Old reliable tree not producing this year

[Quagmire33]

I tap a few 100+ year old sugars at my friends house each year, one of which used to be one of the best producers. So far this year I've gotten maybe 6 oz's of sap from the 2 taps on the tree. The tree is large enough that I could add one more tap ( about 38" dia) but will that really make a difference? When I tapped I was in good wood, and not near old tap holes. Anyone have this happen to them ?

[psparr]

I've had quite a few of my good ones do the same thing. Weird year.

[maple2]

I tapped my sweet tree next to the sugarhouse, last week. 1in of sap in the bucket after a week.Drilled another hole yesterday, not even a drip even though it was above freezing.My warm bush on vac. was running,though. Trees still frozen?

[Swagner]

Ya been a very odd year to say. I have to very good size road side trees at the bottom of my drive. One has been giving me large amounts of sap. This one is set up on a little hill next to the stone wall. Slightly diagonal from it on the opposite side of the road I had one of my other good ol boys that is just a few feet off the road not doing much of anything as of yet. Mother nature is showing all of us newbies the patience it sometimes takes to work with her......

[doocat]

Around me there is still a lot of frost in the ground. I am not sure about your area but that will stop the sap flow.

[tbear]

My two most reliable trees, as far as sap production goes, haven't given even one drop. The buckets just hang there, looking at me. Ted

[Quagmire33]

There is still about 2 feet of frost in the ground where i am and these trees are in the wide open getting sun all day long. The thing that gets me is that about 30 feet away is a very similar tree that also has 2 taps in it and that one will fill 5 gallons in 24 hours. I really don't understand, but I'm hoping if I'm patient this tree will also start running.

I have 20 taps on a 5/16 line rigged with a pump that get me about 15-22 inches of vacuum , and those taps are running a little bit and they are all in the woods not getting much sun at all. Mother Nature is really messing with us this year.

[CampHamp]

Are the slow taps on the south-side of the tree?

Could the running tree be near some ground water flow that has thawed its roots earlier than "Old Reliable"?

Could there be a borer beetle cut blocking flow?

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/howtos/ht_mapleborer/fig3.jpg Click to learn about this PITA insect. (http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/howtos/ht_mapleborer/mapleborer.htm)

[KevinS]

Yes. I attributed it to the year since in following years it has been right there at the top as far as production of sap goes.

[Quagmire33]

Are the slow taps on the south-side of the tree?

Could the running tree be near some ground water flow that has thawed its roots earlier than "Old Reliable"?

Could there be a borer beetle cut blocking flow?

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/howtos/ht_mapleborer/fig3.jpg Click to learn about this PITA insect. (http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/howtos/ht_mapleborer/mapleborer.htm)


I guess anything is possible, my taps are on the south side.

[maple flats]

I hope you don't always tap non the south side, then at some point all will be on other sides. As far as getting little sap, that seems to be a trend this year, from all trees.

[Quagmire33]

I hope you don't always tap non the south side, then at some point all will be on other sides. As far as getting little sap, that seems to be a trend this year, from all trees.

I do not always tap the south side. Just so happens that this year I did. Last years were on the east side so I just moved around the tree a bit and ended up on the south side. I don't generally worry about side I tap. I've heard argument for tapping on the south but also heard that it really doesn't matter.

[CampHamp]

In the long run you'll tap all around the tree, but when your taps are in the dark (this year for Old Reliable) then they will not see as much flow because there is less temperature fluctuation (they are not thawed by the sun, just the air temps). I found that info in this forum somewhere and also that a large branch or root just above or below the tap will show higher sap flows...

[lpakiz]

My observation on soft maples is this: Some run early, some run late, some run all season long, and some never run at all. Next season, they all change places and it starts again.