Getting anxious

[Pdiamond]

Definitely a different year this year that's for sure. The latest I usually tap is last weekend of February, I am kinda wondering about that for this year. May have to hold off. Just keep watching the conditions and temps.

[red4476]

Ended up tapping my last four trees today as I have plans for next weekend. The rest were all silvers. The two huge ones (40 inch diameter) gave me nothing today. I've never tapped these but I anticipated they'd be running as they are at my Aunts house in Metro where ground temps are warmer but nothibg. Two taps on one tree were trying but it each was leaking out the bottom of the plastic spiles. Must not have drilled straight? On these I ran three taps each on about a 4 foot line into a 5 gallon bucket. Ive never done this but it seemed the little sap in the lines didn't flow but sat. Is a reverse vacuum possible of I sealed with a lid? The other two tree ran ok after about noon. I anticipate a slow trickle tomorrow and then nothing for a good week or so as these are on buckets and droppings into a bucket. Only my second year and man I wish I had more trees.

[Balrog006]

Red4476

It’s not exactly a reverse vacuum, but a surface tension and path of least resistance issue. Fluid will always take the oath of least resistance down, so often new taps will leak a bit before the hole swells and seals itself up-that’s why you see sap moving but not down your tubes. Once they seal them it’ll have no choice but to move thru the tap down the tube into a bucket. Unless you have some crazy good seals on your bucket to lid connection and around the hose where it goes into your bucket-which is so unlikely as to be near impossible-you can’t have too much pressure there for sap to flow down your tubing.

It’s just early and there isn’t much moving yet-give it time.

[ebliese]

We tapped one tree this morning, about 8:30, to see if the sap was running or not. It was so we decided to tap some trees today in the hopes of catching an early run today/tomorrow. We put in about 70 taps (on buckets) for now. The other 30 taps (on buckets) we will put in when we have better weather. I understand we might be jumping the gun a bit here and some may question whether it is worth it. I know buckets have a 4-6 week window but since the weather will be turning cold again (below freezing highs) then bacteria shouldn't be growing in the tapholes to hasten the closure. At least theoretically....

[red4476]

Red4476

It’s not exactly a reverse vacuum, but a surface tension and path of least resistance issue. Fluid will always take the oath of least resistance down, so often new taps will leak a bit before the hole swells and seals itself up-that’s why you see sap moving but not down your tubes. Once they seal them it’ll have no choice but to move thru the tap down the tube into a bucket. Unless you have some crazy good seals on your bucket to lid connection and around the hose where it goes into your bucket-which is so unlikely as to be near impossible-you can’t have too much pressure there for sap to flow down your tubing.

It’s just early and there isn’t much moving yet-give it time.

thanks for the reply. This makes sense and I'll keep watching it. The drop line into the milk jugs worked great. Just the 5 gallon bucket had me confused.

[toquin]

Gathered 650 gals. Monday. Looks like about the same this morning, then another week off.

[Ivyacres]

I tapped everything Sat. Ran great all day Sun and Monday, got 180 gals. I'm all on tubing so my taps usually last longer than all the buckets do. It was sort of nice to do all the trouble shooting on a short run like this. I take my sap to a friend to have it evaporated and I was his first delivery of the year. Sugar content was down (2%) from past years, but I attribute that to not being able to tap some old growth trees from my neighbor. Good luck everyone

[ebliese]

We probably have at least a gallon of sap/tap-68 gallons or so in our buckets. We will collect tomorrow and have a test run with the RO!

[Balrog006]

Might be seeing it here-my 10 day forecast shows mid 30’s this coming weekend then 40’s for highs all next week. As long as it holds I’ll tap Saturday or Sunday. Have to wait and see.

[red4476]

Silver maple started running. Sugar is about 1.8%. One of my reds is at 4.5%. The sap tastes like sugar water. Got a good gallon off the silver maple. Of course the red is stingy and got maybe a quarter gallon.