Frost in ground = sugar yeild

[Pete S]

OK, we are nearing some of our coldest times of the year. Currently have had about 20+ inches of the white stuff fall. We just had started to get some frost in the ground and then got the snow.

I burried my daughter's cat yesterday, and got a bit too close with my 7 foot snowblower to grade,...........Ma is gonna be pissed come spring! We've got NOTHING for frost in snow covered areas!

Does the amount of "frost" play into sap flow come spring?

Just thought I'd ask as opposed to search.

Thanks!

[brookledge]

it has been my expierience that witha good snow cover and no frost that the sap will run good. I have had seasons where there was no snow and three feet of frost. Good weather comes in the spring and with all that frost in the ground, no sap. Days where you would expect a lot of sap, nothing. So I like the way things are starting this winter
Keith

[3rdgen.maple]

Rarely do we ever get any kind of significant frost here. We get too much snow before it sets in. I do recall one year when we had a good frost set in that it took forever for it to thaw and when we started getting sap soon after the buds were coming out so it made for a short season.

[sapman]

Same here. I do many trenches during the winter, and frost is only an issue if the wind keeps the ground clear, it's plowed, or you go south where they get very little snow. I can always go out and dig a hole in my yard.

Tim

[gmcooper]

Over the past 20 years our worst production years were the ones with the deepest frost 30" plus and the couple with no frost. Obviously the the deep frost took long time before we got much sap flow then temps were too warm and trees budded. No frost years the season ended earlier and were shorter. The weather during the season always plays a part so hard to put all the blame on frost on either extreme.

[jrthe3]

i herd some where that the deeper froast and colder winters made the sugar content higher is this true