Maples have buds here in Mountain.

[Cindee]

We were out in the woods today checking the bags and I noticed several of the maples have buds. Isn't this a bad sign meaning that the sap won't run from those specific trees?:o

[happy thoughts]

If your maples are truly budding then the sap will still run but it may make off flavored "buddy" syrup that smells weird on boiling. The sap may look yellow. Reds and silvers tend to start budding out earlier than sugars. What kind of maples are you tapping?

That said, are you sure what you are seeing is buds that are beginning to swell and open? All living trees have dormant buds throughout the winter. Could that be all you're seeing? I'd assume your weather is colder than mine and even the reds aren't actually to the stage of swelling and "budding" here.

[maple flats]

Are the buds opening or are they just getting a little bigger? I only tap sugars, and the buds are there all winter, but when they are coming out of winter the buds slowly get bigger. At least on sugars this takes a few weeks before they open. Until they start to open the sap is good.

[PerryW]

jeez, tommorow will be the first day I even gather any sap for this season.

the red maples buds look like they are ready to pop open all winter. I am usually all done sugaring before I notice any swelling of sugar maple buds.