3 Reasons Not to Bury an Extension Cord for Landscape Lighting

Extension cords aren’t rated for burial Even heavy-duty outdoor extension cords lack the insulation and sealing needed for direct burial. Moisture, ground pressure, and rodents will turn them into a fire hazard or tripped breaker within a season.

Use UF cable for permanent underground power UF (Underground Feeder) cable is designed for direct burial and is the standard for outdoor circuits. Terminate it in a weatherproof box and plug your lights into that. The extra $30-40 is worth avoiding a buried fuse.

Temporary means visible, not buried If you need power for a weekend, run the cord on top of the ground and tape connections against rain. Anything you dig a trench for is permanent in practice. Do not cut corners on wet electricity.