How To Tap Maple Trees for Syrup
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! No, I’m not talking about Christmas. Spring is here and that means it’s time to make maple syrup. This post will highlight how to tap maple trees for syrup. My husband learned how to tap trees and boil sap from his grandfather who then passed it on to his dad. This family tradition is being passed down to our kids now too. We look forward to this time of year and I shared some of our plans in our Hobby Farm Plans post.
The Ideal Time to Tap Maple Trees for Syrup
Ideally, you want to begin tapping trees when the weather starts to warm up above freezing. For us in New York this typically happens around the end of February or beginning of March. You need warmer days that are above freezing but still below 55 degrees. Nights need to be cold and below freezing to have the perfect temperatures for tapping and boiling sap.
Supplies Need to Tap Maple Trees
Tapping maple trees for syrup requires you to have a few supplies. First, of course you need a good and healthy maple tree. Sugar maple trees have the sweetest sap. Check around your tree to make sure there is no diseases or insect problems. Using diseased trees can further damage the tree and your sap may not be of good quality. You definitely don’t want that!
You will also need spouts and tubing. We use drop lines that run from the tree to the lateral line. Our drop lines are yellow. We also use blue lateral lines that run into our large main tubing line. When tapping trees, you need to have a drill with a 5/16-inch bit and a hammer.
If you’re using sap buckets you will need a spout with a hook, but if you are using lines, you just need a regular spout. Be sure to clean your spouts before you use them! If the snow is deep in the woods, you may want to invest in some snowshoes as well. We purchase our supplies locally. Check out Leader to find online supplies or your local dealer.
Steps
The steps involved in how to tap a maple tree for syrup are relatively easy. Most Maple trees only get 1 spout, however if you have a larger tree, you can sometimes get 2 taps in it. For one spout the tree should be 10″ to 12″ and for 2 taps 18.” First, you want to drill a hole at least six inches away from a hold hole. Drill 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep. Make sure to clean your drill bit between uses to prevent contamination.
Next, push the tap in to the hole and hammer lightly into place. You then want to hook your drop line into the lateral line. This will then all run into the main line that goes into the tank that collects the sap.
Once you have tapped your maple trees you just need to wait for the sap to run. You can then boil it down to make yummy maple syrup. If you have any questions, please let me know!
