Yellow Sap?

[personandy2]

Hey all,

I checked a few of my buckets yesterday and found some distinctly yellow sap in a few of them. I've only ever seen this before very late in the season when the trees are starting to bud and the season is basically over.

I tapped on feb 21st hoping the weather was turning but we then had a 7-10 day cold spell. could that be the issue, that the trees weren't quite ready to go?

any thoughts? all other trees have been crystal clear otherwise.

thanks!

Andy

[KV Sappers]

Could be rain water got into some of your buckets.

[slammer3364]

Are the trees near a creek or flowing spring. Occasionally I will get something like this with trees by water

[Etown Maple Syrup]

I tend to agree with the yellow sap = budding; in my experience. but I do not stop collecting/boiling until the sugar drops below 1% and or the holes dry out. Additionally as the days get warmer, the sap bacteria level increases causing color changes. It was 55 two days in a row here this week. Are you able to check the sugar content? If it is still above 1% I would boil it, You will get a darker syrup.

[johnallin]

I had the same thing over here yesterday, not yellow but not as clear as it normally would have been. Sugar was 1.7% - fair for us.

I figure (hope?) it's because it's been warm, but am anxious to bet out there later and see what we got today.

[personandy2]

Everything has been crystal clear since that day. I wonder if I just tapped a bit too early.

[northwoods_forestry]

Rainwater running off tree bark and into the buckets can color sap yellow. You'll see it in buckets that are hung in such a way that water running down the tree or off larger limbs can get in. If that's what is happening, you'll see it again next time it rains.

[5050racing]

If u have tubing into buckets rain follows the tube into bucket just had 2 of mine do it