Homemade Hummingbird Food That Will Be Sure to Attract 

You can create a hummingbird-friendly yard or garden to keep these beautiful pollinators coming back. Learn how to make homemade hummingbird food that will be sure to attract! Plus, learn when the best time is to set up your feeder and what other actions you can take to welcome these small birds.

Why Attract Hummingbirds?

Hummingbirds are pollinators, which makes them beneficial for your garden. Providing them with a food source helps them gain the energy they need to survive. You create a mutually beneficial collaboration by inviting more hummingbirds into your yard. Plus, if you have pets, they get a wonderful display just outside your windows not to mention the joy they bring with their presence alone, giving you and your family moments of enchantment throughout the day.

Homemade Hummingbird Food That Will Be Sure to Attract 

You can find all sorts of extras for hummingbirds, but the best homemade hummingbird food is simple. All you need are two ingredients: sugar and water. The ratio is 4:1, meaning four cups of water along with one cup of sugar. To make it, start with the four cups of water. Bring them to a boil. Once the water is boiling, go ahead and add the cup of sugar (the white granulated kind). Stir slowly until the sugar dissolves completely. Keep it boiling for two minutes first, then let it cool. Once the mixture is completely cool, take out your hummingbird feeders and pour it in.

How Long Does Sugar Water Keep?

You may have extra homemade hummingbird food and if that’s the case, simply refrigerate it. You can keep using it daily as you replace the hummingbird food every other day. This prevents mold growth. The refrigerated hummingbird food keeps for one week. After that week, you can prepare a fresh batch!

Best Time for Setting Up Feeder

Since hummingbirds are migratory, it’s important you know the appropriate time for setting up your feeders so they can thoroughly enjoy your homemade treat. Ultimately, it depends on where you live. For instance, if you’re located in the southern region of the U.S. or along the Gulf Coast, put your homemade hummingbird food out starting in the middle of February through the first part of November. If you’re further up north, put the sugar water out in the early part of May through the last week of September.

Other Ways to Attract Hummingbirds

Although homemade hummingbird food is an excellent way to attract hummingbirds to your yards, there are other ways! They include:

• Plant more flowers!
• Provide hummingbirds with places to roost like trees and shrubs.
• Incorporate native, hummingbird-friendly plants.
• Keep pesticides away.
• Provide a birdbath in your yard.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © redtbird02/Shutterstock.com