10 taps on one tree

[Homespun]

Our youngest son homebrews small batches of specialty beers. He wants to make a few batches from maple sap this spring, after he got the idea of tapping his large backyard maple as a sap source (after we discussed my newbie attempt at making syrup this year). He's cutting this tree down in late spring anyways and he's decided to go for broke and get as much out sap out of it before its felled, by installing 10 taps. I can take whatever sap is collected after he gets what he needs for brewing. The overtapped tree is shown below:
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[Ittiz]

That looks like a big tree, too bad he's cutting it down.

[Michael Greer]

I considered doing the same thing. There's a huge old maple with super dangerous rot overhanging one of the houses. It's slated for removal next summer, and if I had ten more buckets, I think I'd do it...think of it as pre-drying the firewood.

[Homespun]

Now I find out his friend is removing a large Silver Maple in his own yard this year and is doing the same over-tapping method. He didn't know our son was doing it too.

[halfast tapper]

I was driving by this orchard in Vermont and I couldn't believe it, in a row of old maple trees , about 6 of them, there were two trees with a a ton of taps on them. 27 taps on one tree and 32 taps on the other!

[moscowmule]

how did this work out? did you get a massive quantity of sap from that tree? ive thought about doing the same thing on a tree that i plan to cut down.

[heus]

Here's my problem with this. First off its his tree and he can do what he wants. However, I think it's a really bad image for the industry when the public sees trees with 4 or more taps in them. Even though I don't lease my taps, I could see how this could cause people to turn down requests to tap their trees. Plus there is a point of diminishing returns. I remember Brad Gilland from leader saying that after 2 taps the quantity of sap per tap goes way down. With 4 or more there must be a huge decrease in the amount per tap. I realize this tree will be cut down but passers by dont know that. Now if the tree is out if sight that would be different. Just my opinion don't mean to cause hard feelings.

[mapleguy]

So whats the difference between over tapping and vacuum. Sounds like you are doing the same thing to me, other than with too many taps you have less room to tap in future years. But you still are taking twice as much sap from the tree.

[heus]

No comparison whatsoever.

[Homespun]

This overtapped tree is basically hidden in his backyard (it's a small residential property in the city). It's very close to the back of his garage, at the rear of the lot. It's also boxed in on the other three sides by nearby stockade fences and tall shrubbery. The few people he showed it to were told why it was overtapped and that it's not done this way by syrup makers. The taps & buckets aren't visible to his neighbors, so they haven't commented to him about it.

This tree (a Scotch Maple) has been very slow in thawing out because of it's protected & shady location. Its sap finally started flowing 4 days ago and he said he's collected a total of 3 gallons during the first two days, with some taps not yet producing at all. The temperatures have dropped the last two days and his sap flow has stopped. Last night's snow storm didn't help matters. Flow should resume this coming week with the warmer day temps forecasted. He's going to collect it's sap as long as possible. We're both curious to find out just how much sap this method will give him.

[mapleguy]

Heus , educate me.

[heus]

Maple guy search past threads. Ask Dr Perkins. Vacuum does no harm to the trees. Believe me if they did I would not be using vacuum. Excessive taps on a single tree do in fact harm the tree in the long run. If the tree will be culled and out of view then fine. I just get concerned with the perception of our industry to the general public. As far as vacuum goes I think it will benefit my trees in the long run because I will no longer be tearing up the woods with a tractor or atv damaging roots while I collect buckets.

[mapleguy]

I understand what you are saying, but I've talked with people and they think vacuum is harmful. I have never heard anyone say anything about too many buckets on one tree ( in reference to the publics perception of over tapping) Anyway is your sap running like a river today? Some of mine are running so hard its almost a steady stream. Looks like this is the last week , saturday a few buckets were very cloudy then again some that haven't run all season are going gangbusters. Thanks

[maple flats]

Mapleguy, read the study results and pay attention. Vacuum does not hurt the tree. With vacuum it is actually better for the tree. You say, how can that be! Well, when you tap for vacuum you follow different tapping guidelines. Most of my 1250 taps are 1 tap/tree, only the biggest trees (over 24" DBH) get 2 taps and none get 3 or more. The damage to a tree from tapping is not the sap removed, but rather the tap hole. With each tap hole the tree senses it is losing sap, and it compartmentalizes that area. That little column in the trunk will never again conduct sap. That is the damage, not the amount of sap taken. That is why we have tapping guidelines.

[mapleguy]

Mapleflats , I understand, but guess I got caught up in the public perception of too many buckets hanging on a tree would give producers a bad image. Like I said people in the general public have the notion vacuum is bad, never have had a comment about too many buckets! Also, everyone is worried about tree health, but what about the environment when it comes to disposing of permeate or backwash rinsate from RO's Has anyone addressed that issue? Just asking.