Hummingbird Feeder Questions
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SunnyBunny
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Jun-19-2007 at 10:21pm
As you know I am doing wildlife plantings on my properties. I have few trees and mostly Rhodies...so I purchased quite a few trees, fruit and native to plant. I put out hummingbird feeders, one in the rhodie outside the porch hanging about 5 feet off the ground, the other is stuck to a window about 8 feet off the ground. Is this the right distance? I am next to a creek and some conifers...I keep hoping a hummingbird will wing by but have not seen one in the two years I have been here. Do I just leave the feeders out and keep planting plants for them and hope they get it? I have put out fuchsia baskets too. I am planting down the list of hummingbird attractants. Tips?
Thanks! Sunny
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Jun-20-2007 at 7:48pm
I have one hanging off the porch, about 10 ft off the ground, but only about 5 or 6 ft above the porch. I don't know if height is really crucial for Hummers, as long as the feeder is pretty safe from predators. I've seen Hummingbirds on my lavender, hovering only about 6 inches above the sidewalk.
What brought Hummingbirds to my yard was the red annual Salvia I planted. I bought it to fill in space, while my perennials were still small, and to hide the drooping tulip foliage. Hummingbirds found it within a week of planting. I plant it every year now. It's not expensive, and I found that once Salvia brought them, they used the feeder.
Barb
proteoidesgirl
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Jun-22-2007 at 1:28pm
Hi Sunny Bunny,
I am lucky to have hummers year round! I have found that the cheapest feeders are the best. When I tried artsy feeders they get ignored. They don't feed as much during the spring for me, because they are feeding more on the garden. I have seen them on vine and shrub honey suckles, some rhodys. My neighbor has feeders also, I think this helps get them around.
have fun!
hollyola
Hollymallismollis
SunnyBunny
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Jun-22-2007 at 2:58pm
Thanks for the tips. I will get the salvia this weekend.
Most of my neighbors use alot of chemicals and sprays here so I am hoping my yard can be a retreat a bit. The wildlife is slowly being pushed out due to development but I hope I can attract hummers before summers end. Thanks for the help. Sunny
Wild Ginger
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Jun-28-2007 at 7:53am
Sunny Bunny
Hummingbirds are attracted to the color red. That is why many of the feeders have red flowers at the end of each feeding port. If you have a sunny place near your feeders to plant some red petunias or red geraniums, your might have better luck drawing hummingbirds to your yard. Garden Spider is right about the Salvia and lavender being attractive to hummers. With your native plants, the honeysuckles, manybe a cape fuchsia or two, and the colorful addition of the Salvia and petunias, you should have more and more hummingbirds show up each year. Good luck.
Phlox
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: Jul-08-2007 at 11:06am
Getting in on this a little late but wanted to let you know that, in the spring the hummers like the wild currant and later I find they like the Heuchera's (coral bells) with the biggest and brightest pink flowers. And later, Junish...the go after most of my Penstemons.
And I agree with proteoidesgirl about the feeders, the hummers are after the flower color not the artwork. Good luck!
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