How high sugar content can a Silver Maple get?
I collected 25 gallons sap last night and was checking each pail with my refractometer. My Sugars were running 2.4 to 2.6 but I have a large Silver Maple with a big crown in my front yard and it was at 2.8. Is it possible for a Silver Maple to be this high? I checked my calibration with distilled water and my refractometer was spot on. Clay in Almont, MI.
One of my last batches from my silvers last year was pushing 4% based on my syrup yield. So, yeah, it can be that high.
42.82N
2015 - Small operation. 25 buckets. One excited 5 year old and one 35 year old that feels 5 again.
2016 - One year older. New Homemade 2x4 Arch, Smoky Lake Pan and looking at 52 maples, 17 box elders and 2 walnut trees.
2017 - Shurflo 4008 hooked to 42 stingy silver maples and a few Norways. A couple buckets on sugars and Norways. 10 box elders.
2018 - ...a few more taps.
2019 - ...more taps on 3/16 gravity. This spiral is heading downward in a hurry.
2020 - 4x400 RO - RB20 (uh-oh!)
I tap mosly all silver maples, and have tested anywhere between 2.2% and 3.6%. The 3.6% I got was probably from dumping ice in the morning but was still surprised to see that high of a sugar content. I'm kinda taking notes and keeping track throughout the season to see how it changes.
I routinely get 2.0% to 3.0% on my silver maples that are in yard areas. It really seems to vary throughout the season. I have noticed that the sugar content really drops on my trees as the season winds down.
Jack
15 to 50 urban taps - depending on who lets me tap their trees
a mix of silvers and sugars
16" x 30" flat pan on a Starcat from Smoky Lake
small RO
a great experience I can have with my three boys
My best silver runs 3.5 - 4.75 % all season. Love it.
~ Karen ~
2012 - 10 taps, 1 turkey fryer - 169.5L sap 4.2 L syrup
2013 - 23 taps, 2 turkey fryers - 748.5 L sap 17.56 L syrup
2014 - 22 taps, 509 L sap 12.5 L syrup
2015 - 28 taps, 1093.75 L sap 25.1 L syrup
2016 - 25 taps, 1223.5 L sap 28.25 L syrup
2017 - 21 taps, 518.5 L sap 12.7 L syrup
2018 - 28 taps, 2 turkey fryers & Denali 3 burner propane stove - 798L sap 16.9 L syrup
2019 - 28 taps, 1409.5L sap 40.12L syrup
Sugar, Norway, Manitoba, Silver and Freeman Maples
I fully believe the above reports on high sugar content Silver Maples. However, just for comparison, I tap a couple hundred typical woods Silvers, and they average 1.4 to 1.7. And, some don't give at all. We don't have any yard Silvers with huge crowns so don't have that comparison.
good luck!
Mark
60 year old silver in front of my house runs 4+ % year after year.
Ian
New sugarhouse fall '06. 3x8 drop flue by Phaneuf. Kubota L2800. 260 buckets for 2012. 504 taps for 2013. 320 buckets, 207 on 5/16" and 200 on 3/16" gravity tubing for 2014. 2017: 280 buckets, 920 on 3/16" tubing, selling sap from 560 of that. Son Gavin is in 3rd successful year of selling maple equipment as MacK Maple Supply.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
