Gardener Upgrades Simple Stake Solar Lights With A Stylish DIY

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The cheap solar landscape lights you find at Walmart and dollar stores will provide the light you need in your garden at night, but for a buck or a buck-fifty, you can't expect them to be very attractive. With a little creativity, though, you can turn these cylindrical plastic tubes-on-a-stake into something more inspiring, and that's exactly what you'll find in a YouTube tutorial from Leon and LaCongo. The DIYers found some hanging candle holders on Amazon that were just the right size and used them to convert plain-looking landscape lights into something that added far more interest to the garden.

The candle accessory that was used is very similar to these Ounona Hanging Glass Candle Holders with Handle, which Amazon sells in sets of four for $30.79. It's designed to hold a tea light, so it isn't very big, and the mouth is just wide enough for the solar fixture — minus the stake. The candle holder is made of clear glass, and since glass is reflective, the candle holder could potentially amplify the light from the solar fixture. Even if it doesn't, it will scatter the light and make some interesting visual effects.

These lights have to hang from something, so the YouTube DIYers bought simple metal plant hangers from the Dollar Tree to position around the garden. You could also hang these lights from a fence, porch rafter, or tree branch. It's an outdoor lighting idea that has many applications and possibilities.

You can find the type of solar stake lights Leon and LaCongo used for this project at Walmart, such as these Pretxorve Solar Garden Lights at $0.88 each — a cost that can't be beat. The shepherd hook plant hangers the DIYers used are also available at Walmart. The Darzheoy Shepherd Hook costs around 3 dollars. 

The procedure is very simple. Remove the stake from a solar light fixture and set it aside. Spread hot glue around the base of the light fixture with a glue gun, place the fixture into the candle holder, and press down to seat it on the bottom. Hot-melt glue sets quickly, so don't take your time. Once the glue has set, push a plant hanger into the ground with your foot, make sure it's stable, and hang the light. 

When it rains, the candle holder will fill up with water if you don't seal the top, and even though solar lights are waterproof, they aren't designed to be submerged. To keep rain out, apply a bead of silicone caulk between the rim of the candle holder and the top of the light fixture. This will make removing the light fixture from the candle holder more difficult, but not impossible. You'll just need to cut through the silicone with a sharp utility knife. The end result is a cheap and easy option for outdoor lighting that will bring character to your yard.