marking trees with spray paint?

[frontiersman1985]

Im not great at identifying trees without leaves on them so i am marking them for the upcoming season (my first) now. Is it ok that i an using spray paint? Im only putting a little dot on each maple that is 12" diameter or over. Is this detrimental to the tree?

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Shouldn't hurt the tree any however some organic certifying agencies do not allow the use of tree marking paint.

[delivron]

I find it a little hard that organic certification would be compromised by tree marking. I can support sustainability of the Sugar Bush with tree marking because you are reducing intense compartmentalization of the tree. You might have to use a special paint to satisfy the certification group.

I know some leading educators that support spout marking. Glen Goodrich is one. Note: He is not USDA Organic Certified.

[delivron]

There are only a small group of trees that have buds opposite like maple.
Maples
Ashes
Dogwoods
Horse Chestnuts
Buckeyes

But here is a great PPT that will assist you in identifying a tree in the winter.

http://www.ccfpd.org/NaturalResources/WinterTreeIDpocketguide.pdf (http://www.ccfpd.org/NaturalResources/WinterTreeIDpocketguide.pdf)

Some of these trees may not exist in you sugarbush because this was produced in OH.

[BreezyHill]

The issue OC has with is the paint will flake of and be in the soil.

That is why they want unused tubing and spouts removed from the woods.

Organic farmers cant have any leaks of fuel, oils fluids from any equipment or the certification will be removed. They cant even use buckets and spouts since Jan 1; due to concerns of the galvanizing flaking off.

I would rather see paint than some things that are used. I bought a neighbors woods and he used plastic baler twine to mark trees that I could tap several years ago. The twine girdled several trees. You can still see the twine that a few trees grew around before I cut the twine that first season.

Study the bark of the trees you mark as maples...you will be a pro before you know it.

You can also use your cell to take pics if you need. It is really hard to see the buds from the ground on my trees...so I suggest studying the bark. It does change as a tree ages..so keep that in mind as you check out your bush.

Thanks...you have given me some great ideas for the 4-H program!

Ben

[DrTimPerkins]

He is not USDA Organic Certified.

For maple syrup, there is no official USDA Organic Certification. There is a framework that allows certification, but the actual certification is done by third-party certifiers, some of which know more about maple than others. The rules they have are generally compatible with other USDA rules, but most are self-imposed rules, or membership-based rules. Sometimes the rules are designed to meet other criteria or objectives that may be peripheral to maple production, but important to the certifying agency or membership or to purchasers of organic food. Like with everything, there are some hoops to jump through. Some producers choose to become certified because the rules promulgate things that are personally important to them, others do it simply for the premium they are paid or can charge for their syrup. I frequently hear the complaint that "all syrup is organic" and shouldn't need to be certified. That is kind of like arguing that because your car has nothing wrong with it, therefore it needn't be officially inspected each year to certify that it is OK.

Canada is different. There are Federal-level organic maple syrup certification standards.

[GeneralStark]

I find it a little hard that organic certification would be compromised by tree marking. I can support sustainability of the Sugar Bush with tree marking because you are reducing intense compartmentalization of the tree. You might have to use a special paint to satisfy the certification group.

I know some leading educators that support spout marking. Glen Goodrich is one. Note: He is not USDA Organic Certified.

Are you referring to the practice of making a small dot mark with forester's paint next to the taphole? I have seen this in a couple of large operation's woods around here and I assumed they did it so that the next year's tappers could find the hole more easily and to avoid overtapping one area of the tree. I could also see where this would be a tremendous savings of time as it can be tricky to find old tapholes. Some of these larger operations also hire newbs with drill guns to tap as well. DO they use different colors of paint each season?

My understanding of the no paint rule with organic is that it is an effort to minimize soil contamination, but also over concern of tapping an area of the tree that is painted and possibly contaminating the taphole.

If I need to mark a tree I generally use survey tape if it is a tree that will be tapped.

[PerryW]

If I need to mark a tree I generally use survey tape if it is a tree that will be tapped.

I use Blue Flagging to mark maples, and Bright Pink Flagging to mark tubing problems that must be fixed.

[RC Maple]

I use a tar paper nail. I tap it in just enough to keep it there then I can number the tree and I write the diameter on the plastic piece as well. I have seen the plastic disks in colors ranging from forest green to a hunter orange.

[MapleLady]

I still am not confident in identifying my trees without leaves. I have found what works best for me is that I re-mark all of my trees in the fall with colored package ribbon - simply tie a piece around the tree. Granted, I am only marking about 40 - 50 trees, but this gives me an opportunity to check how my trees have done over the summer. When I tap my trees, I am confident I am tapping good ones.

[BreezyHill]

Plastic is easily acquired. A hole saw and a drill can be used to make disks from milk jugs, orange juice jugs, etc.
Contact your local snowmobile club and offer to take signs that are no longer reflective. Use to make disks or use a paper cutter to make squares.
Paint pens make good semi permanent marks.
Use aluminum nail on tree. If the nail is forgotten it will not hinder the tree or later possible use of the tree in the future.

Box cutter and plastic cups from party...cut bottom of cup off...round disks...cut sides into pieces also if you need.

[maple flats]

There's nothing wrong with tree marking paint. It would be better than ordinary spray paint. For the number you are talking, 1 can will be plenty, just put a dot on the tree. If you keep all dots on the same side (N,S,E or W, choose 1) they will be easier to find. After a few years you will get good identifying without the paint.
When the leaves are off, look for a few things. Maples have opposite branching, but you need to look in the smaller limbs because more often than not one gets broken off. Also, sugar maple buds in winter come to a sharp point. The bark in each age class is identifiable, but it changes as the tree ages. A mature sugar maple has vertical bark curled plates. Young sugars have a rather grainy texture. Find any 2 identifiers and you have a sugar maple. To see the opposite branching up high, use a good pair of binoculars.

[ennismaple]

You're not a sugarmaker unless you've tapped an ash/basswood/elm/butternut/oak - or all of the above in my case!

On a small scale I'd mark them with flagging tape and avoid putting a nail in the tree. A nail won't kill it - but it's not helping it either.

[PerryFamily]

Its called "tree marking paint" because that is what it is for MARKING TREES.