Not getting sap for tap ratio ?? Is it tubing? Age of taps? Mystery !!

[TerryEspo]

I was waiting to see if I got any improvement, but decided to ask anyway.

I have approx. 140-150 taps out.

Some are double taps and triple taps into larger trees, some single taps are in smaller trees that I will be cutting after the season.

Long story short, I am not getting anywhere what I thought for sap.

All my taps are brand new clear health 5/16 spiles into tubing, tubes go into pails or buckets on the ground.

I have some lines that have 15 taps and wont fill a 5 gallon pail in a day. Some lines with 5 trees will fill a 5 gallon 3/4 full.

I tapped the majority the end of Feb, maybe drying up?

Maybe my line grade is not steep enough?

Maybe my season has not fully flowed yet? Still lots of snow, maybe 10 days total runs on and off, sap has run in my area over the last month.

I know with 7/16 spiles and buckets I got alot more sap per tree.

In a day I have not collected more than 70 gallons, ever this season. Some run days have been 40 gallons total from all my taps ???

What could be wrong ?

Thanks.

Terry

[psparr]

I tapped Jan 3rd and pulled last weekend. Probably too early but I can only get there to boil on the weekends.

I had some taps that never ran at all.

My north facing taps sucked. Maybe would have ran better if I tapped later.

Had quite a few reds that outperformed my sugars.

All the trees have their own
personalities.

So long story short. Who knows.

[unc23win]

Terry usually buckets will out perform tubing on gravity. I don't think you tapped too early in fact some producers here in northern PA had parts of there woods just start running last week when we had a few days 40 or above in a row. We went 11 days without hardly a drop from March 13 to March 24th today we are below freezing and suppose to be tomorrow as well. Most of people in my area would consider 8 gallons of sap per tap good for a season hoping for a great season 10-12 gallons per tap on gravity only.

[TerryEspo]

Hey UNC:

8 gallons of sap per tap would tickle my fancy !!

Without checking my total gallons of sap collected so far, I am thinking I have gotten maybe 400 gallons so far. Not bad I guess if my season is not ending anytime soon.

I was just thinking that I would see a day that each tree or most trees gave a gallon in a 24 hrs period,,, not yet.

The jury is still out as I have no idea how far along in the season I am.

Time , I guess is what will tell.

Just hope nothing comes to an end anytime soon.

Terry

[Mark]

I am straight west of you about 250 miles. The season is sure starting late for me, we only had a few little boils so far. I think the season will go into May this year. I have only made less than a tenth of what I usually make. Still a few feet of snow and no donuts melted around the trees yet. The snow came so late in the winter I think the roots could be frozen a little. Took a shovel out and dug through the snow and about six inches of the ground is frozen.
We are expecting some big runs when the snow melts from around the trees.

[JAMIE]

Terry,
So far i am at 3.75 gallons of sap per tap not so great.BUT we have not had any good run days.Don't be discouraged as i think the best days are just a head.At least we can hope!

[TerryEspo]

Hey Guys.....

Not Tsunami sap flows yet, but its dripping.

Just came back from checking bucket levels and not bad, not great, but dripping today.

Last night it went above freezing in the middle of the night so I thought I may have overflows, no such luck.

I hope the big flows are still in our future, nothing yet that has overwelmed me.

Thanks.

Terry

[TerryEspo]

Sap is running more dependable now. Not a great day here weather wise, so my son and I went out after supper,,,SHOCK,,,,buckets over half full. Possible overflows tomorrow as I cannot empty buckets until the afternoon,,,,first time this season. I will actually be happy if I see some pails over flowing.

Never expected to see a good run today with such crappy weather,,,our trees are waking up,,,YEEHAA.

Terry

[ennismaple]

Terry - There were very few really good days this year so I can understand why you didn't do great on gravity. I understand that buckets will typically do better than short runs of gravity tubing. On gravity, 5/16" spouts will produce less sap than 7/16".

Our experience has been that when we change over from gravity to vacuum tubing you'll go from say 6 GPT to 10 GPT without making any other improvements.