How Dry? no tap.

[JohnM]

Our area has had a dry summer. 6 to 8 inches below normal May to Sept rainfall. Forecasted to ease some this fall.

Would this keep you from spring tapping?

Thanks!

[maplehound]

nOT FOR ME. I will tap no matter what but think that the winter will have a lot to do with moisture in t5he ground. Also keep in mind that a maple tree will bring water up from over 100 ft down.

[Maplepro]

Back in the early 90's we had a drought in my area in the fall much the same as what some parts are facing this fall I know October to date is the driest it has been in 150years for our area. that winter we had no snow maybe a couple of inches but none to speak of that spring was the best season that we had ever had my father has been making for over 40 years and can't remember a spring like it. Last season was the only season that we have had come close to it. So I would say tap!

[220 maple]

JohnM.
It has been dry for about 30 days at my sugar bush, I believe we will have good season if we start getting moisture soon. The last time it did this I had 3.3 sugar water the following spring. The summer and fall was 2002 and we started to get rain the last week of October. Then we had cold weather and one massive snow storm on Valentine's Weekend 2003. That was followed up about a week later with rain and some ice. The snow was so deep that it pulled many lines apart when it started melting. We made alot syrup, but would have easly made a record crop with all the water that was lost under the snow. So have faith, It may be the sweetest season ever.
Mark 220 Maple

[fred]

Ive Had Several Old Time Sugarmakers Tell Me That If The Summer Before Tapping Is Dry The Sugar Content Will Be Up.and The Moisture During Season Deturmines The Volume Of Sap

[Parker]

HHMMMMMmmm. Better get the rest of my wood split and make my upgrades if its gonna be a banner season......

[Russell Lampron]

Yes Parker you better get those upgrades done. I have been thinking that this will be a banner year for a while now. The sugar maples around my house have grown more in this past summer than any year before this if that makes a difference.

Russ

[802maple]

In my around forty years of sugaring it has always come down to what happens in the spring. The sugar content may vary due to weather the year before but not the quantity of sap.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Not only has it been extremely dry here, but in late May we had a severe hail storm that had golf ball size hail in a small area where and it just happened to hit where I sugar. Any idea what affect this will have on the trees and sugar content?? It knocked off a lot of leaves???

[Fred Henderson]

The sugar is made in the leaf and stored in the wood so with out leaves what can I say. You may get sap and make only drak syrup.

[ennismaple]

Ive Had Several Old Time Sugarmakers Tell Me That If The Summer Before Tapping Is Dry The Sugar Content Will Be Up.and The Moisture During Season Deturmines The Volume Of Sap

That's exactly what I've heard - expect higher sugar content. The weather during the season will determine how much sap we get.

[JohnM]

We are having a much later fall this year.

The sugar maples have held their leaves about a month longer than in wetter years. I have a couple trees near the house that still have most of their leaves after several hard freezes.

[maple flats]

I can answer that one come next May. I think there are too many variables to determin it ahead of time.