If you haven’t already finished shaping up the hedges, it’s a good idea to get that done before putting the decorative lights on them. This requires daylight to complete this task. I mean who wants to use sharp implements in the dark.

While shaping up the hedges take some time to remove any dead wood that can be seen in trees as well. I have a branch that needs to be removed, but I never seem to find the time to take care of it during the summer. Now that the leaves have fallen from the tree and been removed from the lawn, I can take a few minutes to see if I can reach that dead limb with a pole saw. It’s much too big to cut with a lopper and I wouldn’t feel safe trying to cut it with a chainsaw while standing on a ladder. I’ve seen too many videos of precarious situations of people doing just that.

If you do end up putting lights on trees and shrubs in the yard, try using LED lights that don’t produce as much heat. They can be just as bright as the old lights. Also, take care not to put too much weight on thin branches. If we do have a snow or ice event, the extra weight may cause the thin branch to break.