Any maple syrup makers?

[David Wayne]

Large or small doesn't matter. I am starting my seventh season and it has always been middle of February that the weather is right for tapping. This season I am wondering if I am missing the boat, Since the big Christmas storm our weather has been mostly mid 40s daytime and freezing overnight. The forecast for the next two weeks is more of the same with 60s predicted for Tues. The only keeping it from being perfect is the lack of sunshine. What do you all think? Have you started or do you think this is a false alarm? I think if the long term forecast doesn't show some cold on the way I might put some out.

David

 

[hube2]

I do not do maple syrup now, it has been over 20 years. My FIL use to make 1500 gal of syrup a year.

However, my FIL still taps a some trees and makes maybe 20 gal/year. He's starting to tap now. We recently read an article that if you use new/clean taps and drops that you can start earlier. If you use old taps and drops it says to clean them thoroughly with chlorine bleach to remove any bacteria, it is bacteria that causes the taps holes to heal and stop running.

If I was still doing this I'd most wait another week or so and likely start tapping mid january this year. He's just starting early so he can take his time and he wants to test out what the article says and also take his time and not try to do more than he can handle each day.

I don't think you've missed anything, but I wouldn't wait too much long, it's going to be a very early maple season this year.

You're in Ohio and not NY, so what I'd do may or may not apply to you, you are quite a bit further south than I am. When does the season start around you in an average year?

 

[m1garand762]

I would wait until mid February at earliest we had some trees die that I tapped early January about 5 years ago just as a test in a similar weather pattern

 

[David Wayne]

Hube2, Mid February is normal start.

m1, do you think tapping killed the trees? If they are large enough and healthy I don't think it would hurt.

David

 

[Jstpssng]

You might consider putting a couple of test taps out, just to keep an eye on them. I am not familiar with your area but have heard of producers down in the southern part of the state who have tapped in December. The sugar content is low, but sometimes it's best to make hay while the sun shines.

Do you tap in buckets or use tubing?

 

[hube2]

If mid Feb is normal for the sap to start running there I would definitely be tapping now. But I guess that also depends on how long it takes you to tab. When I was doing this we had thousands of taps and it took us a while, we'd generally still be tapping after the season started.

The average start is early to mid March here. This is just my opinion and I could be wrong but I believe that it's going to be a very early season this year and I don't think it will last long. I'm not always right but I found while I was helping my FIL that I had a knack for predicting maple season. Like I said, it's just my guess/gut feeling and I have been wrong in the past.

The only time we ever had a tree die is if we tapped it when it was too small, put too many taps in, or someone managed to ring the tree.

 

[David Wayne]

We use bags and tap 150 may increase to 200 this year. Thinking of tapping the trees that can take 2-3
taps and just put 1 in them. That way if we get cold and lose those I can re-tap later. Biggest hold up now is I meet with the new land owner tomorrow, met her in June and she said we could still tap but
that was six months ago so I need to confirm it now that the season is here.

David

 

[Jstpssng]

The only thing about taps vs tubing is that they will harden up sooner. If you put them out now, they might not still be working when the big run comes. That's one advantage of tubing; because it's sealed, the bacteria which makes the wound heal doesn't work as quickly.