Dry taps -- What to do?

[twigbender]

Each year I get a number of trees that produce very little or no sap. In the past, I've just ignored them. If the tree appears healthy, it has to have sap in its system, thus, it should run. This year I want to be a bit more proactive with them. I figure that I've got several options:

1) Remove the tap and put it in another tree.
2) Take the tap out, clean and replace in the same hole.
3) Move the tap to another location on the tree.
4) Wait it out and see if it runs later.

How do you guys approach this problem? Do you one or more of the above? Any other strategies?

[Gary in NH]

The biggest maple in my yard will not give more than a bucket full of sap per season. I've tried different tap holes, different heights, still very little sap. It really is a maple, it's about 20" in diameter and has a full crown. I have a couple of other low producers too. On the other hand I have some smaller ones that run like faucets and have huge output for their size. I just take the good with the bad although I have thought about cutting down that big one for firewood!

[markct]

glad to see its not just my trees! i have one tree that is like the opposite of what would produce ever, its about 8 inch dia and has maybe 5 branches at the very top, none of which are very impressive or big, yet it overflows my 2 gallon bucket almost everyday! then i got this nice big maple at the edge of the woods with a nice crown, and it gets me maybe a pint a day outa 2 taps at best

[mapleman3]

I have a few of these on our route.. two trees side by side.. look the same... 1 runs one doesn't, wierd but true.

and yes some of my smaller runs are the better... and then like every year I have about 5 trees at a church and by golly the tree closest to the front door of the church OVERFLOWS it's buckets EVERY day..... Amen to that tree!! someones looking over that one with an interest!! ;)

[hookhill]

Alot of folks would say its not how much sap a tree produces but how sweet is it? I guess people used to ream out dried out holes or use a slightly oversized bit to refresh a hole. Apparently it only works for a few days.