Come along to see how we transformed the space over several months. In this post, you’ll find a video tour of the new orchard on a hill that also includes footage of all the work we did to create it.

I’ve also included a written summary and plenty of photos to outline the steps we took to design the space, clear weeds, contour the land to make natural terraces or berms, use burlap as natural weed fabric, select fruit trees and other orchard companion plants, install a solar-powered irrigation system, add mulch, rock and steel borders, and more. Your bound to pick up plenty of useful tips along the way!

If you’re here from YouTube and looking for the full list of plants I promised, jump to the complete plant list here.

Video Tour and Transformation

Watch this video to see our new orchard on a hill, including all the work and steps we took to create it.

Location and Design

Our new orchard on a hill is located on the far side of our property on a sunny, south-facing slope. The previous owners used it as a goat and horse pasture, thus keeping the weeds in check. After being here a couple years now, invasive weeds grew back with a vengeance. We wanted to put the space to much better use – and grow some food!

With any new garden project, I always consider wildlife and pollinators too. My goal was to add plenty of native and drought-tolerant plants to offer food and habitat for them, as well as increase pollination and fruit production in the orchard for us! Plus, they look pretty darn beautiful too. 

I knew right away we’d need to figure out a way to terrace the hill. Terraces help create level areas that are more easy and comfortable to work and spend time in. Even more, the water runoff was quite significant on this hill! Especially paired with our super sandy native soil, which has terrible water absorption and retention. Terracing hills reduces water runoff and therefore increases the water absorption and availability to the plants growing on it!

At first, I contemplated bringing in a bunch of stone or blocks to build up rock wall terraces. Yet after terracing a much smaller area at our last property, I quickly realized that would be far too costly and laborious on this much larger scale, especially because we intended to do 100% of the work ourselves (and I’m not getting any younger over here)! So, we decided we’d try our hand at contouring the land and creating permaculture berms to terrace the hill instead. 

Site Prep

The first step in the orchard hill project was to clear the area of weeds – which we did entirely by hand, shovel, and rake. This stage took several weeks, working for a few hours and a couple days a week. We definitely could have brought in a tiller or tractor to make the work much faster (and easier), yet we wanted to avoid tilling and also pull up as much of the roots and seed heads as possible. Plus it was an extraordinarily rainy winter, so I enjoyed being outside and getting my hands in the soil whenever I could. 

After clearing the weeds, we played with math, stakes, and drew lines in the sand to plan and outline key features: where the berms, trees, and pathways may go. This enabled us to determine how many terraces to create, how wide each level would be, how many trees we could fit while still providing adequate space between them, and finalize other decisions before “breaking ground” and starting to terrace the hill. 

Terracing the Hillside (Making Permaculture Berms)

Next, it was time to start forming the terraces and berms. Let’s back up and break this part down a bit:

What is a berm?

A berm is a natural or man-made mound of earth (usually made from compacted soil, rocks, and/or other natural material) to create a terrace or shelf, most often on a slope or hill.  In landscaping and permaculture, berms are used to contour the land, break up and add variation to a space, create planting zones, and most importantly, to divert water runoff in a more favorable way. 

Berms are often used in conjunction with swales, which are low depressions or shallow ditches that also help to facilitate improved drainage, water retention, and vegetation in an area. The middle of our terraces have a slight depression, and we also created one rock-lined swale to divert runoff from the steepest slope to a nearby tree. 

Forming berms for our orchard hill

We created berms with a combination of native soil and bulk soil and compost we brought in. Adding higher-quality bulk soil and compost served two purposes: 1) to better help level and build up the berms (reducing the amount of native soil we had to move), and also 2) offer more nutrients and microbial life to the trees and plants that would grow here.

• First, we used sturdy 36″ wide landscape rakes to scrape and dig into the uphill side of each terrace, pulling the native soil downhill several feet to both level the space and form the berm below. Again, our native soil is super sandy so it was possible to do this with rakes and muscle power alone, though different tools (e..g shovels, backhoe) may be required for different soil types.
  
  
• We started at the top of the hill, forming the shape of the top terraces and berms first. Then we moved down to the next terrace, where we cut and dug into the base of the berm above, pulled back the soil, and repeated the process moving downhill. See photos below.
  
  
• Once we created the rough terraced berms with native soil alone, we brought in bulk soil and compost to augment them. We dumped loads throughout every terrace, and then used the same wide landscape rakes to spread and smooth it out – focusing the majority of the material on the top and face of the berms. 

