Questions on running tubing from a newbie

[Johnjenner]

Getting back into maple for the first time in over 40 years. Will be using 5 gallon buckets and running 5/16 tubing from the trees into them. I would like to put several trees and one bucket. Questions I have are:
-what are the drawbacks to running tubing in the winter? Just running out of time this fall.
-I have four trees that are about 20 feet apart in a square shape. How would I run tubing to encompass all of those to one bucket

[raptorfan85]

I would not put more then 2 taps into 1 bucket. On a good day 2 taps can easily over flow a 5 gallon bucket...

[Cjadamec]

You can run the tubing in the winter right up to the day you tap the trees, if you are just doing 4 trees that's easily something that can be done in an afternoon.

I would run your tubing which ever way gives you the best downhill flow between all 4 trees. If your trees are good producers you will want more than just a 5 gallon bucket. You could simplify things a lot by just having 1 5 gallon bucket per tree rather than running tubing. You won't gain any production by running tubing with only 4 trees being tapped.

[maple flats]

I may be wrong but I didn't think he said he would just tap 4 trees but rather, he had 4 he wanted to run one one mini tubing system. Either way, unless you have time during the day to empty the sap at least twice, I would not put more than 2 taps on a 5 gal bucket. On a good flow day you can get 2.5 or more gal of sap from 1 tap. Back when I had some buckets and tubing I recall 1 tap that almost filled a 4 gal bucket most days and on a few days it over flowed while others might of only yielded a gal or 2 in a full day. I got so much more from that tap that I tested the sugar to be sure it was not just water coming from a pocket in the tree, from a crotch higher up, but the sugar was right that it had to be sap. I don't recall what the reading was but just that it was in the ball park with the rest.

[johnallin]

John to save on time and "shoe leather", run all four to the lowest tree, but put two buckets at that location...

[needmoremaples]

I may be wrong but I didn't think he said he would just tap 4 trees but rather, he had 4 he wanted to run one one mini tubing system. Either way, unless you have time during the day to empty the sap at least twice, I would not put more than 2 taps on a 5 gal bucket. On a good flow day you can get 2.5 or more gal of sap from 1 tap. Back when I had some buckets and tubing I recall 1 tap that almost filled a 4 gal bucket most days and on a few days it over flowed while others might of only yielded a gal or 2 in a full day. I got so much more from that tap that I tested the sugar to be sure it was not just water coming from a pocket in the tree, from a crotch higher up, but the sugar was right that it had to be sap. I don't recall what the reading was but just that it was in the ball park with the rest.

I have a big 3 tap silver maple in a yard "full crown" that fills a 4 gallon bag on 2 different taps. a 3rd tap fills about normal. I have to empty the bags every day or it over flows. this year im tubing them to a barrel so its every other day.