Two Quick Questions

[vtgaryw]

1) What do you do with a tree that you left your spout (check valve) in since last season? Leave it in and tap another hole? Will it affect the internal pressure in the tree at all? I assume not because of the check valve. What if it wasn't a check valve spout?

2) I broke a drill bit right at the tree, no way to get it out. Just write the tree off for the year and let the tree seal around the bit over time?

Thanks,

Gary

[psparr]

Pull the old tap out. You can tap that tree this year.

Just leave the bit in. There's plenty of trees out there with bullets in them that are doing just fine.

[michael marrs]

agreed, the land I am harvesting right now is oat an archery club. a couple years back, we took down some trees, and decided to cut them into boards to sell, We found arrow points a foot into the tree, that had to be shot 40 years ago

[treehugger89]

I've put a lot of lead in trees and still seem to be alive. You should be fine with a broken drill bit in the tree.

[Cedar Eater]

Pull the old tap out and if it breaks off and tyou can't pull the stub, don't worry about it. The tree will heal around it. Same with the drill bit. You might want to remember not to mill that tree.

[vtgaryw]

Thanks all. My concern with the bit was mostly that since it was spewing sap pretty good is it okay to put another tap in that tree?

Gary

[psparr]

You could. Personally I wouldn't.

[treehugger89]

I would still tap the tree, depends on the size. At least a two tapper.

[Cedar Eater]

I wouldn't. Unless the tree is big enough for another tap, stick to the number of wounds in the guidelines, not the number of successful taps.

[Russell Lampron]

As others have said pull the old tap out and tap the tree. If the tree with the broken drill bit is a crop tree give it the year off. If it is a cull put another hole in it. I have some red maples here with dead tops from sap sucker damage. I had a vacuum leak in one so I just drilled another hole and moved the tap over.