Hole spacing year to year

[Maplesedge]

I'm pretty new at this, so I'll ask you guys. If I tap the same tree every year, avoiding the old holes by 4-6" on a side, and not directly below or above, is there a point when I'll run out of circumfrence on the tree to tap?

Take a 10" diameter tree for ease of example. Thats about 31" around. After about 6 years I've come back around close to my first hole. What then? Find another tree? Offset the holes between two old ones but a bit lower?

The tree will grow a bit, but still, when do I run out of room?

Plus, it's not always easy to find all the old holes, especially on a young tree.

How critical is this? How close do you guys tap to old holes?

[DrTimPerkins]

I'm pretty new at this, so I'll ask you guys. If I tap the same tree every year, avoiding the old holes by 4-6" on a side, and not directly below or above, is there a point when I'll run out of circumfrence on the tree to tap?

You should move the tapholes each year not only horizontally, but also vertically up and down. If you're on gravity tubing or buckets, you only need move a few inches from an old taphole horizontally and a foot vertically. If you're on vacuum, you'll want at least 4-6" horizontally and a foot vertically.

The idea is to utilize the full tapping band of the tree, which is a zone from the lowest point you can tap to the highest point you can reach, all around the circumference of the tree. There is no need to space your tapholes in a regular pattern, although some people do.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I am not recommending this but I use all 5/16" spouts and a couple of years ago, I tapped within 1" of a prior year taphole and hit good white wood. 1 of the holes was directly above and the other was directly to the side on a different tree.

[Russell Lampron]

Do as Dr Tim says and by the time that you get to the 3rd year on young trees it will be hard if not impossible to find the first hole. They grow and heal fast and good wood will be easy to find for many years as long as the tree is healthy and that you don't over tap.

[Brian Ryther]

There is no need to space your tapholes in a regular pattern, although some people do.

I find that with 5/16 holes it is very helpful to follow a pattern. After two years it can be very difficult to find old holes. When you follow a pattern you have a better chance of finding good wood. With a new tree I like to have the drop line above the tee. The next year the tap will be 4-6 inches to the left or right and slightly lower. The tap will be naturaly lower because I keep the drop line straight. This patter will make a natural arch around the tree and you drop line will be as straight as possible allowing for the best evacuation of sap.

[Maplesedge]

The idea is to utilize the full tapping band of the tree, which is a zone from the lowest point you can tap to the highest point you can reach, all around the circumference of the tree.

Really? "The highest point I can reach"?

What little I've read so far usually says the lower on the tree the better as it's supposed to give more sap. Also, south side better than north. Also, in line with a big root or branch.

I'm using 5/16 taps dropping to a collapsable water jug in a milk crate on the ground, so I can get pretty low. This is the first I've heard about tapping up high, But I guess the sap's up there too, so it makes sense.

Thanks, Dr. Tim

What about the south side thing? Does science suppot that?

[DrTimPerkins]

Really? "The highest point I can reach"?

What little I've read so far usually says the lower on the tree the better as it's supposed to give more sap. Also, south side better than north. Also, in line with a big root or branch.

The effect of height is fairly marginal. You will get slightly more sap by tapping lower down, but by repeatedly doing that for several years you will eventually end up with discolored wood in that zone and get little or no sap if you tap keep tapping there (cluster tapping). Best practice is to utilize the FULL tapping band to spread out the wounding.

As for north or south....depends upon the season and time of season. South sides will flow better early on, but also dry up sooner. North sides will start slow, but run later in the season. In general however, you'll end up with about the same north or south (although some years there can be quite a difference -- but no knowing ahead which will be better), so again, utilize the full tapping band all around your tree. Tap some trees on the north, some on the south, some on east, some on west.

Finally....it not necessary to tap below a large branch. There is plenty of sap above the taphole and it'll come out by gravity whether from a branch or from the stem. As for roots....there is no influence whatsoever...sap flows down when coming out under gravity....not up.

[KenWP]

I tapped a couple of trees low down last year due to the container I had and got squat. I ran another tap from higher in the tree into the container and got sap from that one. Some trees seem to have more scar tissue or heavy bark at the bottom it seems. Did find it a pain to dump a couple buckets on trees that were tapped at regular height untill the 4 feet of snow melted on me.