Know How to make a Hummingbird Friendly Garden
Hummingbirds are some of the most lovely birds you can find in a garden. It is no wonder that many gardeners and bird lovers alike obsess over how to draw them into their view. If you're new to intentional gardening, you probably have lots of questions. Do you have to plant the right flowers? Is a hummingbird feeder enough? Should you get store-bought nectar or make your own? Luckily, attracting hummingbirds does not require a lot of tiny exact details or magic potions. Here are a few things to do and to avoid to entice the beautiful creatures into your garden.
Use the Color Red
Because they have a weak sense of smell and rely on sight to find their food, these pretty little birds love bright colors, especially red. That is why so many hummingbird feeders you can purchase are red. Using red feeders and planting red flowers will help draw them into your yard to feed off any nectar they can find. You can even use orange, red, and yellow decorations in your yard and on trees to help coax them within view of your home.
Plant Wildflowers Over Hybrids
Did you know that hybrid flowers produce less nectar than wild varieties? Adult hummingbirds get the majority of their daily nourishment from nectar, so they are drawn to areas that provide it in abundance. You can research specific plants that are high quantity nectar producers but as a general rule, you should stick to flowers that can thrive in the wild without cultivation.
Stop Using Pesticides
While pesticides can be very useful for tending gardens, you should avoid them if you want hummingbirds to frequent your flowerbeds. Most pesticides contain chemicals that are harmful or even toxic to these creatures. They also like to eat the bugs that pesticides eliminate. In fact, baby hummingbirds rely almost solely on insects brought back to the nest. Let the birds be your natural pest repellent and you may see more and more hummingbirds over time.
Don't Oversaturate the Area With Flowers
More isn't always better, and you should be careful that you don't overwhelm your garden with flowers. Hummingbirds need to fly with generous amounts of space between them. Separating dense floral areas with greenery and shrubs will help this occur more naturally when multiple hummingbirds enter your yard.
