I think my silvers have budded out

[odave]

Hey Gang

Second year sugaring but first time tapping silvers & reds. My silvers both did this today:

13738

I'm assuming this is "budded out" and I should put them to bed for the season - correct?

[pipewhiner]

That appears to be past budding out, they're flowered

[odave]

Thanks. That's a bummer - those trees contributed 45% of my total intake this year. The last sap I got from them was 2 days ago - boiled it tonight and it tasted fine, but I'll pull the taps tomorrow.

[littleTapper]

I had recently replied in another thread about buds. Boil a small amount each collection, if they keep running, to see when the sap turns. Last season I got a week of great syrup after my silver flower buds opened like that and then it started to get bad. You'll taste it and know when to stop. Could be bad already, but you don't know until you try.

[Ed R]

The flowers and buds are not the same thing. Do as Littletapper said. I'm at the ohio /mi line. I boiled some down in a pan last night and I'm still good. All I tap are reds and silvers.

[odave]

Got it - will do.

[rjrude]

Gathered 93 gallons from 100 taps today, gathered last Tuesday and got 77 gallons. We are in the Curtis area of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, dont think it has really started to run good here yet, maybe after this warm spell when it gets below freezing at night and above freezing during the day, what is the opinion of everyone on this?

[Michigan Maples]

Gathered 93 gallons from 100 taps today, gathered last Tuesday and got 77 gallons. We are in the Curtis area of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, dont think it has really started to run good here yet, maybe after this warm spell when it gets below freezing at night and above freezing during the day, what is the opinion of everyone on this?

Sounds like you're still in business........... Our trees were still actually dripping when we pulled everything yesterday. Most of them anyway. But a couple had started to cloud ever so slightly so I'm calling it, here. I'll bet from the sound of your season so far, if you get some cold nights again, you'll get flowing strong again.

[woodey24]

littleTapper, Do you mean try the sap out of the bucket or syrup after you boil down as to when to tell to stop? Thanks for help. I am hoping after the next few days the nights getting cold we may get one more run in. I am close to the OH line, a few trees have budded but some haven't done anything. Ed R, you still in?

[littleTapper]

Boil a small amount to syrup and you'll know when you taste it if it's still good or not. I couldn't tell by tasting the sap.

[odave]

Took the advice above and boiled a little sap from my silvers inside - holy crap is the steam rank. My wife is not pleased with the odor in her kitchen. No need to taste - I can definitely tell that it turned.

I have 6 of my 12 taps still in business - hopefully they'll run this weekend.