Tag: hummingbirds

Phlowers & Pheathers – April 30th, Growing in the Garden/The Hummingbirds Return

On By TimelessladyIn Pheathers, Phlowers11 Comments

We have been seeing a small ruby-throated hummingbird for two weeks. It has been visiting the feeder of nectar I have outside the kitchen window. Every other day, I bring the feeder in, soak it in hot, sudsy water, and refill with newly boiled sugar water. (2 Cups water, 1/2 Cup sugar) Hummingbird feeders can spread disease or become contaminated with mold. A great article on feeding hummingbirds can be found at EcoSystem Gardening.

NOTE: Thanks to a reader for the great comment about cleaning with vinegar. I did a bit of research on it and this is a good choice for cleaning the feeder. Also, another good idea is to use a brush to thoroughly clean all the nooks around the feeder openings. Here’s a link to more ideas for cleaning a hummingbird feeder. How to Clean a Hummingbird Feeder.

Mandevilla Vines come in a variety of colors. I chose to grow the pink flowers this year. These vines are beloved by hummingbirds. The vines bloom from Spring until Autumn, they do well in full sun, but also need to be shaded from the hottest late afternoon rays. I am growing the Mandevilla in a pot so that when summer is over I can bring it indoors for the colder months.

My mandevilla flowers are part of Cee’s Flower of the Day and also an entry in this week’s Skywatch Friday.

I have three hanging baskets a yard or two away from the hummingbird feeder. These are filled with plants I know hummingbirds adore. Blue Suede Salvia and Vista Red Salvia, also called sages, have the trumpet-shaped flowers that perfectly fit a hummingbird’s beak and tongue. These plants do great in full sun, but also can take a bit of shade too.

My beautiful Vermillion Cuphea, also known as Firecracker plants, are always a favorite with the hummingbirds. I grow them in the ground and also planted in pots. Last Autumn, the Firecracker plant I grew in a pot easily transferred to the house. It grew well all winter, and this week I placed it outdoors on the patio again. It is doing well, although some of the uppermost leaves, after growing in the lower light of the house, promptly became sunburned. Since I pinched the tops of these stems, new branching will soon leaf out and cover up the scorched top leaves.

Cuphea plants in a row will make a nice seasonal hedge. This plant is perennial in warmer climates.

Pheathers – Oh Happy Day!

On By TimelessladyIn Pheathers8 Comments

This morning I spied him/her for the first time. The hummingbird circled around the shepherd’s hook where the hummingbird feeder hung last year. I shouted out the happy news to my husband. When I’m finished this post I’ll take my feeder off the garage shelf, soak in hot sudsy water, rinse it well, fill it with boiled sugar water, and place it back on the hook. Oh Happy Day…the hummers have returned.

While I’m readying my yard for hummingbirds, take a look at the Cornell Lab West Texas hummingbird feeders in Live time.

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zpgnhg9o5io

Pheathers – Hummingbird

On By TimelessladyIn Pheathers7 Comments

img_2444

I plant nectar-producing flowers each year in hopes of attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. This has been a banner year for both. Our gardens are visited daily by dozens of butterflies and at least three to four hummingbirds.

We’ve noticed the tiny hummingbirds are the bravest birds in the yard. One hummer seems to know our habits, and when the feeder is removed for cleaning and refilling, he/she will hover near the kitchen window doing its best to prompt us to hurry and bring out the nectar.

I have mixed feelings about hummingbird feeders. If they are not cleaned and maintained daily, they can be lethal to hummingbirds. “Top-10 Hummingbird Nectar Mistakes”

I’ve been concerned over whether I should leave my feeder up through the Autumn months. I was glad to come upon this bit of information on the web:

Some people may be concerned that leaving a feeder up will prevent hummingbirds from migrating in the fall. This is a myth. Hummingbirds (and all migratory birds) have an internal “clock” that tells them when to migrate. No healthy hummingbird would ever stick around just because you’ve left your feeder up in the fall. ~Bird Watcher’s Digest

When the hummingbirds in my yard migrate, I know I will immediately begin to stream the Cornell Lab Hummingbird Cam, and find my hummingbird joy from their amazing live cameras.  Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy = Hummingbirds