Best location for a maple tree to tap

[Mr. Red Maple]

Hey guys I was just wondering if you guys new anything on the location of a maple tree. If your trees are all in a swamp do they give less sap or a lower sugar content. Because most of my trees are in a swamp and I was wondering if I should tap them or just stay with the ones out of the swamp. Thank Mr. Red Maple

[jrmaple]

To start you want to tap sugar maples for highest sugar content most times; you want trees that are on the east slope, for most sunlight, and you want them to have good base and good tops with large crowns; I personally find that my trees that are higher in elevation produce more at the beginning of the season, while trees that are down in a hole or a bowl warm up later in the season; as for the swamp, I'm not sure, I have trees that are right along a creak and river and they seem to produce equal amounts of sap, as for sugar content, I never bother to test each tree so I couldn't really tell you. Best of luck.

[maple flats]

The amount of sugar will depend on the size of the crown. As long as you can collect in the swamp, go for it. A red with a full crown will nearly match a typical sugar.

[Mr. Red Maple]

Do any of you know if maples bud earlier in the swamp. Thanks again

[Mr. Red Maple]

Well i might as well go for it. Most of my red maples are in a swamp.

[PerryW]

tap everything and avoid tapping near previously drilled holes.

[Russell Lampron]

My reds are on vacuum and some are in a swampy area. There is always sap in the laterals so I can't tell for sure which ones run better, the ones on the hill sides or the ones in the swamp.

[3GoatHill]

I have one big old Norway right next to a creek almost in the swamp. I got over 2 1/4% consistently. The rest of the trees, all Norways, are on an easterly slope, the sugar content was the same as the one by the swamp, but the one by the swamp filled the buckets to just about overflowing.

[BlueberryHill]

In my experience at my place, the trees that get the most sun seem to produce the best.

[NhShaun]

I tapped about 10 Reds in a swampy area last season, i didn't test for sugar content but they did seem to run quite well. Even better than some other reds higher up on the hill. I'm sure it had something to do with the more direct sunlight they got. But certainly tap them in the swamp as well. Just remember once the snow starts to melt that swamp will be a little more difficult to maneuver through. I learned that the hard way having to tromp through 2 feet of ice cold water to collect my overflowing buckets. This seasons i will run tubing to a dry location:)

[Jebediah]

We are 100% red maple, 100% swamp, and they run well enough to make it worthwhile (or at least fun).

[red maples]

Go for it. I am about 50/50 on 90%reds its what I got so thats what I tap. They are on Vacuum tubing so I can't say what produces more. As for amount of sap you will get a little less than the big sugars. and I usually make a little less syrup but if its good enough for 2nd place for the NH carlisle award then I guess its pretty good syrup. Also don't expect alot of light or even medium syrup you may get some the first year but it will be primarily dark and grade B but thats where the times have changed and that what most people are looking for anyway. My sugar changes with weather just like everyone elses. if you have extended warm spells sugar drops and if you have good sugaring weather % goes up mine aver about 1.5% to 2% towards the end of the season it has been close to 1%. this past season I think was the highest we ever had and hit close to 2.25% for a high. My woods and swamp are pretty dense alot of small crowns but slowly thinning as needed will help over time.

[maple maniac65]

I have 16 taps in red maple that ran 3.5% this year for two weeks straight. Some say I need a new sap hydrometer but the overall ratio was about 30-1 this year.