Can you tap at any latitude?

[Creuzy]

Hey guys -

This is my first year sugaring. I live in central Virginia. We only have reds around here, so I tapped 4 at the very end of January. Only 2 of those ever dripped a drop of sap. And by the end of maybe the second week of February I didn't get anymore from even those two. I tapped some other trees thinking that I just chose some losers, but, alas, even they provided nothing.

I finally gave up a couple days ago and pulled my taps. I boiled down my 3.5 gallons to my approximately 1 cup of syrup - it isn't much but it's more syrup than I've ever made in my life and it gives me hope for next year.

But, to my question - Is my problem that I just need to tap earlier? Or is there some latitude that below which you just can't get a good steady/long run?

My latitude is 37.5... Anyone tap lower than this?

Thanks,
Casey

[maplehound]

Cruezy,
What is your weather like there? That will help determine when you should tap. I have tapped as early as Jan.11'th but that was too early for most years. This year I have just finished tapping and this is the lattest I have ever tapped. Every year is a little bit diffrent. You need that big temp. change to get the sap to flow. Cold nights (below 20 deg. is best) and warm days (over 40 deg is best) will make the sap run. Elevation will probaly make a diffrence as well since it stays colder at heigher altitudes, but I have never had to deal with that much. If you are still getting freezing nights I would put those taps back in, or at least go back and see if the sap is running down the tree on the next warm day.

[gmcooper]

A few years back some guy named Jefferson tried to get into the syrup business in Mount Vernon. He failed. I think the weather just didn't work. Not the right combination of cold nights and warm days. He tried it before global warming had caught on.
There are a few guys north of you in VA that might have more insight into your location and possible success next year.

Mark

[VA maple guy]

Casey, your season is probably over now. My season is also most likely over
but I'll leave my taps in until this weekend. Next year I would start looking
at the weather real close around x mas time. If I were you I would spend
the off season looking for more trees. Look at road side trees or check
to see if any neighbors have trees you can tap. I would look for sugar or
Norway maples as they will usually run better than reds. If your not sure how to tell the difference between them the internet has plenty of good color photos you can look at.

Gerry

[220 maple]

Cruezy,
I live in Harrisonburg, Va. My camp is 60 couple miles west in West Virginia, I don't think it a latitude problem, maybe more longitude, the further east you go the weather is warmer. Maples don't like warm weather. I visited a man who lives South of Louisville, Ky. that makes syrup every spring, Not a lot but he makes maple syrup. The equipment dealer that I buy supplies from has relatives who live in Tennessee who make syrup in the spring and molasses in the fall. Next year start early especially with red maples, even the ones I tap will bud out at least two weeks before my sugar

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Might even try tapping them in Nov or Dec. You won't get a lot of flow days, but the cold won't hurt the holes much.

[Creuzy]

Thanks for the comments. Yeah, maybe I should have said "zone" instead of "latitude" since that is probably more accurately what is responsible. If tapping in Nov/Dec isn't bad for the trees, maybe next year I'll tap one tree and when I notice it flowing I'll tap some more. Hopefully I can get more than a cup of syrup next time. I noticed a slight burnt flavor to my syrup that I am just assuming is because it was such a small batch.

Thanks

Casey