Tapping Guidelines

[Amber Gold]

I have some trees that branch off near the ground, say within a foot or so and have 10" and 10" trunks, 10" and 18" trunks, and 18" and 18" trunks. Can I count these as two seperate trees and put one tap in each of the 10" trunks and two in the 18" trunks? I wasn't sure if these could count as two trees because of the seperate crowns or if they counted as one because they share the same root structure.

I also have some big old timers that must be at least 36" in diameter and will only have buckets on them due to their remote location. They're also in the middle of the lawn. Is it OK to put more than two buckets on these trees? I've heard different opinions on putting more than two taps in trees and thought that I'd check here.

Thanks

[peacemaker]

well i only put two taps no matter how big ... but as far as your doubles i have a few of them myself on the 10s i would put one and the 18s but if the get bigger then the 18 which i have a few i would put 2 ... i noticed a few years back i had a tree that over flowed one bucket every day so i figured i would put 2 taps in her and she filled the overflowing bucket 3/4 and the second one less then 1/2 ... so instead of 2 i put one of my big buckets with a drip bucket under it ... to catch the over flow i have also taking and set a tap line tap and a 5 gal pail

[maple flats]

I also tap a few doubles. I tap each as a second tree, but 1 tap each. The big part to remember, the guidelines are to give you fresh wood to tap every year and when you work your way around the trunk and get to where the first tap was years earlier, do you have enough new wood grown over the old tap hole so you are dirlling in good wood?

[Amber Gold]

Makes sense. What about the +36" trees?

[peacemaker]

2 taps ... the studies say no more then 2 taps

[Amber Gold]

Roger that. Thanks. I'm trying to make sure that I follow standard practice. I've seen a guy in town with 4-5 buckets on trees. Not good. They're big trees, but still.

[maple flats]

BIG TREES are at a stage where they are now growing slower therefor 2 max is best to have new wood to tap every season.

[maplecrest]

i was at a meeting in april, and the topic was taps. one tap on your big tree will give you the same amount of sap as 2.

[peacemaker]

its true thats for sure i way over tapped my first year of tap line and was wicked disapointed

[sapman]

I agree with you guys. I tapped more trees this year by spreading my buckets out a little more, and I think that helped contribute to my better percentages. But, I did still put up to 3 on trees that are notoriously good, plus some new ones. One tree in particular, will fill, or close to it, all 3 buckets I put on her by the time I collect, when others are only half. And with buckets, I have a lot of latitude as to where I can put the tap.

Tim