![]() Now that you know which trees to tap and have favorable weather conditions, it’s time to get started. This changes the color of the sap and negatively impacts the taste. Sap may continue flowing after the tree begins to leaf out in spring, but the sap will contain additional nutrients to benefit the new growth. Stop collecting when you notice leaves starting to bud or when the sap turns a yellowish color. Removing and re-inserting taps can introduce bacteria and pathogens into the tree. Do not remove your taps until you are finished collecting sap for the year. ![]() Once the flow rate is satisfactory, tap the rest of your trees. If tapping many trees, consider putting test taps on a few trees to observe the sap flow rate. ![]() This weather pattern can be relatively short, and the maple tapping season varies from year to year. As the tree thaws in the sunlight, sap flows downward from the branches to the roots and out the tapping hole. The daily freeze/thaw cycle changes the pressure within the tree’s branches, which forces the tree to draw water up from its roots (Figure 6). Look for temperatures that are above freezing during the day, preferably around or above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and nighttime temperatures that are below freezing, preferably in the mid-20s. The most important pieces of information you will need are daytime temperature highs and nighttime temperature lows. The ideal timing for maple tapping varies by region and may be different from year to year. In the Intermountain West region, it is not advised to put multiple taps on any single tree. Standard flexible measuring tape measure the circumference at 4.5 feet, then divide byĪ tree with a diameter of 10 to 20 inches can support a single tap hole.Logger’s tape around the circumference.Biltmore stick (see Measuring Tree Volume With a Biltmore Stick).Tree diameter can be measured in several ways: Although smaller trees can be tapped, you won’t get as much sap, and there are long-term sustainability concerns about tapping trees that are too small. The tree’s diameter should be 10 inches minimum at 4.5 feet above the ground. Box elder paired leaf connection.Īfter identifying the species, the next most important thing is to make sure the tree is big enough to support tapping. Rocky Mountain paired leaf connection and winged seeds.įigure 4. Additionally, maple trees have paired leaves and buds (Figures 3, 4, and 5).įigure 3. ![]() One detail to look for in the winter is the winged seeds, which have similar structure across all maple species. For help identifying the most common maple trees in Utah, check out the resources at the end of the article. The best time to identify maple trees is in the summer or fall before they drop their leaves. Sugar maple trees are traditionally tapped for maple syrup production, particularly in the eastern U.S. Be respectful of public and private property laws in your area.įigure 1. However, since maple tapping is not commonly done in the West, don’t be surprised if they do not understand your request.Īlways be mindful of the environment and choose trees in locations that are away from high traffic areas where your bucket and tap will be undisturbed. If you want to harvest maple syrup from your local national forest, first call the ranger district office near you. If you don’t own maple trees and don’t know anyone who would let you use their trees, you may want to consider tapping public trees (Figure 2). It is best to use your own maple trees, whether that is in your front yard or in the woods on your property. Further resources are listed at the end of this article. This article focuses on hobby production, not commercial tapping operations. The purpose of this article is to introduce the process and provide details specific to the Intermountain West. There are many great resources for how to tap trees and produce delicious syrup. A growing number of people are interested in producing maple syrup in Utah, using both native and introduced maple species. Although most maple syrup is produced from sugar maple ( Acer saccharum Figure 1) and red maple ( Acer rubrum) trees, it is possible to collect sap from any maple species (genus Acer). Maple syrup is made by collecting sap from a maple tree in late winter/early spring and boiling it until it is 66% sugar concentrate.
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