Are my taps working right? (Centre County)

[The Dude]

Hey Guys, I'm worried. I've only been getting about 1/3 gallon per tap average in the past three warmer days. Being my first year, I have nothing prior to compare this to and wonder if I'm somehow missing a big run. I'm posting this to the PA forum since you guys will be most familiar with my weather conditions (I'm in the very center of the state).

A couple taps brought in over a half gallon per day, while the worst ones only 1/4 gallon. I'm hoping people will say this is normal, but in case you think it's not, here is some info that I think could possibly impact my results


I tapped Feb 19...could they be drying up already?
I"m using 5/16" plastic spiles, which from what I heard will produce about 3/4 the amount of sap of a standard spile.
I drilled the holes level, rather than pointing my drill bit upward as it went in.
The average tree is only 12" in diameter, and are in a forested area with smaller crowns
The taps might be considered a bit high...about 4-5' from the ground.


Any advice (hopefully good news) would be greatly appreciated.

[innoxen]

hey Dude... I am about 2 hrs northeast of you... I drilled up on an angle and ran tubes to a cap in a 4.2 gallon jugs... My runs come and go but it seems like I am getting about 2 gallons per jug per day... I started about the same time as you... Hope it flows for you... Tom

[Turtlecreek]

Dude Over in union county and have had some good runs and some not so good in the last week. My bush is a north facing slope so it is a cold bush. Where are you in centre county there may be a trader near you that may be able to do a house call and help you out a bit. If I wasn't on call for work this week I'd make a run out to see if anything looks odd.

Hang in there!

[umpwood1]

Hi Dude..I am about 10 miles south of you. We have been getting great runs. On my small diameter small crown trees I am getting about the same as you. The larger trees that are out in the open are putting out the mother load. It looks like we are going to be busy this next week..at least the snow is going away.
Regards

[The Dude]

Oh no, please don't tell me this is the most these trees will produce on good days! That's like 1/4 of what I expected! :(

[KenWP]

I have the same problem right now also. My trees take for ever to wake up and then they only run really good for a few days . I have huge trees that only produce maybe a couple of cups of sap. Dosn't matter where I put the tap or how many of them. I have a couple trees out in the open that seem to be in a race to fill buckets and jugs also. Maybe just give it time see if they produce a bit better.
The drilling on a angle dosn't affect how much they produce just the tree drains better and your tap holes don't dry out from bacteria as fast.

[Gary R]

I don't think I'd worry yet. Are you on any slope and which way does it face? All my trees are woods trees with small crowns. Many of the ones that are deeper in the woods might be only producing a cup of sap a day. The ones exposed to the most sun are doing a gallon or so. If you have snow, check out the base of the tree on the north side. Mine still have snow right up to the trunk. It's still to cold. Looking for that rain mid week.

[The Dude]

Hi Gary, thanks for the sign of hope. The small grove of trees is not so much on a slope, but more in the bottom of a depression. They are near a small stream. I placed most of my taps on the south or southeast side once I realized the sun might make a difference. The snow was pretty much gone as of the weekend.

[Jim Brown]

The steam is rising in Polk! Sweetened the pans on Saturday and collected 500 gallon yesterday.Will boil today

Weather looks good nextcouple of days

Game On!

Jim

[TF Maple]

The Dude
If you have a bush in a depression it could be cold and need some time to warm up. I have a bush I'm working this year that has a lot of trees making it cold when you get into the trees about 30 yards. A tree on the south side of the woods produces about a gallon a day, but 30 yards north the trees have nothing. Needs to warm up some more here in East Central Wisconsin for a dense bush. Other places in my state are getting good runs, so every bush is an individual entity you have to get to know when it runs.

[The Dude]

This morning I collected from yesterday's run, another day at 1/3 gallon per tap. There was ice in each jug though...is that sign that things should be slow like they are?