Solar Lighting – Taking Advantage of the Summer Sun

solar landscape lanterns
Originally posted August, 2012

With the incredible heat wave hitting the midwestern and southern US this summer (it is expected to be 104 degrees today in North Central Texas), I was pondering what could I possibly write about regarding gardening or landscaping when our plants are simply struggling to stay alive. I admit, after vacationing, my veggie garden has literally bit the dust for it did not have the luxury of a daily hand watering while I was away. Bell peppers not quite ripe when I left are now scalded and shriveled. I may be able to salvage the pepper plants themselves and hope for a crop in the late fall. I’m also hoping my one surviving pumpkin plant holds on. If you are in the same boat as I, don’t pull up the plants just yet. Instead, give them a trim and pamper them with mulch and hand watering as best you can. You may even consider erecting some shade cloth shelters if you are so determined. I’ve always heard it said there are two growing seasons in Texas – spring and fall. Unfortunately, summer is indeed about as devastating to Texas as winter is in the far northern states. There is, however, something you may consider doing in the garden about now – now that summer is supposedly winding down and garden clearance sales are in effect: establishing solar lighting.

By now, I am sure you have at least seen the very inexpensive solar landscape lights in and around both the discount and home improvement stores. I am as fascinated with solar lighting as I am with my solar bird bath fountain. Since solar lighting has become more popular in recent years, the availability and variety of sizes and styles has greatly increased. You’re sure to find a style, or two, that you like. You are also likely to find a solar option for just about any circumstance you may have for lighting in the landscape. Pretty much anywhere stocks them, including the beautiful and high-quality solar lights you can find at Home Depot; alongside a home depot promo code that you can find online, you can easily light up your garden at a low-cost.

Most solar lights recommend they (or their solar panels) are placed in an area that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight in order for them to provide adequate lighting. The longer the exposure to sunlight, the brighter and longer the duration of light each lamp will provide. The small path lights found in most any store these days are quite pretty and especially functional at entrances and exits to your home and/or business. My mom, living out in “the country”, benefits from solar reflective lights marking the drainage ditches at the end of her long driveway. They provide a guide, or landing strip, you might say, as we enter or exit her property. They are also very valuable to those of us suffering from night blindness.

solar-landscape-light

Nowadays you can purchase patio umbrellas with built-in solar lighting or, if you already have an umbrella, you can purchase a kit for your existing shade. Solar lighting under an umbrella provides the same lovely ambience as candlelight. -And speaking of candlelight, you can also find a variety of solar lanterns to mimic candles, again, to place around your patio as needed – or hang them from a fence, pergolas, cupolas and weathervanes to create an elegant look. They could even be hung on a deciduous tree during the wintertime. If you need lighting but are one that prefers things au naturale in the landscape, consider the solar lights/spotlights that come in the form of realistic-looking rocks and boulders.

solar lantern

solar rock

The most recent solar lighting purchase I made was that of a color-changing angel on a stake. After visiting the cemetery where my nephew is laid to rest, I saw a color changing light in the distance on another grave. It provided a soothing, beacon-like ambience and I wanted my nephew’s resting place to feel the same. Since most cemeteries receive quite a bit of sun, these staked items really do well in that environment, and again, there are a number of styles and symbols to choose from.

In addition to being green and saving electricity, solar lights can be used indoors in cases of power outages occurring at night. I have to admit, I borrowed this idea from my city’s emergency operations center – but I thought it was quite brilliant. (No pun intended!) During a thunderstorm, or perhaps a rolling brown-out or black-out, simply pull up one or two of your solar path lights and stake them in an interior potted plant or through an upside down cardboard box. Place in the center of the room and you’ll have bright light for a few hours without the danger of using candles or experiencing the inconvenience of finding that your battery-operated devices have run-down. A co-worker of mine keeps a couple of solar path lights in the potted plants on her sunny doorstep just for this reason.

In conclusion, while there isn’t much you can do in the way of gardening during 100+ degree temps, you can still enhance and transform your outdoors with the strategic placement of solar lighting. After all, most of us simply aren’t able to enjoy our gardens and patios during the dog days of summer until the sun has gone down!

Until next time,

Cindy

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