Pay attention to how you wrap outdoor lights around trees and shrubs. You’ll keep your trees glowing — with health, not with flames — long after your holiday outdoor light display is a distant memory.
First, inspect your light strings. Two-thirds of holiday light-related fires are caused by electrical failures or malfunctions, according to the National Fire Protection Association (nfpa.org). The NFPA recommends that you only use outdoor light strings with labels indicating they are rated for outdoor use by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Never wrap trees with lights that have frayed wires and other damage. And, follow manufacturer directions for the number of light strings you can attach together. Typically it’s three, maximum.
Then, think about your own safety. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov), nearly 3,000 people are treated in emergency departments every year for holiday decorating-related falls from ladders. If you have a very tall tree, get a buddy to help you.
Next, wind lights around branches tightly enough so the wind won’t blow them off — but not too tight that you damage the plants, said Doris Taylor, manager of The Morton Arboretum Plant Clinic.
Just below the bark is the tree’s vascular system, which moves water and nutrients between roots and branch tips. A cord wrapped just loosely enough might rub away the protective bark when winter winds kick up. Taylor’s solution? “I usually tape my extension cord up the trunk and use twist ties to keep the light strings attached but not too tight,” she said.
Finally, remove lights by spring (at the latest), added Taylor. “The cord that was wrapped just right a few months ago can strangle the growing branches,” she said.
For free advice about lighting outdoor trees and shrubs, contact The Morton Arboretum Plant Clinic at plantclinic@mortonarb.org, call 630-719-2424, or visit mortonarb.org/tree-plant-advice. Laurie Casey is a staff writer at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle.
