Articles
Lighting up your holidays, the easy,
energy-efficient way
(The Edmond Sun, Oct 23, 2005)
Question: What is an easier and more energy efficient way concerning holiday lighting?
Answer: More people are turning to professional installers to deck their halls and new this year is a type of energy-efficient light called the LED. The energy costs average around $30 over the holiday period for the traditional lighting systems, compared to just 72 cents with the new LED lighting systems.
For some, putting up outdoor holiday decorations is a cherished tradition. For many others, it is a dreaded winter chore. They deal with burned out strings of light, working in freezing temperatures and climbing tall ladders. Bad weather, hard-to-reach spots, safety factors and limited time plague homeowners wanting to decorate their outdoors.
Hiring a professional lighting installer saves headaches and provides a more polished look. The market average for a professional job runs from $200 to $1,000. If the company uses a customer’s existing lights, the installation cost runs $100 to $200 but, if the lights are to be bought from the installer, the installation cost averages $300-$400.
The advantage of a professional installation includes: industrial-grade lighting, longer life expectancy of the lights, appropriate length in strings and necessary equipment on hand. Plus, it’s safer. It is pretty tough to hang lights with one person and one ladder.
You need to purchase a 30-foot extension ladder to do it properly, which adds to your cost, and then you have to find a place to store the ladder afterward. And you generally need to have 150 feet of lighting. Most stores sell in 50-foot rolls, but more often in 25-foot rolls. Stringing numerous lights together can tax your electrical system and be a safety hazard.
Most installation companies buy in 1,000 foot rolls, and that allows customers to have the exact length they need, without having to throw the overage in the gutter or letting it hang down.
But if you choose to decorate yourself, consider dressing up your landscape with staked lighting or luminaries along walks, flowerbeds and driveways. Garlands, wreaths and bows can be used for ornamentation that stands out during the daylight hours as well.
The C-9 lights are what I suggest you use vs. the smaller C-7. They show off more light and you can use them on eaves and rooftops. The mini-lights can be used on shrubs and smaller, ornamental trees. The net lighting can be very effective, especially along long hedges as they have a more uniform look. Also, the garland and wreath lighting is very thick and pretty.
Using the right fixtures and limiting the time the lights are on can save you big this holiday season. I advise you spend the $10 to buy a quality timer adjusted to nighttime hours.
LED, or Light Emitting Diode, holiday lights are the newest addition to what’s now available. LED energy-efficient lights cost about three times the amount up front, but use about one-tenth the energy level of what is currently used.
Bob Corff, energy services manager at Edmond Electric, praises the new LED holiday lighting systems, saying they reduce power use, overloaded circuits, and heat and fire dangers.
For example, a string of mini-lights cost $2-$3 while the LED lights may cost $6-$10 per string. Mini-lights use about ten times more energy than the LED, and standard (C-7) bulbs use 100 times more energy.
The LED epoxy bulbs are durable; they present a different type of look than what’s traditionally out there and the life span is greater. Up to 20 strings can be connected end-to-end without overloading a typical household’s electrical circuit.
You may want to consider LED lights. If you tend to put your lights up before Thanksgiving, keep them up after New Year’s Day, and have them on all day, every day. Or, if you need to be particularly sensitive about your electric bill, you may want to consider the LED lights.
(Brian Courtney and Chad Hetrick own Heartland Landscape Group, www.heartlandlandscapegroup.com. A portion of this resource material is from the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance.)
Question: Which grass species is best for shady areas in Oklahoma?
Answer: The best grass species I recommend for shady conditions is the turf-type tall fescue. However, even tall fescue may be difficult to establish in “heavy” shade. The more bright shade or filtered sunlight you can provide, the better. Selective pruning of existing trees and shrubs may be necessary.
The four most important tips to remember when seeding fescue are:
- Make sure there is good soil contact, by lightly tilling or raking to scratch the surface.
- Do provide some filtered sun for it to germinate. If there is total shade, thin out the trees.
- Proper watering is critical. Don’t flood, but generally sprinkle every other day so the water doesn’t settle in pools. Water for at least 10 to 14 days. Watering should be done on a daily basis if its hot weather.
