Solar Garland Lights: Pre-Lit Solar Garland or a String to Wrap?

A solar garland comes in two forms: a pre-lit garland with a small built-in panel, or a plain garland wrapped with a solar string. Pre-lit models are harder to find and suit a sunny fence or railing. A separate string is easy to replace and works under a porch roof, because its panel can sit elsewhere.

Pre-lit solar garland or a string you wrap?

Pre-lit solar garlands and wrapped strings differ mainly in where the panel can go, and panel position decides whether the lights last through a December evening.

Garden Fun’s solar garland shows what the pre-lit type looks like: 9 feet long, 50 white LEDs and a panel mounted inside the winterberry greenery, so no wiring is needed. That is a handy example, and it also shows the limit. A panel sitting inside a garland can only see what the garland sees.

Many pre-lit garlands run on batteries or a plug instead. Read the power line in the listing, because “lighted” in a title does not mean solar.

Where a solar garland needs to go

A solar garland needs the longest stretch of direct winter sun your home offers, because December gives a panel so little to work with. The U.S. Department of Energy says Denver gets nearly three times more solar energy in June than in December. A spot that looks sunny in July can sit in shade by the holidays.

Before you buy, check the spot at midday and find south with your phone’s compass. In the Northern Hemisphere, a south-facing rail or fence gets the best of the low sun. Under a porch roof, or on a north-facing wall, a built-in panel will disappoint you.

Check for one more thing at dusk: nearby lights. Gama Sonic notes that a solar light’s sensor can stop it turning on when a porch light or streetlight shines on it. Move the panel or angle it away if your garland stays dark.

How to wrap a garland with a solar string

Wrapping a garland with a solar string takes a few minutes, and it lets you choose both the greenery and the light color.

1. Hang the garland first. Thick greenery hides wire better once it is in place.
2. Start at the panel end. Run the lead toward the sunniest spot and fix the panel on its stake or clip.
3. Wrap loosely. Tuck the wire behind the sprigs and let the LEDs sit on the outer needles.
4. Charge before you judge. Leave the panel switched on for a full sunny day before the first evening.

Thin copper wire strings tuck in most neatly. For a 9 foot garland, 50 LEDs give a light sprinkle and 100 or more read as fully lit. Our guide to how to install solar Christmas lights covers panel angles and stakes in more detail.

Solar garlands and strings for wrapping greenery

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What to check on a solar garland listing

A solar garland listing should answer four questions, and a missing answer is a reason to compare another one.

• Is it really solar? Look for a panel in the photos and the words “solar powered,” not only “outdoor.”
• Where is the panel? A separate panel with a lead gives you far more choice.
• What is the weather rating? IP44 covers splashes and IP65 covers water jets. Check whether the rating covers the whole product or only the lights. Our waterproof solar Christmas lights page explains the codes.
• Is the greenery outdoor-rated? Some garlands are sold for indoor mantels, and sun and wet can spoil them quickly.

Run time claims deserve a little doubt. EnergySage gives 8 to 14 hours on a full charge for solar Christmas lights, and shorter after cloudy days. A garland with a small hidden panel may sit at the low end in December, so plan on it covering your evening, not the whole night.

Solar garland, wreath and the rest of the door

A solar garland often shares a doorway with a wreath, so plan them together. If your door faces south, both can have their own panels. If it faces north, one panel on a long lead in the yard may have to do the work. Our solar Christmas wreaths guide covers the same trade-offs for wreaths.

For railings, see solar Christmas lights for balconies. If your garland fades after a couple of weeks, solar Christmas lights not working walks through the likely causes, and the best solar Christmas lights compares the other types.