Holiday Tree Decorating: A Guide for Commercial & Community Living Properties
Holiday decorations bring a festive spirit to any commercial or community living property, but when done incorrectly, they can pose serious risks to your trees. Damaged trees not only detract from your property's appearance but can also become a safety hazard for residents and visitors.
As arborists, we've seen the unfortunate aftermath of improper decorating techniques, from girdled branches to electrical fires. This guide offers practical advice for commercial property owners, HOA managers, and community living managers on how to decorate your treescapes safely and beautifully this holiday season. By following these best practices, you can ensure your trees remain healthy and your property stays safe for everyone to enjoy.
Choose Your Lights Wisely for Commercial Treescapes
The type of lights you use is crucial for tree health and safety. While traditional incandescent bulbs have been a holiday staple for years, they generate significant heat that can dry out and damage tree bark and needles, creating a fire risk.
LED is the Way to Go
We recommend using LED (light-emitting diode) lights for all your outdoor tree decorating. Here’s why:
They're cooler: LEDs produce very little heat, which significantly reduces the risk of drying out your trees or starting a fire.
They're energy-efficient: LEDs use up to 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs, which translates to lower electricity bills for your property.
They're durable: Built with epoxy lenses instead of glass, LEDs are more resistant to breakage, making them a safer and longer-lasting investment.
Before hanging any lights, always inspect the strands for frayed wires, cracked sockets, or loose connections. Use only lights and extension cords that are rated for outdoor use to ensure they can withstand the elements.
Hang with Care
How you attach decorations to your trees can make all the difference between a festive display and a damaged landscape. Avoid using nails, screws, or staples, as these create wounds in the tree's bark. These openings can invite pests and diseases, leading to long-term health problems for the tree.
Gentle Attachment Methods
Instead of puncturing the bark, opt for gentler methods to secure your decorations:
Use soft ties: Loose-fitting zip ties, soft cloth strips, or twine are great alternatives. Make sure they are not tied too tightly, as this can restrict the tree's growth and "girdle" the branches.
Try specialty clips: Gutter or shingle clips designed for holiday lights can be adapted to hang strands from branches without causing harm.
Drape, don't wrap: Whenever possible, drape lights over branches rather than wrapping them tightly. This allows for better air circulation and reduces the risk of restricting growth.
For larger, heavier decorations, distribute the weight evenly across several branches to avoid putting too much stress on a single limb.
Be Mindful of Power and Timing
Proper power management is essential for preventing electrical hazards. Overloaded circuits are a common cause of holiday-related fires.
Power Safety Tips
Avoid overloading outlets: Use a separate extension cord for each major string of lights or decorative feature. Connect them to a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet, which will automatically shut off the power if it detects a problem.
Keep connections dry: Elevate connections off the ground to keep them away from moisture from rain or snow.
Use a timer: Set your lights to turn on and off automatically. This not only saves energy but also gives your trees a break from any minimal heat generated by the lights. We recommend not leaving lights on all night.
Don't Forget to Take Them Down
While it might be tempting to leave your beautiful display up as long as possible, timely removal is important for your trees' health.
Decorations left on for extended periods can interfere with a tree's natural growth cycle in the spring. Ties can become too tight as branches grow, and forgotten strands of lights can become permanently embedded in the tree. Plan to remove all decorations within a few weeks after the holiday season ends to give your trees a fresh start for the new year.
Keep Your Property Merry and Bright
By following these simple safety tips for your commercial properties and community living spaces, you can create a stunning holiday display that enhances your property without compromising the health and safety of your treescapes. A little extra care during the festive season will ensure your trees continue to thrive for many years to come.
If you have questions about the health of your trees or need professional assistance, don't hesitate to contact the certified arborists at Arbor MD.
Arbor MD Tree Care, Inc. specializes in year-round care of treescapes for community living communities, commercial properties, corporate campuses, and other shared spaces in the SF Bay Area, Sacramento, Southern California and Greater Seattle/Portland. Our certified arborists focus on safety, property value, and special PHC or Plant Healthcare, to ensure your trees remain healthy and your property retains value.