When to tap

[Savage3OO6]

2019 will be my first year making maple syrup. I have gone all-in and bought all of my equipment and I've located four sugar maple trees. I can hardly wait to start! In my preparation I looked up the 2018 temperature history to get an idea of when I would have (should have?) tapped the trees if I had started last season. I found a somewhat puzzling situation and I'd like to know what some of you seasoned veterans would have done. I live in southeastern Michigan and we had a cold first half of February (temps regularly below freezing), then we had a warm front move in on Feb 14th and the temperatures went directly to 50-60°F for daytime temps and night time temps around 40°F. That trend lasted a week or so, then freezing temps returned. It wasn't until March 1st when we got ideal daytime temps and freezing nighttime temps. So my question for the seasoned veterans is, would you have tapped the trees on Feb 14th during the warm front or would you have waited for temps to stabilize?

[maple flats]

With just a few trees, just wait until you get your first warm day. At that point look at the long range forecast, if the freeze thaw pattern looks good tap, if not wait until it does. You can tap everything you plan in less than an hour.
When to tap becomes a bigger question when it takes you several days to tap. Then on the other end, very large producers tap early, but they are on vacuum tubing and it may take them several weeks to tap so they can't wait.
With just a few taps you do not want to tap too early or the tap holes can dry up even before the good flows start. Tubing and vacuum make a huge difference in that respect.

[berkshires]

With just a few taps you do not want to tap too early or the tap holes can dry up even before the good flows start. Tubing and vacuum make a huge difference in that respect.

This ^^^

Also, there's absolutely no reason to tap when forecasts are for high temps with above freezing nights. If you had tapped at the beginning of that warm spell you'd just have dry tap-holes sitting there for that week, growing a nice colony of creepy crawlies in your holes, and shortening your season.

Also, February days are short, so even if you get temps that look "ideal" in early Feb, remember that a high temp of 40 degrees in early to mid Feb might mean only a few hours over freezing, and the trees might barely thaw, resulting in little to no flow. In later Feb and in March, with a longer day, and a stronger sun, those same high temps mean more flow.

Just a long-winded way of saying what Maple Flats said more succinctly.

Cheers,

Gabe

[Russell Lampron]

With vacuum and a lot of taps it doesn't hurt to tap early so that you are ready when the good sap flows start. I have started as early as February 2nd in the past and I have waited until March 13th before too. It all depends on the weather and extended forecast.

If you are tapping buckets you want to wait until the weather is warm enough for the sap to flow. I usually waited until the 1st of March to tap my buckets or even later if we were in the middle of a cold snap. March is normally the month to make syrup where I am.

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

I also live in southeast MI. and i did tap early Feb 17, and it worked out fine for me. I have all new taps each year and on 25 " vacuum my tap holes will last 6/8 weeks. My season ended on April 5th. Not so sure i would do the same thing on buckets. Many different things come into play every season.

[Chicopee Sap Shack]

I would say be ready for Valentines day, but don't tap until the 10 day forecast looks like good sugaring weather. If come 2/14 its froze up for another week, wait another week, but somewhere around 2/24 be ready to tap.

[tbear]

We "usually" tap sometime in the first week of March. We've been tapping earlier and earlier the last few years with a tap date of 2/14/18 this past season. "Usually" has gone the way of the Doodoo bird with strange seasons over the last few years. Ted

[Savage3OO6]

Thank you to everyone for the great advice, I’m glad I asked!