Different Healing Rates

[PrimitiveOperation]

Just wondering about a few things.

Last year was my first serious attempt at making maple syrup and was the first time the majority of the trees have seen a tap. I tried to be conserative with the number of taps and the size of the trees.

Now that I am ready to tap again ( and a little more confident), I have noticed that some of last years holes are completely healed over while a dozen or so others don't look healed at all?

Does this mean that some of the trees aren't as healthy as others?

Is there any fertilizers I can use on the sugarbush to help out?


Any thoughts?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

It is normal for trees to heal at different rates. Even though a hole may not appear to be healing, it is, just at a slower rate.

As far as ferilizer, there are mixed results on tests and nothing set in stone. I would think if you wanted to do it, it couldn't do anything but help as long as you don't overdo it.

[forester1]

The trees heal by growing new wood which covers the wound. A slow grower will take longer to heal than a fast grower. A tree with a big wide crown is a faster grower generally than a tree with a skinny, spindly crown.

[Foster]

Hi Jerry,
Just curious---- do you plumb your trees or are you on buckets or bags ? I guessed from your pictures that you are quite remote . I think you are about 2 hours north of me . Just wondering . Thanks -------- Race in Rhinelander , WI.

[PrimitiveOperation]

Thanks for the information.

This site is the best source for info!!!!! :D

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jerry,

I sure enjoyed the new pics on your website. You have made a ton of improvements and things look tremendous! :D :D Are you boiling this year or still waiting a year or two. :?:

[forester1]

Hi Race and thanks for the comments Brandon. My sugarbush is located northwest of Marquette near Big Bay. You guessed right Race, it is remote, two miles off the plowed road. Nearest neighbors 3 miles away. The paper company cut their land next to me and improved the road a few years back so I could finally make some progress. I haven't tapped yet. I am waiting for a logger to cut my property so I can get the tubing up. I was having trouble getting a logger. The road is steep in spots. They are all interested in my nice big sugar maples but not so much in aspen and beech. This will be mostly a retirement job for me. I retire in four years. I will have to stay in my small cabin while I am there but I hope I can start this next year or the year after to work the bugs out. I wonder if I bit off more than I can chew with all this but it's something I've wanted to do since I bought the land in 1978. I've learned a lot on this site and from some people I met here.

[forester1]

Oh yeah Race I forgot to say I used to work in Rhinelander at the forest service nursery when I was a forester for the state of Wisconsin doing forest inventory. I remember a town north of there called Sugar Camp which I always thought was a cool town name. Also I bought 30 used buckets and lids and a flat pan back in 1979 from Reynolds in Aniwa. Whatever happened to them? They were a big outfit.

[Foster]

Jerry ,
Thanks for the information. In a situation such as yours , the planning is as much fun as the actual sugaring . I worked on my sugarbush for six years before I ever set a tap . If you get my way during syrup season please feel free to stop by and dump a few buckets .
I just noticed your other post . I used to live in Sugar Camp on Sand Lake . As far as I know Reynolds Maple Supply is out of business , unless it is newly revived . The Forest Genetics Lab is still going in Rhinelander . A friend and forester ,Terry Strong works there and is a hobby maple producer in Rhinelander . He may have been there when you were employed . I consulted with him for ideas on thinning my trees . He is a frequent visitor to the syrup shack as well .
Again , you are always welcome should time permit.
Good luck --- Race

[forester1]

Thanks Race, I'll keep that in mind and stop in if I'm in the area during the season. You are right about the preparation being fun. I like working on the place. Sometimes it seems like it is taking forever so I'm glad to hear someone else took a while to get going too.

[John Burton]

with regards to fertilizing your trees, i would recomend waiting until spring.then i would test the soil around the perimiter of the roots.you can take the results to your local garden supply house and they can best recomend the type of fertilizer to use. just remember that it its just as important to weed out all the trees competing with those maples that you want to fertilize. i am sure there are others on this message board that are better informed than i am just my two cents.