- Plant a tall fescue mix of three to five different types of seed. Some are disease resistant, some drought resistant and some shade or sun resistant. A mixture will ensure the fescue will survive in unspecific conditions.
If you choose to install a tall fescue lawn, fall is the best time in Oklahoma to establish a cool-season lawn by seed. The seeding must occur by the end of October. Plant in fall so that it has a chance to build a strong root system and become better established before summer. Management of turf grass in shady areas is also a little different than in sunny areas. Close attention to irrigation and drainage is a must and mowing height should be at 3 to 3.5 inches.
In addition to lack of light, competition for water and nutrients is often high under large mature trees. This is often more difficult to correct without disturbing tree roots. If this is a real problem, then I would suggest groundcovers or perennials. There are several that will tolerate the shade and compete with tree roots. English ivy and Vinca are just a couple.
Seed when the temperature and moisture conditions favor rapid germination and establishment. Cool-season turf grasses germinate when daily mean temperatures of the upper soil surface range from 68 degrees to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Thus, the ideal time to seed tall fescue is late September and October. Temperatures become too cold in November and December for optimal germination and establishment.
A fertilizer application three to four weeks after planting with nitrogen fertilizer will enhance establishment. Fertilize at a rate of approximately 0.5 pound N per 1,000 feet.
(Brian Courtney and Chad Hetrick own Heartland Landscape Group, www.heartlandlandscapegroup.com. A portion of this resource material is from the Oklahoma State University Extension Office.)
Question: Will my plants freeze if I plant now?
Answer: The spring-like temperatures have got you fooled. The warm weather is encouraging you to make the trip to the nursery, buy those flowering plants and head out to the yard, spade and fertilizer in hand.
But know that in Oklahoma, if you plant this week, you are risking freeze-damaged newly planted flowers. Unless you want to take the time and trouble to cover those plants, wait until mid-April before planting.
In the last century, the average last freeze in the Oklahoma City area has been March 30, according to the National Weather Service.
However, during the last 10 years, about half the time Oklahomans have experienced freezes beyond that time frame, most hitting April 10-14. The temperature was generally between 30 and 32 degrees.
Plant pansies if you need to go ahead with a beautiful display of flowers immediately and want to take the chance, said Brian Courtney with Heartland Landscape Group. They will last until the temperatures get hot.
Also, if a freeze is predicted, here's what you can do if you went ahead and planted new flowers:
- Cover the plants with a sheet.
- Water the plants, including the leaf blades and flowers, a few hours before the freeze. That will provide an extra layer of protection.
Want beauty? Do it right the first time
"Beautiful plants are usually not the result of quality stock, but due to the care taken when the plant is put in the ground," said Courtney. "Take the time to do it right and you'll notice a big difference."
Correct planting includes starting with good soil, with compost or peat moss mixed in, said Courtney.
"It's easy for landscape companies to skimp on the soil mixture because the base is hidden by mulch," said Courtney. "But if you plant in a newly-graded yard with gummy, clay soil, the plants will live, but they are not going to look good."
The four-inch potted or the six-pack flowering plants have very little root system, so it's important to keep them wet and to use Miracle Gro or a fertilizer when you plant them, said Courtney. Also, ensure they are well-watered and have a light mulch to keep in the moisture.
Also think in terms of the location. Impatiens will burn in full sun, while begonias are finicky and need sun exposure.
What to plant?
If you are looking for container gardening, most gardeners begin their foray with annual flowers. Annuals are readily available and reasonably priced, are easy to care for and provide the most "bang for the buck" of all container plants.
For general gardening, if you want consistent color all season long, annuals are the way to go. Perennials are for those gardeners who enjoy watching the seasons unfold as various plants enter their peak bloom period, and they are willing to do some annual maintenance chores.
What's the difference between annuals and perennials? Annual flowers complete their life cycle in one growing season. They sprout in the spring, grow foliage, produce flowers and finally seeds. Once the plants have produced mature seeds, their mission is accomplished and they die.
Perennials produce flowers and seeds, but don't die at the end of the growing season. Their above-ground parts die back, but their roots over-winter and the plants re-sprout in the spring.
(Brian Courtney and Chad Hetrick own Heartland Landscape Group, www.heartlandlandscapegroup.com. A portion of this material was taken from the National Gardening Association at www.garden.org)