Yeah that 3:1 mix is crazy strong. I did a 1:20 ratio on some rose bushes last year and it still burned the new leaves. For young maples, I wouldn't go past a 1:30 mix, so like half an ounce of soap per gallon. Even then, test it on one small branch first and wait a couple days. The soft soap they sell for plants is milder than dish soap, but you still gotta dilute it a ton.

Exactly. Once you start seeing it that way, you can't go back. The stock is the real prize. I freeze mine in old yogurt containers. That homemade base makes any soup taste like it cooked all day. My go-to is a simple chicken noodle, but with a spoonful of leftover rice and a squeeze of lemon at the end. It beats any canned stuff by a mile.

Saw that trick on a forum once, total game changer.