Sprout trees

[Acer]

What do you do with sprout trees?
Have some reds and sugar sprout stems that aren't 10" in diameter but overall the sprouts have an impressive crown. Individual stems are 3-6 inches. 4-6 stems/bunch.

Do you let 'em all grow or cut them back to 1 or 2 stems?
I am thinking of tapping them, one tap per clump, and tap a new stem each year.

Dean

[dano2840]

thats what i would do, if you dont care about the clump and see it as a nusance, did they grow from a stump? because those that came from a stump are said to be inferior and produce low sugar content
according to the maple sugar makers manual

[Russell Lampron]

If I am planning to cut them down in the future I put a tap in each one. If there are 5 or 6 in a clump there is one lateral.

[Acer]

I'd like to keep some trees here, would it be best to:
1) let them be a clump of sprouts, don't cut anything let 'em grow
2) cut back to one or two stems/clump

Thanks

[Russell Lampron]

I just let them grow and thin them out as they die off. I haven't had many die and am getting more sap than if I cut some of them out or didn't tap them.