Maybe dried up holes?

[billdean]

Well, I like some may have gotten a little eager to start tapping here in central Michigan. I am experiencing some low sap gallons and low sap percentages. I guess my worry now is that the holes may dry up. The next 4 or 5 days does not look good with above freezing temps forecasted. I have a couple of question. Would it hurt to drill the holes slightly deeper after this warm spell to kind of renew the old holes? Also, my ground is still frozen here. Would that be the reason I am getting low amounts of sap. Will the sap run better after everything thaws out. I no red maples don't give up sap well. I have gotten about 50 gallons on sap on 61 taps over this last week. I boiled down 30 gallons of sap an got about 1 3/4 quarts of syrup.

[billyinvt]

When did you tap? You should get 4-6 weeks out of buckets or sacks. Deeper holes will not really give you more sap since most of the sap comes from the newest wood on the outside of the tree and the compartmentalization will have started to wall off the tap hole. It will also create a wound that the tree will have more difficulty healing. If you don't get a good run after the next big freeze thaw event, then you're probably done. Unless you can find more trees!!:D

[Snappyssweets]

I slowed down considerably Sunday. Saturday I had a large sap run I am a little lowed elevation than you and thawed out pretty well. I have noticed (last year) if the ground was frozen I had less sap than if its unfrozen.

I myself thought on the aspect of what to do after the next several days. I have heard of others before going just a little larger on the bit and re drilling the same holes to open them up and clean them out again. With my 3/16 taps myself I even have thought I may simply re drill holes. The trees I have seal off the holes and I can hardly find half of them the next spring. I know its considered a no no. However just typing my thoughts. Then again I may have more than I want by the end of this week. I am approaching 300 gallons total sap already. I do not think I will go over 500.

[maineboiler]

My advise is to be patient. The reds often don't produce a lot until later in the season. Re- drilling holes is a bad idea, the depth of the tap hole is important as far as damage to the tree. You kind of have to live with the decision as to when you tap.

[billdean]

When did you tap? You should get 4-6 weeks out of buckets or sacks. Deeper holes will not really give you more sap since most of the sap comes from the newest wood on the outside of the tree and the compartmentalization will have started to wall off the tap hole. It will also create a wound that the tree will have more difficulty healing. If you don't get a good run after the next big freeze thaw event, then you're probably done. Unless you can find more trees!!:D

I started tapping on the 13 of February. I guess I have aways to go before I worry about the holes drying up. Its been in the 50 here for 3 or 4 days. Last night it got down to 30* and I thought the sap would run today. Not hardly a drip. So we must have to have a harder longer freeze for it to flow again?

[billdean]

I slowed down considerably Sunday. Saturday I had a large sap run I am a little lowed elevation than you and thawed out pretty well. I have noticed (last year) if the ground was frozen I had less sap than if its unfrozen.

I myself thought on the aspect of what to do after the next several days. I have heard of others before going just a little larger on the bit and re drilling the same holes to open them up and clean them out again. With my 3/16 taps myself I even have thought I may simply re drill holes. The trees I have seal off the holes and I can hardly find half of them the next spring. I know its considered a no no. However just typing my thoughts. Then again I may have more than I want by the end of this week. I am approaching 300 gallons total sap already. I do not think I will go over 500.

Thanks Snappy...I have really slowed down here. Maybe its just going to be a slower start than in the past.

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

I started tapping on the 13 of February. I guess I have aways to go before I worry about the holes drying up. Its been in the 50 here for 3 or 4 days. Last night it got down to 30* and I thought the sap would run today. Not hardly a drip. So we must have to have a harder longer freeze for it to flow again?
last night freeze wasnt cold enough to reset the trees. Sit tighty our tap holes are still good, see what happens after saturday night

[DrTimPerkins]

Its been in the 50 here for 3 or 4 days. Last night it got down to 30* and I thought the sap would run today.

That is likely your answer. On gravity, sap flows out of the stem until the pressure has dissipated, which takes a day or two. If it keeps getting warmer you may get a weeping flow and a little more sap. However 30 deg F (air temperature) was not enough to freeze the tree (trees are big and more thermally buffered). Stem and branch wood temperature is the important variable....not air temperature. Therefore the trees didn't freeze and take up more water, and you're unlikely to get much more sap until they do. If you tapped on Feb 13 your tapholes have not "dried out" yet. Don't redrill deeper or refresh (use a bigger drill) on the tapholes (poor practice). Doing so gets a short burst of sap that is only temporary, but does result in a bigger wound.