I have had numerous inquiries about hummingbirds and what information that I can pass on to those who are interested in having them visit their garden landscape.
I am totally a hummingbird lover. What is important to know is that you may not see any the first year that you put out a feeder for them. So you must have patience. When I first moved into my house, I bought a hummingbird feeder. The first year, I would make the liquid they need to feed on, but I didn't see one hummingbird. (Or at least I didn't think I had any visitors). The water level will go down in a feeder, but that is due to the evaporation.
The second year, I had visitors. How exciting that was!
I live on the east coast so I tend to put the hummingbird feeder out in May and take it down in September. Hummingbirds are not from the U.S. so they will tend to go back to where they do come from in the cold weather which equals to a long flight ahead of them.
Feeding instructions: You can buy the dry mix for them and just use according to directions on the box or you can make it yourself. It's pretty easy. The key is one part sugar to four parts water - meaning, if you use one cup of sugar, then be sure to use four cups water. If you use 1/2 cup sugar, then use two cups water. I do tend to heat the water so the sugar is sure to melt and dissolve. Then I let it cool down completely before I put into the bird feeder. I do not fill the feeder up completely, only about half way. Since I do live on the east coast, I get high temperatures plus humidity, which tends to make the feeder water go bad quickly. I use an empty plastic container and make a good amount of food for them. I fill the feeder up half way and refridgerate the rest to use at a later time. In hot temps, I change the water every other day for them. They will come by and feed all hours of the day, meaning morning - noon - and evening. So when I change the feeder, I will change it at night when I am certain there will be no more coming to feed. Then by morning, when they start coming by, the water temperature is perfect and it's fresh.
Mildew will tend to grow in a hummingbird feeder. So be on the lookout for it and expect it to happen. I have found that the best way to clean a feeder is to rinse it out, then let it dry. Once dry, I will pour some raw (uncooked) rice into it. Use about 1/4 uncooked rice. I will put my hand over the spout and shake the feeder up and down and side to side. The dry rice is non abrasive and it's texture will tend to loosen and get the mildew off the inside of the feeder. (It doesn't matter if it's white rice or brown and if you do not have rice, you can try sand or even coarse sea salt. Just be sure to really rinse the feeder out good before you add the liquid food to it again. Salt and sand is not good for hummingbirds).
***Always use sugar. Do not use splenda, sweet n low or any other type of sugar substitute. Hummingbirds need pure sugar. ***
The second year, I had visitors. How exciting that was!
I live on the east coast so I tend to put the hummingbird feeder out in May and take it down in September. Hummingbirds are not from the U.S. so they will tend to go back to where they do come from in the cold weather which equals to a long flight ahead of them.
Feeding instructions: You can buy the dry mix for them and just use according to directions on the box or you can make it yourself. It's pretty easy. The key is one part sugar to four parts water - meaning, if you use one cup of sugar, then be sure to use four cups water. If you use 1/2 cup sugar, then use two cups water. I do tend to heat the water so the sugar is sure to melt and dissolve. Then I let it cool down completely before I put into the bird feeder. I do not fill the feeder up completely, only about half way. Since I do live on the east coast, I get high temperatures plus humidity, which tends to make the feeder water go bad quickly. I use an empty plastic container and make a good amount of food for them. I fill the feeder up half way and refridgerate the rest to use at a later time. In hot temps, I change the water every other day for them. They will come by and feed all hours of the day, meaning morning - noon - and evening. So when I change the feeder, I will change it at night when I am certain there will be no more coming to feed. Then by morning, when they start coming by, the water temperature is perfect and it's fresh.
Mildew will tend to grow in a hummingbird feeder. So be on the lookout for it and expect it to happen. I have found that the best way to clean a feeder is to rinse it out, then let it dry. Once dry, I will pour some raw (uncooked) rice into it. Use about 1/4 uncooked rice. I will put my hand over the spout and shake the feeder up and down and side to side. The dry rice is non abrasive and it's texture will tend to loosen and get the mildew off the inside of the feeder. (It doesn't matter if it's white rice or brown and if you do not have rice, you can try sand or even coarse sea salt. Just be sure to really rinse the feeder out good before you add the liquid food to it again. Salt and sand is not good for hummingbirds).
