My third run of sap Can it harm the trees?

[BillinTennessee]

This year the weather has been so erratic I have had two sap runs. I only have one tap in most of the trees. A couple larger ones, 30 inch diameter I have two.

After the last run it got warm and the sap stopped and most of the holes had started healing. We had about 1 1/2 weeks of fairly warm weather then the cold snap hit. It stayed below freezing for quite a while. Once it warmed up I saw the sap running again so I started collecting sap again.
It's been 3 1/2 weeks since the last run

So I am on my third run of sap.

Is there any danger I could harm the trees by tapping them again?

I got about 250 Gallons from 15 trees. The smallest tree is 18 inch diameter but most are bigger than 24 inches.

Thanks

[Sugarmaker]

Bill,
I dont understand. On those large trees you might add another tap. But at this point sounds like your about 4 weeks into your season. Taps are usually good for about 6 weeks in normal weather. Did the taps that started to heal up run after the freeze?
Regards,
Chris

[Ausable]

Bill - Like Chris - I'm not quite sure what You mean. You tap Your trees once for the season. Now on a large tree you might decide it could handle another tap and that would be ok. But - Don't pull spiles and retap the same tree this year - that would not be good for the tree. If You have a sap hydrometer You could check your sap for sugar content Once the trees go buddy (buds swell and start to open) the game is usually over. Sometimes the sap will go yellow - not always. The sugar content will go to zero and stink when boiled.

[Sugarmaker]

Wait, maybe Bill is talking about reaming the tap hole? I have done this once and it helped a little, but for the work on 600 taps compared to the amount of sap I did not think it was worth it.
Regards,
Chris

[BillinTennessee]

Sorry for the confusion. I am in Tennessee and I don't think our season is usually very long. It seems we go from frozen to thawed pretty quick.
My first run this year was around Jan 15th. I collected sap until it stopped running, about a week. I got about 120 Gallons from 10 trees. One tap per tree. I did not keep track of exactly how much I got. The sap stopped running. I assume because it was so warm. But I left the taps in because they were predicting colder weather.

It got cold again for a few days, below freezing and then warmed up. Below 32 at night and above 32 during the day. The sap started running again so on the 27th and 28th I had another run of about 60 Gallons. before the sap stopped again.
They were predicting cold weather again so I left the taps in
I decided to tap a few more trees
February 4th I got another run of sap I got another 60 Gallons before the sap stopped.

I thought the season was over at that point but I left the taps in just in case. Sure enough the big freeze hit and it stayed really cold for over a week. All the taps were still in.
When it warmed up the sap started flowing again. When I checked the trees some were flowing good. a couple were slow and a couple had stopped completely.
I gently reamed the holes on the ones that slowed. It help a little.

On the trees that had stopped I removed the taps and the holes were dry. I tapped them again and the sap started flowing. So most of the trees had the taps left in place. I only retapped the ones that had a dry hole.

I don't quite understand the cycle and do not want to damage the trees. I assume there is only so much sugar stored in the trees and if I remove too much can it damage the tree?

I was concerned the on again off again flow might damage the trees as well.

[DaveB]

The trees will tell you when the season is over. I know large producers tap their trees starting in January and take them out when the sap stops flowing. Even if you took the taps out, the sap would still flow but you're collecting it. You're only collecting sap from a small portion of the tree so there is plenty for the trees. When your trees stop producing and/or they bud, then it is time to pull the taps and let the holes heal.

The only thing that might happen is your taps will dry out and the sap will stop flowing through them. If that happens, I'd wait a few days through a freeze/thaw cycle and if they don't produce any sap, then they are probably done.

[maple flats]

From the time you tap, you can collect sap every time it runs, until the buds open. Collecting the sap does not hurt the tree. What does hurt the tree is the physical damage of drilling the taphole. As long as you only tap within guidelines that damage will not really harm the tree in the long run. What it does do is each tap hole creates a leak. The tree responds to the leak in time by partitioning off the immediate area. That specific area will never again, ever transport sap. The rest of the trunk will however carry and store sap. This is why we use a pattern to tap. The old pattern was to move over 2-3" and up or down about 6" and work this pattern around the tree in subsequent years. Now, especially when using vacuum the guidelines call for year 1, tap, 2, tap opposite side, 3 tap 90 degrees from 1 & 2, 4 tap opposite side from 3. Then 5 tap halfway between 1 and 3 and now repeat a similar pattern for the next 3 years. The idea is that you dill as far away from the last yr and 2 yrs as possible. By the time you get to yr 16, the tree should have added enough new wood the again tap in the new wood over #1 and repeat as before. Do not tap them all on the sunny side, or in yr. 2 they will all be on the north side.
Old guidelines for gravity taps was 12"=1 tap, 18"=2 taps and 25"+ gets 3, nothing gets 4. With vacuum, 10" can get 1, 20-24" can get 2, nothing gets 3. I don't do 2 until over about 26" and then only if the tree has a good crown.
If you follow these guidelines, all the sap you can get between tapping abd bud break will not harm the trees.

[Sugarmaker]

Bill,
Sounds like your doing the right things. Most folks don't redrill the holes. Taps are generally good for 6 weeks. How long has it been since you put in the first taps?
The freeze thaw cycle is what we are looking for and is normal. You will not hurt the tree taking the sap.
So how was the syrup making?
Regards,
Chris

[BillinTennessee]

Thanks for the replies and information. I have always referred to people with experience when I take on a new challenge.

This has been a great learning experience. Last year I waited to long and the trees were already budding and the syrup was not very good. This year I got on it early and have had good success. I don't seem to have a high sugar content in my trees I think I am at about 60 to 1 but that's OK. The syrup is wonderful. Great flavor. The first batch in mid January was light amber and the syrup has got darker with each run. This last run is almost as dark as the Fake stuff on the store shelves but it has a wonderful color.
I am still trying to work out the kinks in the filtering process. I am using the hobby kit from sugarbush. Using pre filters and a final filter. The syrup is clear but I seem to lose about 10 to 15% in the filtering process. But I have more than 4 Gallons of pure Maple syrup and I couldn't be happier.
I will do a better job next year. Especially getting enough wood in advance. I ran out this year and was scrambling to get more wood but I have a lot available to me I just have to cut and split it.

[Sugarmaker]

Nice job Bill. Not sure but you may be about the farthest most syrup maker?
Just too cold around here for our season to start. Later than normal.
Regards,
Chris

[Ed R]

Bill, Rig a way that you can hang your filters over the steam of your evaporator so that the residual syrup will steep out back into the pan and you can recapture it. I know that others dip there filters back into hot sap from the pan but I prefer to do as above.

[BillinTennessee]

Chris, I know there's a few more people here boiling sap but I don't think any much further South. I don't know how far south the trees grow. I have 35 acres here and I don't think I have more than 2 dozen Black Maples. I don't think I have any
"Sugar Maples" but they are so similar I can't tell for sure. I do have a few Red Maples.

[BillinTennessee]

Ed R. Thanks I think I am going to try that. I will have to order more filter material though. It seems I can only get about 2 quarts through before they clog and I have to wash them out.