Monday, May 14, 2012

Bring on the Hummers!

I recently came across a tip aimed at attracting hummingbirds to your feeders: Purchase a hanging basket in full bloom right now. Choose a red flower, specifically a type that attracts hummingbirds. Petunias and fuschias are both good choices. I chose petunias because they can take more sun, though they will require a great deal of water to keep the flowers going. Put out your hanging planter as soon as possible to lure in hummers as they search for nesting sites. Place hummingbird feeders nearby. I have seen hummers in our yard when certain plants/shrubs are flowering, but have not had great luck keeping them around. I currently have a basket of red petunias hanging outside in an effort to increase our hummer traffic. It already seems to have attracted more butterflies right up by the house! As with any feeder, be sure to clean your hummingbird feeders regularly. Keep in mind that sugar water will not last as long in direct sunlight. I've also had issues with keeping the stoppers/feeding tubes in the bottles when I put feeders in the direct sun, so I'm going to place mine near the petunia basket, but out of the direct sunlight. Stay tuned for photos later this week!