5 Ways Solar Power Can Help Your Garden

Anyone who likes to plant gardens is already familiar with the most basic concept of solar energy. Plants use sunlight and convert it into energy for themselves. It makes sense, and it is natural, that we would want to harness that same power to help our gardens grow.

People becoming more and more conscious of energy conservation and alternative sources of energy. As such, solar power is a great way to power your garden. Here are four ways that solar power can help you do just that.

This technology is still being developed, but it shows amazing potential as an alternative energy source! Also known as solar glazing, special cells are embedded into the glass that then stores sunlight as energy to be used when you need it. This is still a costly option since the technology is new.

With one solar greenhouse, you can power almost three-quarters of a household's electrical needs just from the greenhouse alone! This is especially important for households that use net metering to offset the costs of traditional electricity.

If you're wondering what is net metering, it's a way to use alternative power that you've generated, at a time other than when you've generated it.

This is probably the easiest and most popular way to use solar power in the garden. The cost of solar-powered LED lights is very inexpensive, and they will provide you with hours of light after the sun goes down.

These lights come in a variety of colors and can be used to highlight specific areas of your garden. You can even buy solar lights that float in water to be used in a pond.

One important thing to remember is to be mindful of the amount of shade that will be cast on your lights when you are placing them around your garden. For best results, place lights in an area where they can get full sunlight for most of the day.

Another great way to store and use solar power around your garden is by putting solar panels on your shed. It shouldn't take a lot of investment to power a standard garden shed unless it happens to be very large.

This is a great option for sheds that are also being used as workspaces and need electricity for lighting, power tools, and other larger appliances. Make sure that you research different types of solar panels so you can determine what will work best on your shed.

If you have any water features in your garden, solar power is a great source of energy for them! Keep in mind that the more power you are supplying, the more exuberant your fountain will become. This will become a great place for your solar-powered floating lights.

Keep in mind, however, that the pumps will not work after dark so if you have fish in your pond you will want to have a backup battery to power the pumps after dark.

Solar irrigation makes a lot of sense because it waters your garden when it needs it the most! Using a pipe-and-dripper system, you can set it up so that your pump kicks on with the sun, watering when it's needed the most. It will water for three hours or so until the battery runs out, then it will recharge for another couple of hours.

When it's cloudy this process can take a bit longer, but that's also when your garden will need less watering anyway. This follows the natural cycle of the sun and the plants' need for water, which is a great way to do it!

Solar power is a great way to power your garden. What better way to help grow your garden than with something it naturally utilizes anyway! The beauty of solar power is that you can start as small as just a few lights if you want, and you can grow from there.

You can work your way up to powering some of your household's energy use if you want, too. It can grow with you, just like your garden!