Helping the berms hold shape

When making natural terraces or berms, there is always a small risk that they could shift or settle with time – and even more so on a slope. I was definitely concerned about this, especially since our native soil is so soft and sandy. So, we did a few things to help our berms hold shape:

• After building up the berms with bulk soil and compost, we gently compacted the soil by laying down plywood and lightly stamping on it. (The soil was far too soft to use a traditional tamper, the edges of the berms would have just collapsed). 
  
  
• We covered the entire orchard space with burlap (explained more below), including an extra layer on the face of the berms. The burlap is tucked tight against the front of the terraces, hugging and holding the soil in place until the plant roots grow in. 
  

• Next we planted dozens of low-growing, trailing plants along the front face of the berms along with several shrubs and trees on top. As the plants grow in, their roots will really help to stabilize the soil. 
  

• Finally, the addition of mulch will help the berms stay more moist, encourage plant root expansion, and further support the terrace structure. We’ll also avoid walking on the berm edges until they become more established. 

Burlap Ground Cover 

After forming the terraces and berms, we immediately covered them in burlap – especially because it kept raining on us, and I was afraid all our hard work was going to wash away! We chose to use untreated burlap as a natural alternative to traditional weed barrier fabric in this project. 

Burlap is biodegradable and will break down within a year or two, feeding the soil organic matter as it does. So while it won’t offer long-lasting weed protection, it will be enough to help smother the weeds for the first season or two, plus help support the berm structure until the plants get established. Burlap also acts like mulch (which we added on top later) and helps with runoff and water retention too. 

Originally, we ordered several long rolls of natural untreated burlap (similar to this burlap but even wider) from a local landscape supplier. The shipment kept getting delayed, and delayed… and eventually we were told it was lost in transit. With significant rainstorms on the horizon and sandy soil sloughing more every day, we changed plans and decided to use burlap squares we could readily source locally instead. You may also be able to find burlap coffee sacks (for free!) from local coffee roasters, which are ideal for smaller projects. 

The burlap we ended up using was a bit thinner than the rolls we’d hoped for, so we laid down two layers across the entire orchard area, and four layers (two squares, folded in half) across the front face of the berms. The burlap is held in place with 6″ galvanized landscape staples.

Fruit Tree Variety Selection

Believe it or not, narrowing down (and locating) our selection of fruit tree varieties was one of the more difficult tasks of this entire project! I feel like every time I settled on a “final” list of varieties, we either couldn’t find a certain one or I found something even more tantalizing (which then threw off the pollinator partner varieties I’d selected too). I also really wanted some almond trees, but ultimately accepted they’re not known to do well in our area. 

When considering fruit tree varieties for your garden, there are so many things to consider. In addition to sounding tasty, it’s important to choose varieties that are compatible with your growing zone and chill hour requirements, tree size and spacing needs, and also if they need another variety for cross-pollination to produce a respectable crop. Learn more about choosing the best fruit trees for your climate here, or dive into this lesson all about fruit tree chill hours. 

Here on the Central Coast of California (San Luis Obispo county, zone 9, about 400-500 chill hours) the fruit trees varieties we chose for orchard hill include:

• Red Baron peach (pollinates with Pinamint)
• Panamint nectarine (pollinates with Red Baron)
• Blenheim apricot (self-fruitful)
• Golden Dorsett apple (pollinates with Anna)
• Anna apple (pollinates with Golden Dorsett)
• Pink Lady apple (pollinates with King David)
• King David apple (pollinates with Pink Lady)
• Monterey pear (self-fruitful, but would bear better with a partner)
• Fuyu persimmon (self-fruitful)
• Desert King and Celeste figs (self-fruitful)
• Loquats (self-fruitful)
• Hass avocado (pollinates with Fuerte)
• Fuerte Avocado (pollinates with Hass)

We were able to source all of our trees from a handful of local nurseries, with the exception of the Desert King Fig (my fave), which we got online from Nature Hills Nursery. We were honestly thrilled at the quality and condition of the tree when it arrived! Fast Growing Trees is another excellent reputable online tree supplier.

Other Edibles

In addition to the fruit trees, we also planted several pineapple guavas, blueberries (Emerald, Jewel, and Sunshine Blue), and kiwis in the new orchard hill space. Fuzzy kiwis have male and female plants, and both are required to set fruit. So, we planted two females (Saanichton and Vincent) up our gorgeous moongate trellis, and a Tomori male kiwi along a nearby fence for pollination. In other parts of the property, we also have plums, limes, lemons, oranges, pomegranates, apricots, grapes, and several more fig, peach, and apple trees. 

