Gutter Turn Garden: Gutter Protection Guidelines to Help You Keep Flora off Your Gutters

If you notice plants crawling out of your gutter, then be wary of an imminent gutter blockage. Even worse, your gutter may succumb to the weight of plant growth and break off or sag outwards. Preventing growth of flora in your gutter system will prolong the lifespan of the system and maintain its efficiency in the long-run. Remember that flora growth in the gutter is a result of many things, including non-obvious reasons. Below are some essential guidelines to help you identify some non-obvious causes of plant build-up in your gutter.

Clean out downspouts

Gutter downspouts help drain rainwater off your roof and down to the soil. Poor water drainage through the gutter downspouts is one problem that causes flora growth in your gutter. If the downspouts at home have a blockage, water easily collects in the gutter and eventually, dirt accumulates. Often the dirt that accumulates has plant seeds that eventually start to grow.

It's advisable that you clean out the downspouts of your gutter, preferably twice in a year. However, if the downspout is likely to accumulate dirt fast because of frequent storms or accumulation of leaves from a nearby tree, then clean out dirt more than twice a year. For instance, you can clean out the downspout soon after a nearby tree has shed its leaves.

Downspout cleaning technique

It's not easy for you to see or reach the insides of a downspout, which makes it harder to clean. So, to easily clean out the downspout effectively, spray water from the upper end of the downspout using a garden hose pipe: the pressure helps drain dirt out.

Keep birds at bay

Birds are common culprits that cause gutter blockage. Often, birds seem harmless, however as birds nest and rest in your gutter they drop plant seeds from their feathers that they collect as they fly from garden to garden. Also, bird droppings on your gutter contain seeds that eventually germinate.

It's advisable that you keep birds off your gutter as an effective way to prevent flora growth. Gutter guards are effective in keeping birds off your gutter. You may want to hire a professional gutter specialist who may assist you to install gutter guards effectively.

Prevent moss build-up

It's common for homeowners to ignore moss growth in the gutter. However, though a thin layer of moss may not cause much harm, excessive moss build-up is likely to block your gutters. Also, remember that excessive moss build-up also leads to accumulation of dirt that encourages the growth of other plants, especially if seeds remain stuck in the moss. Consider hiring a professional gutter cleaner to scrap out the moss in your gutter.

A gutter turn garden situation can destroy the gutter system of your house and cause costly damages. The tips above on effective gutter protection can help you prolong the lifespan and efficiency of your gutter.  

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