Colleagues across Extension have been receiving calls and emails about this warmer weather, wondering how it might affect everything from the soil to drought to syrup tapping. I have reports from people who have tapped trees that the sap is flowing.
Stuart Peterson is a large maple producer and mentioned the following in an email to me last week: “It seems a lot of (newer) producers are concerned about the predicted warmup next week. I run my season (Otter Tail County) based on the calendar...i.e., we tap in February to be ready by March 1. Folks in the cities or farther south can be 10 days to maybe two weeks ahead of us. It is possible that the trees will drip with the coming warmup, but the first thaw is almost always a teaser. History says our sap runs happen between March 15 and April 15. Most likely, we’re still going to get some real snow and cold. Don’t panic!”
I agree with Peterson that folks shouldn’t worry. The large commercial maple syrup operations will likely wait to tap the majority of their trees. The hobbyist with less than 10 trees to tap may consider tapping for these two weeks, but I’ll caution that it may be a short sap run.
Sap begins running when the temperature is mild or above freezing during the day and freezing at night, but it’s a small window. If temperatures drop below freezing during the day, the sap will stop running. If it’s too warm during the day - usually above 55 degrees - and temperatures remain above freezing at night, the sap dries up.
New recommendations advise making only one tap per tree. If you decide to tap now during this likely short sap run, it is recommended that you try tapping a different tree later in the season.
Want to learn more? Extension will be hosting several free maple syrup workshops throughout the state. Hobbyists can learn more about getting started or honing their craft with the help of Extension educators. Register for a maple syrup workshop.