Provide Food & They Will Come
After you have provided a safe environment for hummingbirds to visit your yard or garden, now it's time to provide lots of delicious food for them. The question is should you plant their favorite flowers or provide nectar in a feeder? Perhaps both.
Flowers: Hummingbirds will eat small bugs, but they also eat nectar from the nectar in flowers. Planting lots of the kinds of flowers and vines hummingbirds love will provide them with lots of food. Trailing and flowing vine plants like petunias are food favorites of hummingbirds. Other favorites include trumpet vine, verbena, honeysuckle, bleeding heart, fuchsia, foxglove, dahlia, coral bells, begonia, and columbine.
 |
| Supplying hummingbird feeders give hummers nectar they need to survive. |
Hummingbirds are notorious for being aggressive with each other over their turf. It's a good idea to put up several feeders in different locations so that there will be plenty of food for everyone.
Other Feeding Tips:
Some people suggest using hummingbird feeders that do not have the color yellow on them. They say that yellow attracts bees to the feeder. Also, some people claim to use cooking oil or cooking spray on their humming bird feeders to deter bees. I would not recommend that because the oil could be a danger to the hummingbirds. It is difficult for them to remove the oil from their feathers and It may effect them negatively if they drink it.
How To Make Hummingbird Nectar At Home --
Save A Bundle
Buying pre-packaged or pre-mixed hummingbird nectar can get expensive. However, you can make your own at home. It's very easy to do and could save you a small fortune.
How To Clean Hummingbird Feeders --
Keep Feeders Clean For Your Hummingbird Friends
It's very important to keep your hummingbird feeders clean and free from mold and dead bees, bugs, etc.