troutsugar
05-31-2015, 11:44 PM
Newbie looking forward to second season with a puzzler to ponder...
last season two of my least productive taps were in a pair of maples (or perhaps trio) that grew to maturity right on top of one another.
At first I believed them to be one multi trunk tree that had probably been cut and regrown from a stump and probably wouldnt have ever realized otherwise if I had not tapped and finally paid attention to the bark, one large 20 in dia trunk was clearly shaggy silver bark, while four other roughly 12-18 in ones clearly red. Healthy thick crowns in a wide open area behind a barn.
I proceeded to drill two holes, one in the large silver and one in the thickest red trunk. It being the first time these trees were tapped in at least ten years I just went three feet up and located the holes facing due south.
Most days these taps produced exactly zilch, on best flow days for my other trees maybe a cup to a pint from each.
Now, my theory, which I'll test next season is that my problem was that my due south location landed me at a point where the trees roots have been "strangling" one another for decades (sort of on the inside where the trunks meet).
I envision an off center ring formation in cross section of the wood with wider bands of sapwood on the outside and tight narrow bands in. I suspect that I drilled the narrow bands and wonder if that is scientifically accurate or reasonable.
I know the best advice is probably to drop the silver and perhaps several trunks of red that appear to be a third tree in the party, but my wife's affinity for the cluster that she still refers to as one tree makes that out of the question. I also cant say Im not looking forward to having something to experient with and learn from.
Any thoughts or experience about this would be great!
last season two of my least productive taps were in a pair of maples (or perhaps trio) that grew to maturity right on top of one another.
At first I believed them to be one multi trunk tree that had probably been cut and regrown from a stump and probably wouldnt have ever realized otherwise if I had not tapped and finally paid attention to the bark, one large 20 in dia trunk was clearly shaggy silver bark, while four other roughly 12-18 in ones clearly red. Healthy thick crowns in a wide open area behind a barn.
I proceeded to drill two holes, one in the large silver and one in the thickest red trunk. It being the first time these trees were tapped in at least ten years I just went three feet up and located the holes facing due south.
Most days these taps produced exactly zilch, on best flow days for my other trees maybe a cup to a pint from each.
Now, my theory, which I'll test next season is that my problem was that my due south location landed me at a point where the trees roots have been "strangling" one another for decades (sort of on the inside where the trunks meet).
I envision an off center ring formation in cross section of the wood with wider bands of sapwood on the outside and tight narrow bands in. I suspect that I drilled the narrow bands and wonder if that is scientifically accurate or reasonable.
I know the best advice is probably to drop the silver and perhaps several trunks of red that appear to be a third tree in the party, but my wife's affinity for the cluster that she still refers to as one tree makes that out of the question. I also cant say Im not looking forward to having something to experient with and learn from.
Any thoughts or experience about this would be great!