taps still dry ! Advice needed

[Leinie]

I tapped my two big trees March 6th and so far nothing is running. This is near Shakopee. I plan on 6 more trees, 2 of those will have 2 or 3 taps.

Is it OK to leave a dry tap this long ? Can I go out and put the rest in ?

This is my third season and have always had sap the same day I tapped so I'm getting a little concerned.

[Ausable]

Leinie - What is Your Weather like? If it is freezing at night and above freezing during the day I would go ahead and tap the other trees. If they are flowing - then I would pull the spiles on the trees you already tapped and clean out the holes a little with your drill and reinsert the spiles. However if You are way too warm with no flow - tap one or two other trees and see if you get a flow - never know. I have 55 tapped here and nothing - had one good day and then way too warm - my worst year in 15 years of tapping - but - I'll wait it out -- Good Luck -- Mike

[Peepers]

It was too cold and now its too warm here around the twin cities. Hopefully we'll get into some good freeze/thaw weather soon although the forecast isn't looking good for another week. We've had just a little sap oozing out of a few trees so I think they're woke up now with this warm stretch, just need some freezing temps at night to get the sap going.

[Leinie]

Things are looking bleak for getting the night freeze for a bit.

[SilverLeaf]

Another variable in all of this is what side of the tree the taps are on. I put out about 70 taps today, and for some reason the majority of the north-side taps were dripping right away, but on every single one of the south-side taps I was drilling thru bone dry wood.

[RileySugarbush]

Leinie,

I am about 2 miles north of you in EP and I feel your pain!

140 taps in for a week and we just put 40 gallons into the the rig just to boil and sterilize the sap so it didn't spoil. Looks like another 6 days until we get a freeze. I wouldn't put your other taps in until the first ones start running.