![]() You will need a drill, 7/16-inch bit, and rubber mallet or small hammer for the tapping process. ![]() But many forest health experts suggest two taps per tree as an optimum to not put undue stress on a tree.īefore tapping any trees, organize the equipment you will need. As trees grow larger, they can support more taps. Trees that are 10-15 inches in diameter can support one tap hole while trees that are 16-20 inches in diameter can support two tap holes. Maple trees should be at least 10 inches in diameter in size (approximately 32 inches in circumference) at 4.5 feet off the ground. The only maple that should not be tapped is the Norway maple as its sap is milky and not clear as with the other maples. However, red maple and to a lesser degree, silver maple also can be tapped – but their sap is usually less sweet and produces more “sugar sand” during the boiling process. These species often produce the sweetest sap. The best type of maple tree to tap for syrup is the sugar maple and its cousin, the black maple. Here are a few tips that will make backyard syrup producers seem like professionals with this natural resource enterprise. Nonetheless, many people are tempted from time to time to try and tap their own maple trees and make their own maple syrup. March is maple syrup season in many parts of Michigan – although this winter’s unusually warm temperatures has caused the maple syrup season to start much earlier than expected in the southern part of the state.
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