Want to attract hummingbirds to your garden for a little comic relief? That’s certainly one reason to try to draw them in, but they’re useful as pest control, too!
There are lots more natural pest control ideas here (though probably not as cute!)
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How (and why) to attract hummingbirds to your garden
Hummingbirds are a beautiful addition to an outdoor space and will keep you entertained with their aerial antics.
But they are also an asset to gardeners for their eating habits.
What do hummingbirds eat?
Of course, they love nectar, but we’ll get to that in a bit.
Gardeners will want to hear about the other things hummingbirds eat. Like insect larvae, beetles, ants, aphids, gnats, mosquitoes, and wasps to name a few.
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The pests that plague your garden are fine cuisine for these little birds, so you can understand why inviting hummingbirds to your place can be a worthwhile effort as well as free entertainment.
So, how do we attract hummingbirds?? There are a number of ways, which I’ll detail below.
Hang a hummingbird feeder — or three!
Hummingbird feeders can be a good source of supplemental “nectar” but they do require a commitment in that they need to be cleaned and filled regularly.
Moldy hummingbird feeders can kill hummingbirds, so it’s important to clean the feeders regularly and feed them fresh sugar water. Use the hummingbird food recipe below to make a fresh batch every few days.
How to make hummingbird food
Make an easy hummingbird food by mixing one part sugar with four parts boiling water. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Do not add red food dye to the mixture.
Cool and pour liquid into a clean feeder.
Moving water
If you’ve ever been visited by a hummer while watering the garden, you know that the birds are attracted to moving water.
This is a tough call, since water is a scarcity in some regions and you certainly wouldn’t want to be just running a fountain for the birdies.
Use your best judgment on whether this makes sense in your yard.
Encourage nesting hummingbirds
Provide shrubs or small trees with stiff branches where hummingbirds can attach their adorably tiny nests.
And don’t knock down all of the spider webs that annoy you. Hummingbirds use spider silk as one of the primary materials to make their nests and to attach their nests to branches.
Plant flowers that attract hummingbirds
Hummingbirds need to eat every 10 to 15 minutes; in that time they’ll visit between 1,000 and 2,000 flowers per day.
Tubular flowers are especially attractive to hummingbirds, but they will visit other brightly colored flowers as well. Here are several plants that will attract hummingbirds to your garden.
Trumpet Vine
Trumpet vines, also known as hummingbird vines, get their name from the clusters of long, tube-like flowers they produce. Typically, the blooms are reddish-orange in color, although there is also a yellow trumpet vine cultivar available.
Keep in mind, though, red is the color that entices hummingbirds the most. For the sake of attracting them to your garden or property, the common red-orange bloom is really the ideal choice.
Be mindful that trumpet vines can be a bit aggressive in the garden. If you have a large yard, trumpet vine can be planted on edge of your property or along a fence line. Like any other vine, this species of plant loves to climb and branch out.
Bee Balm
As the name suggests, bees are very attracted to bee balm’s unique, firework-like blooms. But, hummingbirds and butterflies can’t get enough of them either! It’s actually a wonderful option for your garden, attracting a variety of helpful pollinators to the area.
An early-summer bloomer, this plant’s colors range from shades of white to pink to red to purple. Pollinator-attracting flowers (like this one) have gained massive popularity in recent years, and a variety of new cultivars continue to pop up as a result. Not only does this provide gardeners with pretty new colors of bee balm, it’s also improved the plant’s resistance to disease, as well as made bee balm more manageable in size and scale.
Phlox
While there are many varieties of phlox available, hummingbirds are attracted to whatever variety you ultimately decide to plant. Phlox is well-known for producing large amounts of nectar, especially useful for hummingbirds and their very active metabolism.
Phlox plants reach varying heights. So, this is something to consider before planting. Smaller varieties grow between 1 to 2 feet. If you plan on planting a taller species of phlox in the garden, try situating it towards the back border so they don’t hide smaller plants from view when they reach maturity.
Penstemon
Plant penstemons in your perennial pollinator garden to add beauty attract hummingbirds and other pollinators. These plants are easy to care for, low maintenance, and great for drought conditions. Also known as “beardtongue,” these pretty plants have a unique look and are a nice addition to any yard. Just ask the bees!
These are just a few plants to choose to attract hummingbirds to your outside oasis. If you’re trying to attract hummingbirds, you can’t go wrong planting lots of flowers and blooming shrubs to keep those little birds fed!
The brighter the better, and red in particular seems to attract these zooming birds.
Be patient! It won’t happen overnight. But, once these adorable little birds find your garden, chances are good they’ll keep coming back for more!
How to Make Hummingbird Food
Make an easy hummingbird food to attract these pretty birds to your yard or garden.
Materials
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 cups water
Tools
- Hummingbird feeder
Instructions
- Add one cup sugar to four cups boiling water. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Cool and pour liquid into a clean feeder.
Notes
This recipe is made with a ratio of 1:4. In this case, I'm using measurements of 1 cup sugar to 4 cups water, but you can use the amounts you need to fill your feeder. Don't make more than you can use up within 2-3 days. These little buzzers like fresh food!
Do not add red food dye to the mixture.
