Silver Birch seeds

[Paul19]

We moved into our new house last March and inherited a large Silver Birch. By mid-July there were seeds everywhere. I have read that the seeds shed for 6 to 8 weeks but they are still coming down in late December! Those seeds are a nuisance, in gutters, in the cars (including engine bays), on the drive and patio's, in the house, in the garage etc. Please don't suggest sweeping or vacuuming them because I've tried on a regular basis but they are still a real problem. Is there a way to reduce the number of seeds that the tree produces or even reduce the size of the tree (I've read Silver Birch doesn't like to pruned). I can cope with leaves but these seeds are a nightmare. Any advice would be appreciated as I would like to keep the tree but living with the seeds is impossible.    

[Mick Dempsey]

Silver birch can be pruned no problem.

With SBs it’s important that the tree surgeon goes back to live growth.

 

 

[waterbuoy]

Splendid looking tree all the same!

[Mick Dempsey]

I reckon it could well have been reduced already.

A closer look up the tree would be interesting. 

[Stubby]

I am surrounded by them . I just got used to it .

[spudulike]

They drove me mad. I did have one in the back garden and a thumping great big one in the neighbours front garden. The biggest issue is them getting through windows on the latch and inside cars. I had the car serviced and the poor fella pulled out the pollen filter and spent the next 15 mins vacuuming it out. I once hooked a bucket and a half of tree seeds out of both front wings. 

I hate the things but have since moved....the catkins and leaves are not much better either.....I hate these trees and have no solution apart from removal.

The 4-8 weeks is cobblers, they drop them month after month and are one of the most annoying trees out there!

[Dan Maynard]

2 hours ago, spudulike said:

They drove me mad. I did have one in the back garden and a thumping great big one in the neighbours front garden. The biggest issue is them getting through windows on the latch and inside cars. I had the car serviced and the poor fella pulled out the pollen filter and spent the next 15 mins vacuuming it out. I once hooked a bucket and a half of tree seeds out of both front wings. 

I hate the things but have since moved....the catkins and leaves are not much better either.....I hate these trees and have no solution apart from removal.

The 4-8 weeks is cobblers, they drop them month after month and are one of the most annoying trees out there!

That's what I remember you saying.

 

At a rough guess pruning enough to reduce the seed problem means chopping them in half, they won't like that but may be better short term than removal.

[Ty Korrigan]

"I love trees but not in my garden" is the line I most hear when quoting a birch removal.

The seeds drive many people to distraction, the pollen many a young Mother's concern.

After Leylandii, birch prunes and removals are the second course of bread and butter.

  

[Peasgood]

Nice tree.

Just chop it down if you don't like it. You can always plant something else, or not if you don't want to.

I like trees but not near my house and wouldn't expect anyone else to have a tree they didn't like/want just because it was there.

[Dan Maynard]

They don't like to be pruned but you can do it, potentially you ruin the shape and start a cycle of decay leading to the ultimate demise of the tree in 20 years. IMO the issue with pruning is that you probably won't solve the problem, half the number of seeds would still be enough to be a nuisance.

 

So longer term answer would be get planting a replacement tree which is further away from the house and cars, looks like your garden is big enough. Then take that one down in a few years time.

 

Shorter term I guess carport, gutter guards, whatever you can build to keep seeds at bay.

 

I believe @spudulike has similar trees at home.