Where on tree to tap?

[Sapling]

This will be my third season and the third tapping of the same trees. What is the best practice for moving tap locations from year to year on the same tree? I know to vary height and location, but how much? Is there a pattern that folks follow? I am using old fashioned 7/16" spiles and buckets. My trees average 17"Diameter and range from 11.5"D to 22"D.

[kiteflyingeek]

The reading I've done has said to go 2" right (or left) from the old hole. I picked right since I'm right handed. Once you go completely around the tree, then you'll need to jump up or down 6" (I think that's the length of the staining from the last tap hole).

Only being on my 3rd year, I have many more years until I complete the circle around the trees.

--andrew

[Russell Lampron]

You want to tap on the opposite side of the tree than where you tapped the first year then 90* from the second tap on the third year. On the forth year tap on the opposite side of the tree from the third year tap. Move about 6" from the original tap and up or down a little and begin the cycle all over again. You don't want to tap closer than 6" to an old tap hole and you dont want to make a ring that will weaken the trunk.

[Sapling]

Thanks guys. I tapped today, using these general guidelines. Interesting to see that some of last year's holes were all healed, and some were still open as if the taps were just pulled. All of the holes from two years ago were well healed, some were even hard to find.

[treeguy]

I was looking at pictures online somowere of maple trunk cut to show dead wood from spile holes. If I remember right it looked like a stretched vertical diamond. I thought about it the other day I have many years before I run out if space to drill ;-). I aimed for some maybe 4 inches to the side and maybe 8 inches up or down.

[treeguy]

Funny small world I was born at Yale new haven ;-)

[Sugarmaker]

Yes vertical staining above and below the old tap hole can be 18-24 inches above and below the hole. As mentioned move to the right or left of the old tap hole and up or down 4-6 inches so as not to 'girdle' the tree.
Regards,
Chris

[82cabby]

Once you have gone all the way around, then what? I am getting close to having 'lapped' some of my trees.

[Shawn]

Maple Addict has it right that is what we do and sometime I will leave a tree alone that I have tapped for several years and move on to another new one that has grown and is ready to allow that tree to heal from years of tapping .

[DJ Lasell]

How high up can i tap a tree? I hope to try a little pipeline this year. I have a dozen maples on an old fenceline with a pretty good slope, but one of the trees is in a sag.
Other than needing a ladder/stool to stand on, what are the pros/cons to tapping 10 or 12 feet above ground?

Thanks,
DJ

[DrTimPerkins]

How high up can i tap a tree? I hope to try a little pipeline this year. I have a dozen maples on an old fenceline with a pretty good slope, but one of the trees is in a sag.

You can tap as high as you want, but your sap yield would be lower than it would be if you tapped lower. If that is the only way to do it, go for it.

[DJ Lasell]

Thank You Dr Tim.

[Diesel Pro]

You can tap as high as you want, but your sap yield would be lower than it would be if you tapped lower. If that is the only way to do it, go for it.

Is there such a thing as point of diminishing return regarding how low or high you tap?

[DrTimPerkins]

Is there such a thing as point of diminishing return regarding how low or high you tap?

It would depend upon what your costs of collection are, how you are collecting, your yield, etc. Too difficult to easily generalize.