Multiple taps per tree?

[psparr]

I agree most of the above except when I drill right through them. Then I have to use 2 taps.

Ha ha. I'm sure someone will give you a hard time on that one.

[Sugar Bear]

I have a tree that is about 4" in diameter. Last year I put about 7 taps on it because I had plans to cut it down after the season anyway as it is growing into the side of my house. Thought for certain the tree would die, well it did not and I did not get around to cutting it down and am tapping it again this year. Seems to be giving more sap this year.

Perhaps I am on to something.

[DrTimPerkins]

I have a tree that is about 4" in diameter. Last year I put about 7 taps on it.

You likely got no more sap out of it then you would have with 2 taps. There are diminishing returns for each tap depending upon size and whether you're using vacuum. An 18" tree on vacuum will only produce about 60-70% more sap with a second tap, and considerably less if you put 3 on it. With gravity it is somewhat different, but shows a similar trend.

And yes, it is difficult to kill a tree by overtapping it....at least for a few years. But if you overtap long enough, it makes it hard to find good wood to tap into, and your yields will be quite low due to tapping into old staining columns in the tree.

[Sunday Rock Maple]

Perhaps we are conflating correlation (taps being played after death) with causation (taps leading to death)?