How do I Tap a Maple Tree?

University of Maine Cooperative Extension educator Kathy Hopkins discusses the best method to safely tap a maple tree.

[visualblacksmith]

Excellent video. I believe the proper term for the spout is "spile.” Thanks for posting🙏🏽

[hellyeahmanmedia]

About the old drill bit thing, aside from it being rusty I wouldn't worry too much over it. The tree is dirty ma'am.

[AndrewATP]

This isn’t what I had in mind when I typed in how to tap a maple tree but, I guess I learned something

[SamJonesOutdoors]

Did this to the maple in our back yard. Filled a 5 gallon bucket in 2 days

[Zaktastic]

Drill bit can’t be dirty but clean the hole with a twig from the ground

[ropeyzkittlez]

i live it a real wet sprin run hill side with hundreds of smaller sized maples im geting into it next year for sure

[HollywoodCreeper]

Jees. You were complaining about a rusty drill bit, but you drilled through that algea, fungus stuff and left it? You are supercilious.

[Eboy]

We have a maple tree in our front yard and it took us 7 years to find out

[ropeyzkittlez]

i know someone who has every single tree taped with lines the trees are 2-3in its kinda crazy he has 2 300gal or more containers you caan see fill up by the road

[Skyjengi]

Wow really just learned something today

[fracinawesome]

Lol i watched this for shits and giggles, I've been tapping trees since i was little. My taps are a little rusty, my buckets are old, as long as you're not selling it youre fine.

[galehess]

I would 100% eat off that bit lol. If there's heavy metal residue or a poison on the bit you have a problem, a little Fe rust ain't hurting ya (that's actually in the syrp you're tryin to git outta that stick). My 20" trees get up to 5 taps, and they are fine, year after year, after year... and I know trees (studied them with a U). It would take A LOT of insect and fungus attacks to have ANY effect on a tree. Woodpeckers drill lots of holes... winds break off jagged, poorly healing branches... Just get out there and learn and live a little before you die.

[bigpardner]

Do you have on video on varieties of maple that can be tapped and how to identify them?

[seharris]

Trees 40 yrs old or more... or huggable where your fingers barely touch is what I was taught?

[robertmeyer]

Drilled, but no sap came out. Drilled 1.5 and again 2.0. Help!

[zach]

I can't believe the girth of that Maple! Old growth?

[HolyDiverBronco]

Your drill would work better if you switched it to !!!!

[HollywoodCreeper]

Rust is not going to matter....Haha jees. It's called iron.

[stevenwellington]

How difficult is it to use a brace and bit on a tree?

[krisology]

Did this to my oak tree crazy how different they are...lmfao jk