Having taken care of hummingbird gardens before a lot of you planted your first marigolds, I’ve picked up some tips on how to keep these magical little visitors happy. Lately, I've noticed that many more people have been dealing with hummingbird gardens, not knowing that these ethereal little creatures have very particular preferences. Allow me to point out a few indications that your hummingbird haven could benefit from a little sprucing up.
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Check Price1. Your feeders may be neglected.
If your feeders that used to be full of activity are now empty, that’s a bad sign. Hummingbirds are routine creatures, so if they are gone, something is wrong. Look to see if your nectar has gone bad; it will happen much faster than you think with heat. Sugar can also clog the feeding ports so check that too. In the summer, clean the feeders more often than you think for the best hummingbird visits, also remember to change the nectar solution at least twice a week because it is important!
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2. Your Garden Is Missing Tubular Flowers
While these pansies may be beautiful, they do nothing for our hovering friends. Hummingbirds require trumpet-shaped blossoms like cardinal flowers, bee balm, and coral honeysuckle. These natural sources of nectar are crucial to a hummingbird habitat as they provide nourishment and the wild environment that hummingbirds search for.
3. There's No Water Feature
Hummingbirds love more than bathes and water play. A small fountain that sprays will provide a great spa day for small athletes. They will go through moving water to cool off and clean their feathers. Plus, birds are attracted to the sound of the waterfall in your garden.
4. Your Garden Might Be Missing Some Vertical Layers
A flat garden is for hummingbirds like a single story house in a city of skyscrapers. They need different levels for feeding, perching, and nesting. Use tall hollyhocks, midsized salvias, and low spreading verbena. This layered technique will imitate their original habitat and supply a number of viewpoints for the more dominant birds.
5. Too Much Pesticide Use
If you try using chemicals to solve pest problems in your garden, you will be keeping away hummingbirds, because they also need to eat insects while they are feeding their young. If you want to increase the number of hummingbirds in your garden, try using more natural ways to control pests and don't be so quick to eliminate your pest insects.
6. Overcrowded Feeding Stations
No one enjoys diners, and no one enjoys line waiters. If you have all your feeders packed together, you are likely going to have a bad experience. Hummingbirds are aggressive and will spend more time brawling than feeding. If you want to see happier hummingbirds, then space your feeders closely, and more than 6 feet away to create a barrier so that they cannot see each other.
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7. No Safe Perching Spots
Some people assume that hummingbirds hover all day. In fact, they need places to rest and watch over their territory. To help provide some rest stops, consider placing shepherds hooks or thin bamboo stakes in your yard. You can also let some of your plants and their branches remain unpruned. These resting stations will also increase your chances of watching these amazing birds.
8. Poor Seasonal Planning
More local hummingbirds visit your garden if it blooms throughout the entire season. For this, you need to plan out your garden. You should start with early bloomers like columbine, some mid salvias, and late blooming cardinal flowers. This will give your tiny friends an ample supply of food throughout their entire active season.
9. Absence of Shelter against Predators
An exposed garden is like a fast-food restaurant without a roof – nobody wants to eat there! Hummingbirds need nearby shrubs or trees to escape hawks or other predators. You may want to add some evergreen shrubs or small trees near the feeding areas so these tiny warriors have a safe place to retreat when danger is near.
10. Wrong Colors in Your Garden
We all know how much we love soft pastels in a garden but with these colors, we may not get visits from our little hummingbird friends. If your garden is mostly soft colors like whites and soft pinks, you're missing out on attracting these small, vibrant creatures. Brighten up your garden with bold colors like hot pink, red, and orange. Plant flowers like honeysuckle trumpet, bee balm, and cardinal flower. These plants will make your garden a feast for the hummingbirds.
11. Dirty or Moldy Feeders
Even more so than bad nectar, dirty feeders are major turn offs to hummingbirds. Mold and cloudy nectar are dangerous to the birds and can be even deadly. Every few days clean out your feeders and dismantle the whole thing to scrub it. Clean the parts with a bottle brush. Use very little soap and only if you can rinse it very thoroughly. Detergent residue is harmful to the birds.
12. Missing Native Plants
It’s easy to get consumed with the latest new exotic plants. However, native plants will not only help to create an authentic hummingbird habitat, but they are the true backbone of any successful hummingbird garden. Because native plants and our local hummingbird species have co-evolved, they provide exactly what the local hummingbird species will need. Adding plants like wild columbine, honeysuckle, and trumpet creeper will give you native species and will provide habitat and food for local hummingbirds.
13. Exposed Feeding Areas
If your feeders are out in the open like sitting ducks, you're making your hummingbirds nervous. These skittish birds like to feed when they can access cover quickly. Hang feeders 10-15 feet from dense shrubs or trees. This will give them enough space to maneuver and close enough to dash to cover if a predator appears.
14. Insufficient Sun Exposure
To produce the sugary nectar that hummingbirds love and come to your garden for, most flowers that are rich in nectar, tend to need a lot of sunshine. If you have a garden that is too shady, the flowers in your garden will not be producing enough nectar to keep the energy demanding visitors happy! To keep your flowers producing, ensure that your flowering plants are getting 6 or more hours of direct sunlight each day! Your hummingbirds will be grateful by paying your garden a lot of visits!
15. Wrong Nectar Recipe
Straight talk – fancy dye and commercial mixes are not doing anything for our little friends. The only thing you need is a simple recipe of 1 part white sugar to 4 parts water. Boil the water, stir the sugar until dissolved, let it cool completely and there you have it. Other mixes are just marketing gimmicks that could hurt these fragile birds.
16. Competing Food Sources Nearby
You may be losing out on the neighborhood hummingbird contest if your hummingbird attracting neighbors made a hummingbird paradise while your garden is lacking in attraction. Check out your neighbors and try to make a garden as good or better than those nearby. Hummingbirds may be creatures of habit, but they will change their route for a better buffet.
