Whip up this homemade nectar recipe to welcome an abundance of hummers to your yard.
Easy Hummingbird Food Recipe
All you need for the homemade hummingbird food recipe is sugar and water.
Combineone-quarter cup of refined white sugarin one cup of hot water.
Credit: Bob Stefko
It’s a good idea to boil the water first.
Plus, the sugar dissolves faster in hot water, so that’s another reason to boil it first.
Then stir or shake the solution until the sugar is completely dissolvedthe water will turn from cloudy to clear.
Finally, allow the solution to come to room temperature before filling your feeders.
When refilling your feeders, allow the sugar solution to return to room temperature first.
What Sugar is Best for Hummingbird Feeders?
Be sure to use onlyrefined white sugarin making your solution.
“Other sweetening agents have additional ingredients that can prove detrimental to the hummingbirds.
Never use artificial sweeteners to make hummingbird nectar,” she adds.
Should You Add Red Food Coloring?
The answer is no, don’t add red food coloring to your hummingbird food recipe.
Hummingbirds are attracted to red, so many feeders have a bit of red in their design.
That’s a safer way to catch hummers' attention.
How Long Will the Homemade Hummingbird Food Recipe Keep?
If you make a large batch, keep the extra refrigerated, but not for more than two weeks.
“In hot weather, the feeder should beemptied and cleaned twice per week.
In cooler weather, once per week is enough,” says Tomcho.
This should prevent one hummer from dominating all feeders.
Rinse wellat least three timesbefore refilling with your homemade sugar water solution.
Avoid using dish soap to clean feeders because they can leave a harmful residue.
Don’t take the feeders down too soon in the fall.
Hummingbirds will begin to migrate according to the changing day length.
Includeplants that hummingbirds are attracted toin your gardens.
“Native flowering plants are the best source for feeding hummingbirds in your yard,” says Tomcho.
Hummers are particularly fond of red tubular flowers.
You don’t need to plant a huge garden to make a difference.
Even ahanging basket can be a wonderful source of nectar."
It all comes down to your preferences.
