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Thread: Red Maple healed tap holes or no sap flow?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
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    Central Pennsylvania
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    Default Red Maple healed tap holes or no sap flow?

    My reds have barely produced any sap over the past week, but I'm not sure if it's due to the holes healing from the February warm-up, or they've just shut off for the season. They are on a vacuum pump. There are a few red flower buds appearing in the upper tree canopy. Weather forecast looks good for sap flow over the next week. Thinking about retapping to see if I can produce a little more this week to salvage this unusual season. Some of these trees are not very healthy and will likely be culled before next season. I'd appreciate any advice or suggestions.
    Last edited by Openwater; 03-11-2023 at 09:21 AM.
    2020 - 1st year - 13 black walnut taps - 4 bottles syrup
    2021 - 50 taps, 22 black walnuts/28 red maples - 4 gallons syrup
    2022 - 54 taps, 11 black walnuts/41 red maples, 20 on solar shurflo vacuum - 8.5 gallons syrup
    2023 - 47 taps on 45 red maples, 43 on solar shurflo vacuum

  2. #2
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    Feb 2019
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    Murrysville, Pennsylvania
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    Similar here. The unusually warm weather has impacted the tap holes and Reds are known for shutting down. I am on vacuum as well, predominately reds and have seen minimal flow on optimal days. Retapping isn't worth it compared to the long-term staining it causes in the tree in my opinion. It's just a down year for most of us.
    D. Roseum
    www.roseummaple.com | https://youtube.com/@roseummaplesyrup
    ~136 taps on 3/16 custom temp controlled vacuum; shurflo vacuum #2; custom nat gas evap with auto-drawoff and tank level gas shut-off controller; homemade RO #1; homemade RO #2; SL SS filter press
    ~30 gallons / year

  3. #3
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    That's pretty much what I thought. Just needed a little confirmation before I start pulling taps.
    Thank you.
    2020 - 1st year - 13 black walnut taps - 4 bottles syrup
    2021 - 50 taps, 22 black walnuts/28 red maples - 4 gallons syrup
    2022 - 54 taps, 11 black walnuts/41 red maples, 20 on solar shurflo vacuum - 8.5 gallons syrup
    2023 - 47 taps on 45 red maples, 43 on solar shurflo vacuum

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
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    Murrysville, Pennsylvania
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    I am going to wait out the next week before pulling mine. Hoping to get a little more and make some dark.
    D. Roseum
    www.roseummaple.com | https://youtube.com/@roseummaplesyrup
    ~136 taps on 3/16 custom temp controlled vacuum; shurflo vacuum #2; custom nat gas evap with auto-drawoff and tank level gas shut-off controller; homemade RO #1; homemade RO #2; SL SS filter press
    ~30 gallons / year

  5. #5
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    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
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    When temperatures get too high (anything above 50 is bad, 60 is worse, 70 is terrible), microbes run rampant in the tapholes and induce taphole drying pretty quickly. This happens faster in tapholes on the southern sides of trees -- which is why it's a good idea to make sure you're not preferentially tapping just on the sunny sides of trees.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  6. #6
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    I guess the lower elevation trees must have warmed up more than the ones up on the mountainside because the 18 trees down in the floodplain have pretty much stopped running, but I had a pretty good run on the 25 trees on the mountain; collected a little over 30 gallons from them over yesterday and today. I'm trying to keep a consistent 25inHg of vacuum on them to keep them running as long as possible to make up for the 80 gallons of sap that I dumped because it went ropey last week.
    Just curious, but are the microbes that heal tap holes the same microbes that cause ropey sap?
    2020 - 1st year - 13 black walnut taps - 4 bottles syrup
    2021 - 50 taps, 22 black walnuts/28 red maples - 4 gallons syrup
    2022 - 54 taps, 11 black walnuts/41 red maples, 20 on solar shurflo vacuum - 8.5 gallons syrup
    2023 - 47 taps on 45 red maples, 43 on solar shurflo vacuum

  7. #7
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    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
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    Quote Originally Posted by Openwater View Post
    Just curious, but are the microbes that heal tap holes the same microbes that cause ropey sap?
    There is a wide diversity of things that'll grow in sap, including several different types of bacteria, fungi, yeasts. Microbes that cause ropey sap include: Aerobacter aerogenes, Bacillus aceris and Enterobacter agglomerans, probably among others.

    Interesting paper here https://mapleresearch.org/wp-content...s/1218ropy.pdf if you really want to head out into the weeds.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  8. #8
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    Mar 2020
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    Central Pennsylvania
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrTimPerkins View Post
    Interesting paper here https://mapleresearch.org/wp-content...s/1218ropy.pdf if you really want to head out into the weeds.
    Definitely an eye-opening study. So when we RO our sap to higher sugar %, we're basically producing a culture plate that's already been inoculated; add some time, a little heat/warm-up, and voila - ropy sap.
    And I thought Pseudomonas only caused pneumonia and skin infections.
    Now I need some psychotherapy for the PTSD flashbacks of micro, organic and biochem. Thank goodness MapleTrader provides effective therapy.
    Thanks Doc
    Last edited by Openwater; 03-14-2023 at 12:22 PM.
    2020 - 1st year - 13 black walnut taps - 4 bottles syrup
    2021 - 50 taps, 22 black walnuts/28 red maples - 4 gallons syrup
    2022 - 54 taps, 11 black walnuts/41 red maples, 20 on solar shurflo vacuum - 8.5 gallons syrup
    2023 - 47 taps on 45 red maples, 43 on solar shurflo vacuum

  9. #9
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    Sep 2015
    Location
    Gelert, Ontario
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    7

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    Years ago it not uncommon for folks to ream tap holes to try and extend their season, or when they dried up during a warm spell. I think there was a study from UVM where they showed reaming didn't really accomplish enough to make it worthwhile; Dr. Tim would know for sure. My guess is that reaming it didn't remove enough of the affected wood to create a 'fresh start', and that there were enough bacteria present after reaming to cause taps to shut down again pretty quickly.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Murrysville, Pennsylvania
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    Reaming tap holes leads to double the size of stain/compartmentalization of the wood (e.g. no sap flow zone) and is not a sustainable or advised practice. Bad for trees and future sap yields.
    D. Roseum
    www.roseummaple.com | https://youtube.com/@roseummaplesyrup
    ~136 taps on 3/16 custom temp controlled vacuum; shurflo vacuum #2; custom nat gas evap with auto-drawoff and tank level gas shut-off controller; homemade RO #1; homemade RO #2; SL SS filter press
    ~30 gallons / year

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