Grass Growing In Gutter

[Tilly2]

We have a lot of trouble with grass growing in our back of the house gutter. I blame the pigeons! We have to keep getting someone in to clean them out. We are thinking that the Hedgehog Gutter guard might be a better solution. Does it work?

[woofgang]

How often do the gutters need cleaning?

[carrust]

Is your gutter wood, plastic or metal?

[Tilly2]

The gutters need doing every year, if not twice a year. The gutters are plastic now. We had new gutteringFebruary 2012

[woofgang]

I don't think that every year is very frequent. I live in an area with loads of trees and its part of the routine to have the gutters flushed yearly after the leaves are all down.

[carrust]

Is your roof slated or tiled?

[RATTER15]

Yes it does work at keeping pigeons from roosting on the gutter, if they are roosting on your roof then their poo will still was down into the gutter.

[Tilly2]

The reason I blame the pigeons is that I think they transfer the seed we put out onto the roof and it germinates in the damp gutter. My roof is rounded pantile type tiles.

[bookbinder]

Pigeons alone will surely not be responsible. For seed to germinate, it needs soil, or something like it. Your guttering should be more thoroughly cleaned out, and that involves scraping out any soil that has accumulated under the tiles overhang.

[heathfield]

The seeds need something to grow in. Dead leaves and dust accumulate in gutters, and that's enough to give the seeds a start. This shows your gutters really need cleaning out even if nothing's growing in them.

[heathfield]

Snap, BB!

[Ric.ror]

Oh - approx how much does it cost to have your gutters flushed?
Could you do it with a pressure washer?

[bookbinder]

heathfield, great minds think alike, yes? I use a piece of bent wire to scrape under my tile overhang, and now and then I flush the guttering with my hosepipe.

[Tilly2]

We don't have any ladders and, if we did, my husband wouldn't climb them. Got a man coming tomorrow to give us a quote for gutter cleaning and gutter guard.

[EcclesCake]

I really do not see how gutter guard will help you. Crud washes off the roof into the gutter it doesn't take much for the seeds to germinate.

Annual (or more frequent) gutter clearing is the only answer in my experience.

[baza]

I get my window cleaner to clear mine a couple of times year, costs me an extra £5 and a mug of tea with 2 sugars , a bargain.

[Tilly2]

It must do some good, surely.

[EcclesCake]

Judging by the feedback you've received......do you really think it does any good?

[Tilly2]

Well, everyone else seems to be able to do their own gutter cleaning, except for those who have a friendly, accommodating window cleaner.

Our window cleaner uses a tank of water and a brush on a pole. He doesn't do gutters.

[maggiebee]

My window cleaner does it once a year for £20 - money well spent.

[gingejbee]

Oh, sorry Tilly - I thought that you WANTED to grow grass in the gutter. I have some nifty ideas for that.