Silver Maples

[Bradenfish]

I am wondering if Silver maples are worth tapping. There is about forty ''roadside'' trees that go back a lane. Probably 100 or more taps. Gathering would be very easy- buckets or maybe 5/16 into barrels. but are they worth it? Thanks for any advice!

[tuckermtn]

do a search for back threads on silver maples- I tapped 3 when I was in western canada a few years back- very high sugar content (3.5 to 4%) and pretty passable syrup.

[KenWP]

I have 6 big ones in the yard and they do well also. From 6 trees I got enough sap to make one batch of syrup on its own with out useing the other trees like most batchs. I also have enough box elders that I could make that syrup on its own also.

[dschultz]

I tap silvers and see nothing wrong with them they test 2.5 to 3 and give a good amount of sap

[briduhunt]

I tapped about 50 Silvers last year and all were yard trees. I got between 2-21/2 percent sugar. I have another 100 more I can tap if I want them. I am finding more yard sugars so I might concentrate my efforts towards them as they should produce a higher sugar content. If that is all you have to tap then tap away.

[red maples]

I forget who it was that said this to several of us on one thread. tap everything and hope for the best.

there are several threads for silvers, reds, and box elders, they all seem to make great syrup. and fairly high sugar percentages as well my reds last year were at 2.4% and I made nothing less than medium amber(not that I made alot of syrup though). Where the sugars were at like 1.8 or something and made alot of dark syrup. I have almost all reds on my property which doesn't make much sense because there are sugars everywhere but on my land!!! right across the street(which I am tapping this season) are 60+ trees and my neighbor next door (tapping those next season) has about 80 sugars and the list goes on and on all the way down the road. but hopefully the sugars will be better than 1.8 for next year!!

[RileySugarbush]

We tap a couple and combine the sap with that of our sugar maples. Sugar content is fine and we don't see any problem with it. A friend that has my old block arch and flue tube setup taps only silvers and makes great syrup.

They seem to bud a bit earlier than the sugar maples around here, so we keep a close eye on the sap before we add it in.

[3rdgen.maple]

If it has maple in it's name tap it man tap it.

[Greenthumb]

we tap 60 silvers and reds and 15 sugars-- mix it all together and don't have any trouble. Some say silver and reds produce more niter

[KenWP]

they all produce niter. Never seen a difference. Only different one was the box elders had white niter instead of blackish red niter.

[3rdgen.maple]

Blackish red niter, that must be a canadian thing:lol:

[KenWP]

I will send you a sample 3rgen. You want how much to start with.

[3rdgen.maple]

Ken send all you want I am not paying the shipping on it though. I just have never seen blackish red niter. I get the typical tannish white niter I can send you some of that if you like.:D

[caseyssugarshack93]

hers a picture of the niter in the screen at parkers family maple in Newyork, must be a newyork thing too:D

[KenWP]

hers a picture of the niter in the screen at parkers family maple in Newyork, must be a newyork thing too:D
See and you figured I was different. LOL
I find it funnt we all have different niter. Mines french niter. Most likely De Niter or Tu Niter

[Randy Brutkoski]

I can tell by your post that you are finnally learning something in that class. Dont go all crazy langauge on us. We have a hard enough time understanding what you say sometimes.

[3rdgen.maple]

I just think you guys need to go see a eye specialist for color blindness:D
I never put much thought into this one but Where I am is mostly sandy ground. Just wondering if our soil has anything to do with niter color.

[vermaple]

See and you figured I was different. LOL
I find it funnt we all have different niter. Mines french niter. Most likely De Niter or Tu Niter

What's with these one and two niters? :)