Maple Seeds in Gutters: The Spring Clog
Updated
Short answer
Maple seeds drop in late spring, pile up in drifts, wedge into downspout outlets and sprout in the wet grit at the bottom of the gutter. Clean after the seed drop, usually late May or early June around Rockford, before June's average 5.23 inches of rain.
Why seeds are worse than leaves
Leaves lie flat and water can sometimes run under them. Seeds pack into a dense mat, and once wet they hold together and seal the outlet. Left alone they sprout; a gutter with seedlings in it is holding water for weeks at a time.
What to do
- Wait until the seed drop is over, or the gutter fills again.
- Scoop by hand; seeds don't blow out cleanly when wet.
- Flush each downspout, since seeds lodge in the first elbow.
- Brush guards: seeds sit on top of mesh and block it.
Quick answers
Do gutter guards stop maple seeds?
Fine micro-mesh keeps seeds out of the gutter, but seeds sit on top and need brushing off. Coarse screens let them through.
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