs in the past so it might help to think of it as a winter treat from mother nature and back again :).

Nothing should be put on the cuts. Let the tree heal on it's own. Sealing the cuts usually causes more harm than good and is never recommended.

Good luck and have a great season!.

[Zamkev]

Yes - it's now just a "maple totem pole" with no limbs. The idea is to bring the rest of it down in the spring/summer without the help of an expensive tree removal company.

I guess we just were not sure if the sap would run at all if it had no limbs and fresh green growth.

[TerryEspo]

I would amuse myself and give it a necklace !!

Put as many taps as I could encircling the entire diameter, my pattern would be a spiraling downward circle,,,take a picture for us and see what sap you get. I think of doing that with trees I know I will be cutting down in the spring.

You could be the first person to run 30 taps off one tree !!!:lol:

Would love to hear what you get.

Terry

[MillbrookMaple]

I would amuse myself and give it a necklace !!

Put as many taps as I could encircling the entire diameter, my pattern would be a spiraling downward circle,,,take a picture for us and see what sap you get. I think of doing that with trees I know I will be cutting down in the spring.

You could be the first person to run 30 taps off one tree !!!:lol:

Would love to hear what you get.

Terry

It would be interesting to see what you get but I would use the normal amount of taps based on the diameter of the tree. I'm not sure how well the tree will do with no limbs but give it a shot. As far as 30 taps, obviously a joke and funny too, but just to make a point; Maple sap comes out of the tap holes because of the internal pressure of a tree. When the temperature swing goes from freezing to warm the pressure builds. Think of a tree like a tire. Each tap is a leak. If you put too many taps in none of the taps will run longer than a short while because the tree will loose pressure faster than it is gaining from the temperature rise. If I remember correctly it takes a internal pressure of about 12psi for sap to come out of a tap hole. I had heard a presentation once on a study where they found that trees with 2 taps would give full buckets some days and the same size trees on the same days in the study would give only 1/4 of a bucket if they had 4 buckets on the tree. Half the sap with 2x the buckets. For a valid experiment just tap the tree as if it was a healthy tree and then make a comparison to the rest of your taps. It would be interesting to see how much the absence of limbs will make on sap. Just my 2 cents.

[happy thoughts]

Yes - it's now just a "maple totem pole" with no limbs. The idea is to bring the rest of it down in the spring/summer without the help of an expensive tree removal company.

I guess we just were not sure if the sap would run at all if it had no limbs and fresh green growth.

Tap it. What have you got to lose? Since it's a goner you might want to try tapping extra deep to get as much sap out of it as possible if it runs at all. I think it will run because sap flow has a lot to do with simple physics. The trees are still dormant and not actively photosynthesizing when we tap them so I think absence of limbs isn't going to make much difference. Whether the sap will be sweet or not is another question I'm not sure about though. I think that's probably going to depend on whether or not the cells that convert starch to sugar are still alive or not. But again, what have you got to lose by trying?

[Zamkev]

Thx Happy Thoughts and Millbrook Maple. Your replies are much appreciated.

I agree. It'll be tapped and we'll see what happens.

The tire analogy is useful. I wonder if the fresh cut top of the tree will act like a major hole in the tire thereby reducing(or eliminating) the internal pressure of the tree and causing an "overflow" at the top and little action at the tap site.

[Zamkev]

Forgot to say thx to Terry as well! I do like the idea of a tree necklace:)

[MillbrookMaple]

Thx Happy Thoughts and Millbrook Maple. Your replies are much appreciated.

I agree. It'll be tapped and we'll see what happens.

The tire analogy is useful. I wonder if the fresh cut top of the tree will act like a major hole in the tire thereby reducing(or eliminating) the internal pressure of the tree and causing an "overflow" at the top and little action at the tap site.

Good point! I'm sure it will play a role. Depending how far up the tree might make a difference. You will soon find out.

[TerryEspo]

I have cut Birch for firewood in April and the sap from them flies off the chainsaw, a real site. Like I am cutting a water pipe.

Then for the next few days the top of the Birch stump is wet, wet, wet, an actual puddle. Therefore, I feel the necklace would work. Instead of the puddle on top, my nacklace idea I think would catch that sap before going out the top.

No bets though, I have never tried the necklace, but now due to this post,,,I will give one of my trees a necklace, lol !!

Pics will come with that post too. Watch for a "NECKLACE" post in the upcoming weeks !!

Terry

[MillbrookMaple]

I have cut Birch for firewood in April and the sap from them flies off the chainsaw, a real site. Like I am cutting a water pipe.

Then for the next few days the top of the Birch stump is wet, wet, wet, an actual puddle. Therefore, I feel the necklace would work. Instead of the puddle on top, my nacklace idea I think would catch that sap before going out the top.

No bets though, I have never tried the necklace, but now due to this post,,,I will give one of my trees a necklace, lol !!

Pics will come with that post too. Watch for a "NECKLACE" post in the upcoming weeks !!

Terry

If you do that, that should be your new avatar for the Maple Trader Site. Not to keep being the serious guy but Birch sap flows because of root pressure unlike maples that flow because of trunk pressure. We tapped birch last year. It flows best the longer it has been since a freeze until they bud vs maples that stop flowing with out a freeze.

[mike z]

I tapped a maple a couple years back that lost the top the fall before (just a 30 foot, 12"dia pole). It produced sap regularly but gave about half of what the other similar size trees gave. It did feel weird collecting from it. Kinda like a faucet, running water without any plumbing attached.

[Z/MAN]

I have a tree that Sandy broke the top off at about 18ft up. It also looks like a totem pole (no limbs left at all). When tapping I said what the hell and drilled a hole and sure enough it began dripping faster then most of my other trees that day. Might as well get one last year out of it.

[Zamkev]

Thanks everyone. We'll let you know what it yields.

[Zamkev]

Hi everyone. Just a quick update.......for enquiring minds....

My friend has tapped the totem pole (with 5 taps! for fun - reminder that it is being cut down in the spring) and it is indeed running.......time will tell for how long.

7290

7291

hmmm not sure how to rotate pic

[Run Forest Run!]

Why not? Nothing ventured, nothing gained! We'll all be very anxious to hear what it yielded.