Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[DrTimPerkins]

If I remember correctly, and I dont have it in front of me he was advocating for 1 tap per tree. Regardless of size ? My Orchard Tends to grow really slowly so it was interesting to me.

He advocates for a particular style of pattern tapping consisting of 3 levels (heights) of tapping spaced around the stem of the tree, with 15" (for 1/4" spouts) or 16" (for 5/16" spouts) spacing (height) between them.

[Ultimatetreehugger]

Trucked another 3000 gallons of 1٪ today. The end is near, syrup is still table grade but getting hard to filter. Been a good season, hoping to get through tomorrow and maybe Friday. We will see.

[sapmaple]

He advocates for a particular style of pattern tapping consisting of 3 levels (heights) of tapping spaced around the stem of the tree, with 15" (for 1/4" spouts) or 16" (for 5/16" spouts) spacing (height) between them.

I found this article very interesting gave me a new prospective on tapping. looking at a tree with three different bands of tapping makes sense to me. and I think varying the length of the drop line at the time of drop replacement can allow for fully using all three bands over the years of tapping. In the article he had a specific pattern of tapping but I can see making your own pattern as you see what works for your situation

[DrTimPerkins]

If I remember correctly, and I dont have it in front of me he was advocating for 1 tap per tree.

I don't recall whether he was specifically recommending this, but his examples were all 1 tap per tree. We've done 1 tap per tree at UVM PMRC for many years, partly because it is mostly our older trees (with slowest growth rates) that have been tapped the longest (with 7/16" spouts and multiple taps per tree) and in which we have the biggest issue of finding good wood.

The higher your vacuum level, the less benefit you get from adding a second tap on a tree or conversely, with higher vacuum levels you should adjust the diameter at which you add a second tap upward.

[Sunday Rock Maple]

Interesting, we run 25 inches of mercury and use two taps on anything over 18" DBH. Still okay or outdated?

[WestfordSugarworks]

I found this article very interesting gave me a new prospective on tapping. looking at a tree with three different bands of tapping makes sense to me. and I think varying the length of the drop line at the time of drop replacement can allow for fully using all three bands over the years of tapping. In the article he had a specific pattern of tapping but I can see making your own pattern as you see what works for your situation

I agree, I was interested in that article and am even considering using it if/when I set up new woods. We use a tapping pattern now but the pattern shown in that article allows for many more years of tapping. Our pattern needs to be varied/changed after 5 seasons or so on a small tree.

[Ultimatetreehugger]

Still getting just under a gallon per tap a day. I shut down my south woods yesterday. Sugar content is holding strong at 1% in my other woods.

[WestfordSugarworks]

Tree hugger, where are you located and what elevation?

[Ultimatetreehugger]

Wheelock, Vt. North of lyndonville. My woods are all between 1400 and 1600 ft.

[GiddingsHill]

Still going here, light freeze Thursday night kept us chugging along. Looks like a good freeze throughout most of the woods since about 3:30AM this morning, down into the high 20's. Im anticipating an increase in flow but probably not much change in sugar content.