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I have a question, well two. We tapped a few weeks ago, had a good run and it looks like the warm up we had we might have another weeks or so. My question is can I retap? I saw some where that the taps should be in a bulge or above a root. Does it matter? I'm happy enough with the production but you know, I wouldn't mind more.
Don't retap and above roots and under limbs isn't really helpful.
Retapping does far more harm to the tree with negligible yield gains.
Thank you. Good to know. Fingers crossed for another few days.
Best practice is to move the tap hole every year so you can never always be above a root. And yes, no re-tapping.
I'm near you up in Savoy but at 2,000' elevation. My overnight lows have been in the 20's right along so I am still getting good sap flow.
Yes I remember. I visited your operation last year. Still pushing for a shed, Maybe next year. I did get an evaporator. We're at about 1000' still flowing looks like maybe a good week. Doubled my taps this year to 20.
I'm not far from you either, though I'm on the East side of the Berkshires in a hill town called Chester. Probably more similar to you, as I'm at about 8 or 900 feet elevation.Quote:
Originally Posted by Grallert
GO
I live in Cummington but am boiling at work in Pittsfield for the second year. Trying to get a sugaring program going on our campus. Might be a bit warm over night the next two days here but cooling off later. I'll keep going until I see buds.
I agree with those who said don't re-tap. But I'll elaborate and say, don't pull your taps nor assume they're done when it stops running for a warm week or two. Some of the best yielding years I've had have been after it warms up for a week or so, then a cold-snap hits and the same taps start pouring copious amounts of nice, clear sap again.
All the old-timers would look up and look for live branches with lots of foliage-potential and try to place their tap under them if possible, but I think it's been proven to make little difference. Far more important to make sure you're not too near an old tap hole.
I say that, but I still look up for live branches when I tap. But it's not so much for looking to be under live limbs, it's rather to make sure you're not under dead limbs, because sap flow is often bad/negligible under dead limbs. And it's also preferable not to have a dead limb fall on your head if it can be avoided.
We're getting that cold snap now. Snow 32 and windy.
I'm going to put out another 45 taps this week-end. This will double my current number.
Praying to a good season and overflowing Sap storage for everyone!
Don't retap. Those who tell you to tap on the south side, or over a big root, or under a big limb have no real idea what they are saying. The way I always instructed my tappers on areas that were not tapped before, is to tap whatever face you approach the tree from. Basically as long as you are tapping hundreds or thousands, you will end up having taps on all directions as you work thru the sugarbush. Then on gravity you should move over about 3" and up or down 6" the next year. On vacuum it's different, in yr 2 try to tap opposite where yr one was, then in yr 3 tap half way between the first two year's tap holes and yr 4, opposite yr 3. From there you start between the 2 oldest holes and keep doing that pattern. Realize that you can also, on vacuum tap below the mainline and use a similar pattern. By the time you go all around the tree 2 times, new wood will have grown over the oldest holes and start over again.
If you favored the south, it would soon use up all tapping space.