What to Do With Old Solar Lights ...

4 Materials

5 Minutes

Easy

We had a bunch of old glass solar lights that all had bad sensors . My husband held onto them , thinking there must be something we could use them for.... I love how this little upcycle turned out!

Check that your solar lights don't just need a new battery

Old broken solar lights

This is about as easy as a project can get ...

First check to make sure your your non working solar light , doesn't just need a new battery !!!! Yes , most need to be replaced every year or so ...and most need special batteries that are made for solar lights .

In my case , the sensors gave out after a couple of years .

But , the lights were good ones , made of metal and glass , so my husband held onto them .

Clean out the glass area

My husband said I should make them into mini planters!

I cleaned them off and brought them outside.

Add rocks (for drainage) and dirt

Add rocks for drainage

I put some rocks in the bottom of the glass area to allow for some drainage.

Next , add some plants or flowers and some dirt to support them .

Plant your flowers

Fill each light with pretty flowers and then stand these beautiful little planters along your walkway, outside your porch, or anywhere that needs a little life!

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3 of 9 questions

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Phyllis Gears Pezzin
on May 9, 2020

Any ideas for the cheap dollar tree type?

2

Answer this
- Aleta Campbell
  18 minutes ago
  
  I’m going to decorate mine to look like garden “fake flower” stakes. I can use them to support floating row cover in the fall when the frost come along to extend the growing season.
  
  Like
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Dawn Kiffe
on May 14, 2020

It’s more of a comment...

I LOVE THIS IDEA... too cute!

👏👏👏👏👏👍

1

Answer this
- TLSmalls
  on May 15, 2020
  
  I agree.
  
  Like
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Sanderball Sandraball
on May 15, 2020

how would you water the flowers?

3

Answer this
- Pamela
  on May 15, 2020
  
  Hi ! I don't put the top back on the glass . It is open to the air/ sun . I just water it like any of my other plants ... I did put rock in the bottom to help with drainage , there are no holes in my solar light bottom .
  
  I water them slowly and sometimes move some of the leaves aside ,
  
  So I know the water is getting into the soil and not just running off .
  
  I try not to over water them . So far they are doing fine ! 😊
  
  Like
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3 of 134 comments

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Katrina
on May 15, 2020

How cute is this love the idea you are reusing things people would trash since it wasn"t working any more

2
Reply
C.B.
on May 16, 2020

I like your idea...but...I would run a stringer of Christmas lights to them instead. Drill a small hole in the metal/plastic base so that it goes inside the glassed area...plug the cord into an exterior outlet and if you have a switch that controls the power to that outlet & you are set! If you don't have a switch that controls the outlet...plug in a timer then plug the lights into the timer. Best to keep this stringer of lights where you won't need to walk between them 😉

Like
Reply
- Pamela
  Yesterday
  
  Good idea , but I don't have outside electric ... and even if I did the squirrels would probably
  
  Chew through the wire 😕
  
  We had a string of solar lights that we placed in our large
  
  Flowering bush , they ate through 2 sets of lights ...
  
  Like
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