Dark sap

[5050racing]

The first sap out of one of my big trees in a bucket is dark all new taps and clean buckets,I have two taps into one bucket and one tap in another it's a big tree any ideas?

[Ausable]

Haven't had this problem for several years - Normally it is from tapping into the dead wood of the tree. When You tap - your shavings should come clean - if they come out dark - you are into dead wood. Moisture in this dead wood dripping into your pail will be brownish as the dead wood has a dye effect on the sap or what ever it is coming from the tree. Sometimes a heavy rain will pickup color from the bark coming down the tree and get into a sap bucket. I would check the sugar content to see if there is any sugar in it - a good chance it would be very little. ----Mike----

[5050racing]

Ok,wood shaving looked nice and white,tapped on all sides it's a big tree and only my 4th year tapping it,maybe the rain followed the tubing into the bucket which we had yesterday,will check sap and start with new empty buckets,now you say the rain that's probably it thanks

[cbhansen]

I've had a similar problem in the past and traced it back to water (rain) running down tree into the buckets. Lids on all the buckets now which has essentially eliminated the problem.

[BAP]

If it is a big old tree, you may be in good wood, but the center of the tree may be bad or rotten and allowed rain water to enter the taphole.