Tapping your maple, birch or walnut copse is one of the nigh simple and enjoyable Spring activities for the outdoor enthusiast. While this action is quite uncomplicated in theory, knowing the small details can assistance bring you a successful season of tree tapping. One of the nigh commonly asked questions we hear is, "How deep exercise I drill a tap hole in the tree?"

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How Deep to Drill a Tree Tap Hole

By and large speaking, we drill one inch or 1" past the bark of the tree. The thickness of each tree'southward bawl is the variable; which is dependent upon both the species and the historic period of the tree. Older trees generally take thicker bark than younger ones, so a tap pigsty's total depth may be deeper than on a younger tree. You may also observe that species such as the red maple may take thicker, chunkier bawl – specially if the tree is big and very old.

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Measuring the Drill Scrap Depth

We recommend measuring out 1" to ii" on your drill fleck with a measuring tape or ruler. You lot can mark the bit using a minor piece of painters tape wrapped effectually the bit to serve equally a depth-guide for drilling the copse. The correct size chip is 5/16". We have medium aged trees with average bark thickness, so we marked out a depth of i.5" on our bit. This allows for approximately ane/2" thick bark and an additional one-inch drilling-depth past the bark.

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Drilling your Tap Hole

Advisedly drill your tree at a very slight upward angle on the side of the tree where the sun is shining on it. If the sun shines on that side for the majority of the 24-hour interval, it tends to produce more sap menses. If you tap on the shaded or dark side of the tree, it tends to produce less sap catamenia. Let the scrap to remove the wood shavings, and never blow out the hole with your mouth. Blowing into the hole tin contaminate the tree with your saliva. That will cause the tree's internal healing procedure to go into overdrive and close upwards the hole faster, resulting in less sap flow and a shorter season.

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Inserting the Spout into the Tree

Carefully tap the spout into the tree, gently, and not likewise hard. We are non putting nails into a deck – there is no need to pound the spout in hard. You should exist able to twist and pull the spout out of the tree with a picayune effort without damaging the tree or the spout. If you destroy the spout upon removal, it's likely because you collection the spout in likewise hard and too far into the tree. A few calorie-free taps so it is snug, null more. Every bit you can run into in the photo below, ice-common cold sap immediately begins to drip from the spout.

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Connecting the Tubing

Sideslip your 5/sixteen" food grade tubing onto the spinous cease of the maple spout or spile. This tin can exist difficult in colder weather, then yous may want to warm the tubing in hot water beginning. Hold the end of the tubing in hot water for 10-15 seconds and then connect to the spout.

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Choosing a Sap Collection Container

The all-time collection container is a clean, food grade container such every bit a five gallon bucket with lid, or gallon size spring water jugs. We don't recommend used gallon milk jugs, as the season of milk is very difficult to make clean out. Tree sap is very frail and tin pick upwards flavors from the collection container very hands. For best results, utilise spring water jugs to collect sap. Exist certain to check the container twice a day – morn and dark – as sap flow varies throughout the season. Y'all may find some trees produce more than sap than others, and that is totally normal and to be expected.

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Further Reading

Practise y'all have more questions about tree borer and making syrup? Check out our FAQ page here, or connect with us directly on Facebook and Instagram. We're happy to answer any of your sugaring questions, no matter how small-scale!

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