To Tap or not to Tap

[Shirefisher]

We usually tap on Town Meeting Day (2nd of March this year) around these parts in North Vermont BUT Mother Nature is dropping the air temp a whopping possible 70 degrees from Monday morning till Tuesday morning. 40 degrees actual air temp tomorrow morning then actual temp at or below 0 at night with 40-50 mph winds and a -15 to -30 wind chill on Tuesday morning. That is not good news.

[Pdiamond]

I know what my decision would be, we'll wait.

[Shirefisher]

For sure... standing by for a change in the weather is in the cards. Maybe next week. I really want to make some syrup!

[woodsy]

Still waiting here. Looking like next week before temps moderate.

https://weatherstreet.com/models/gfs-sfc-temperature-forecast.php

[Shirefisher]

I checked my 3 test buckets just now and after 2 days of warm weather nothing running. Zilch. Nada. Now within hours the temps are nose diving to the tune of -25 wind chill.

[DrTimPerkins]

Do you still have snow packed tight around the trunk of the tree? Not going to get much until it melts back a little.

Weather just changed here in a matter of seconds. Was a nice day, then bam...wind now blowing like crazy.

[Shirefisher]

My big estate trees had enough loosened and melted around the trunks that I thought for sure I'd be surprised with a run but no dice. The weather for the next week will put it all on hold for sure. Yesterday afternoon here I went for a blue sky ski with pleasant temps then 10 minutes in the house and we got hit with winds, sideways snow and less than 200yards visibility.

[DrTimPerkins]

Often the first couple of what would seemingly be good sap flow days are not.

1. Snow needs to melt back a little bit away from the trunk to allow sap to pass this zone.

2. The tree needs to recharge. Over the winter, some moisture has transpired through the bark (mostly in the branches), so there is not a lot left to run when the weather turns warm. There needs to be a thaw followed by a freeze and another thaw before the sap will run well.

[Shirefisher]

It looks like a week from today I may luck out with some sap. I hope so. It should be quite a thaw after this run of cold weather.

[ChaskaSap]

Hey Dr. Tim

I was unaware the snow pack around the trunk. Appreciate the insight.

[levic900rr]

This week its gonna go!!

[Shirefisher]

Tapped on Sunday. 40 Buckets waiting for some sweet stuff. I'm excited to see if the 4 giant ancient Maples along my road squeeze out some super sweet sap... They had never been tapped since I've lived there the last 18 years. I'm off tomorrow maybe I'll be boiling in the afternoon!

[Kamina]

My trees opened up yesterday. I've got a solid sap flow happening in Central MA. Pulled about 7 gallons from ~15 taps just from this morning. Boiling Friday.

[levic900rr]

Things really just started to open up here in northern VT. Made 2 gal so far on just 6 taps but just yesterday was the first real run.