How healthy does your bush look?

[ontario guy]

Wow this is the most lush our bush has looked it years! all the leaves are larger than normal and everything is so full and green. As long as we don't get a drought this summer this will be a good year for tree growth. The last couple of years the trees have been quite stressed with heat and drought.

I was just our walking in the bush and thinking of next season already.

Mark

[maplecrest]

two weeks ago that is what i thought. yesterday with this long dry spell we are having and now this 90 degree heat wave the leaves are looking like they are rolling up. the evergreens are turning brown in the distance. hope we get some rain soon

[Gary R]

Everything looks awesome down here. A week or two ago, the "helicopters" were falling off the reds. I don't ever remember seeing so many. Been thinking of how many and which trees to tap.

[Jim Brown]

GaryR. Looks like the 'bug' has bit you alittle harder when you are talking about seeing more trees to tap!.

Jim

[Gary R]

Ha Ha Jim! I have 7 or 8 trees on a shaded hill side that did not produce well. I may tap others up "top" with the others. With plans to improve my rig, I figure I could almost double tap count and still sit back and enjoy a few beers while boiling. As we've talked, I don't want to make that jump to where I have to sell syrup. Now if your willing to pay the bulk price the Vermonters are getting....I might have to think about it.:)

Sorry for the hijack Ontario guy

[royalmaple]

My Trees were looking a bit weak till we got some rain last week, now seem much more vigorous and leaves look much better.

As for the helicoptors, It's been about 3 years since we had a big seed year on the reds in my area. They are absolutely loaded with seeds this year. There is a red maple seed ever square inch on the ground at least.

[PATheron]

Our trees look real nice down here too. Weve been getting all this real hot weather and then big thunderstorms. I think its making them grow like crazy. If you say it it will happen and Im already predicting BIGSAP for 09. Tried to talk Pretty Mommy into letting me put more taps out for next spring but she gave me the EYE. Im pretty perceptive after 19 years of marriage and Im perceiving negativity so Im holding off. Fall of 09 Im hoping to up the tap count a little. I dont want you guys to think Im starting to be a slacker. Theron

[TapME]

Ours are greener than they have been in past years. Must have been the poor mans fertilizer this past winter that has made the difference. Now let's talk about the hay that is growing. It's thicker and greener and a little late but it may be the best crop in resent memory. Let us hope that the next season for maple will be as good as the trees look and the hay is growing.

[maple flats]

My trees also look excellent. Good leaf size and color. My woods is only about 6-8' above the water table and i have never had drought problems. I will check my new rented bush, but that was on a hill side with lots of seeps and springs all over, most likely that is good too.

[Revi]

Our trees look pretty good this year. They are really growing in after the cut we did a couple of years ago. They have some room to move now. I was checking out the crowns and they are really filling out now.

We have a lot of future maples coming in too. In 5 years or so we'll really see some sap come in!

[cncaboose]

The trees here in Northern NY are doing well too. Lots of rain here so a lot of first cutting hay is still in the fields. The strawberry crop is the best I've had in 20 years. I monitor growth on some of my young trees and as of last week most had already put on 1" in circumference or 1/3" in diameter this growing season. The one silver maple I tap has already completely closed this year's treesaver tapholes. Pretty impressive.