Tapped today, taphole question

[Toblerone]

Well I sanitized everything and got 24 taps in before the sun set on me. It was a nice, crisp day to be outside. Just enough snow to keep the mud down.

While I was tapping, I noticed some trees had 2-year-old tapholes that had not completely closed up. Is this normal? Should I have tapped that tree again or should I have waited for them to heal?

I saw one taphole that was black and hadn't healed at all. What's going on there and is it okay to tap that tree again?

Thanks, and lets hope for those warm, sunny days and cold nights.

Dave

[gmcooper]

Dave if you have been using the 7/16" spiles they may not close up in 2 years. Depends some on the health of the tree. As for the black one with no healing it sounds like it may be into some dead wood. Keep spreading out the new tap holes each year to prevent tapping into wood that has been damaged by past tapping.

[PATheron]

Gmcooper- How you making out with everything? At what point are you at right now? Theeron

[maplehound]

Well the temp. only got to about 30 deg today but we decided to tap any how in anticipation of the coming warm up. We put out about 3 or 400 taps so far and surpisingly enough it was running. What a good feeling to finally get some taps in. I am sure we will put the rest in tomorrow or on MOnday .

[Sugarmaker]

Maplehound,
Glad you are at it! Hope the season opens up and we get some good runs. Always good to here when someone has those first taps in place!

Regards,
Chris

[maplecrest]

two thoughts about black holes one you might have split the tap hole putting spout in. or you did not drill hole deep enough that tends to turn hole black and very slow to heal

[maplehound]

I jus twish the weather man would get it right for a change. He said today would be around 40 deg. but it hasent got above 32 yet and the day is about over. Now it looks like another week of just sitting and watching.

[Toblerone]

Thanks for the info about taphole closing. I think I might try switching to all "health" taps next year. I just read the proctor maple research on the subject, and it appears that they produce almost as much sap (on average, some years even more) as the larger 7/16" spouts but with much less damage to the tree... even on gravity setups like mine. What is everyone's experience with the smaller taps?

Also, is it just Ohio that gets these 2-3 weeks in the 50s and 60s in January, then 2-3 weeks in the teens and 20s? Its frustrating.

Here's the link to the taphole research: http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc/smallspout.pdf

Thanks,
Dave

[Fred Henderson]

I jus twish the weather man would get it right for a change. He said today would be around 40 deg. but it hasent got above 32 yet and the day is about over. Now it looks like another week of just sitting and watching.


You school boys are always jumping the gun. It ain't ready until its ready.LOL.

[maplehound]

I wouldn't call myself a school boy. I am after all 45. I have been making for several years and this is the first year that I haven't boiled at all in the month of Feb. One year I even tapped Jan. 11'th. I am having surgey on April 15'th and I don't know if I will be able to be done and cleaned up by then at this rate.