My first 3/16 tubing run!

[DrTimPerkins]

This is true and should be anyone's goal, but circumstances often dictate other options and side ties are an option.

In lieu of or in combination with side ties, you can just do small turns on saplings periodically. This works well especially in places where crop trees are spread far apart. Don't go completely around, but just touch them/rest the line on them periodically. The friction (especially with non-rigid tubing) is enough to hold them in place.

[buckeye gold]

good tip Dr. Tim.

[Swingpure]

Thanks for the tips.

With the snow and ice off the lines, the vast majority of the lines look tight.

Fortunately when I did install them, and when I did have a long unsupported run, I made a slight diversion, so they did touch saplings for extra friction support.

[Swingpure]

So to jump way ahead, I thought came into my head today. When you use buckets, near the end of the season you will notice a change in the sap and at worst you throw out the one bucket with bud sap.

Now with lines as you get close to the end of the season, do you pull the taps out early or what do you with a large container of sap that has half good sap and half bud sap?