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Signs to Tap Maple Sugar Trees

Sweet maple syrup has been a breakfast-table favorite for centuries. The rich sap of the sugar maple tree runs through it at certain times of the year. The tree is tapped, or bled, so the resin can be harvested. The website of the Maple Museum of New England says that, when Europeans arrived in North America in the 17th century, they learned to harvest sugar maple sap from the indigenous people. Getting the knack of when to tap the trees can be a challenge to gatherers.

Temperatures
- The indicator often used to ascertain the best tapping time for sugar maples is weather patterns. The conditions necessary occur when the trees are dormant. Randall B. Heiligmann, Extension Specialist in Forestry at Ohio State University, says that the time to tap is when temperatures rise above freezing during daytime hours and then dip below freezing at night, it means it's time to tap. The rapid up and down change of temperatures starts the sap flowing. When temperatures remain above or below zero without change, the sap may still run but not be optimum. Production will be sub par.
Calendar
- The window of time for tapping sugar maples is about six weeks each year in spring. According to the University of Vermont Extension website, some maple farmers tap according to the calendar, starting and ending on given dates. Some producers in Vermont, for example, start around March first and tap for one month or six weeks. Producers believe that, if they tap too early, the holes may not run well later in the season when the weather conditions might be more opportune. If they tap too late, they may miss some good early-season runs. They use experience to set the timetable for their work.
Tree Cycle
- According to Heiligmann, some producers use the cycle of the tree itself as an indicator of when to begin tapping their sugar maples. A rule of thumb is to start tapping just after the trees bud but before the buds fatten. This is usually late in March or early in April. It is a method that relies upon the producer's ability to read the tree as an indicator, instead of the weather. It is believed that the sap taken when the buds are too far advanced has a bitter flavor. They call it "buddy" syrup and avoid it.

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