See related grow guides for figs, avocados, and pineapple guava here.

Planting Fruit Trees

Learn best practices for planting fruit trees in this comprehensive guide. In summary, dig a hole that is about twice as wide but only as deep as the existing root ball or pot. Maintain the top of the rootball and root collar at or just above the surrounding soil level when planting, and never bury a tree trunk or pile mulch up around it! It’s best to backfill the planting hole with mostly native soil, though we do also like to add some higher quality soil and well-aged compost as well. Do not fertilize at the time of planting. 

It’s best to space fruit trees at least 10 feet apart (e.g. smaller varieties or those that will be kept pruned) and up to 20 feet for larger varieties. Maintaining about 12 to 15 feet between them, we were able to fit 9 fruit trees on the terraced portion of orchard hill, along with several more off to the side and along the lower fence line. We planted the fruit trees closer to the berms and left a wider pathway behind them on the more flat portion of the terraces. 

Gophers are rampant in this area, so we have to plant every tree in a large durable gopher basket to protect the root ball. Learn how to make a DIY gopher cage from hardware cloth here, or buy sturdy gopher baskets here. I also put together this list of over 50 gopher-resistant plants for California and beyond.

Orchard Companion Plants and Pollinators

Next up: it was time to plant all the beautiful native and drought-tolerant pollinator plants. California poppies, rosemary, rock rose, catmint, lavender, sea daisies, CA buckwheat, fuchsia, comfrey, and more! We also scattered California native wildflower seeds in the open fields around the perimeter or the orchard. See the complete list of orchard companion plants below. 

Honestly, planting these was one of the most physically taxing jobs from the entire orchard hill project, but also SO rewarding to see once they were all in the ground! We chose to plant them after the burlap went down – so the soil and berms would hold in place, and so we wouldn’t have to try to tuck burlap all between them after the fact. It was easy to cut holes in the burlap where needed. I also came up with a super handy hack for planting on a slope to prevent the holes from collapsing! Check it out below.

Comfrey in a Permaculture Orchard

Comfrey is a fantastic multi-purpose companion plant in a permaculture orchard. So much so, it deserves its own little spotlight here! Comfrey is known as a “dynamic accumulator”. With its deep taproot, comfrey is exceptional at drawing up nutrients from the soil and storing them in its tissues. 

We plan to use comfrey for “chop and drop mulch”. Once or twice a year, we will cut the comfrey back, chop it up in small pieces, and use it as green mulch around the base of the trees – where those concentrated nutrients will return to the soil and feed the fruit trees. Even more, comfrey can be used in herbal medicine and topical healing salves, to make nutrient-rich fertilizer teas, and native bumblebees absolutely love the flowers!

NOTE: Readily spreading by seed, common comfrey is considered invasive in many environments. We grow Russian Bocking 14 comfrey instead. Many permaculturists consider Russian Bocking 14 the best orchard companion variety because it grows very robustly but isn’t invasive. The seeds are sterile, so it can only be planted from rhizomes.

Complete Plant List

In addition to the edibles and fruit trees (listed above), here is a complete list of the other companion plants we chose for the orchard hill space:

Drip Irrigation System

And now one of the most essential elements: water! During the time we were working on contouring the land, we were also working on installing a drip irrigation system on the side. That included tapping into the main water line at the top of the hill, installing a 4-station valve manifold, a solar powered control panel, PVC lines down to the site, and then a 4-zone drip irrigation system weaving about the entire space. I put together a separate post and video tutorial on that process – check it out here.  We did this before mulch went down, and then covered the lines in mulch.

Mulch

Mulch is an essential part of an organic garden and landscaping. It offers numerous benefits including suppressing weeds, reducing runoff, improving soil’s organic matter and moisture retention (and thereby reducing water needs) and insulating plant roots against temperature extremes. It also makes the landscape look polished and sharp – like the final cherry on top! 

For the orchard hill project, we chose to use a “walk on bark” (sourced locally in bulk) that is like a blend of irregular shredded wood chips and chunkier bark bits. It is longer-lasting than shredded mulch (like gorilla hair) but holds in place better than classic bark mulch, especially on the slopes. We opted to not use local tree wood chips or “chip drop” for this project, just to be extra cautious as to not introduce any tree diseases to the orchard.

After planting all the plants, we spread mulch about three inches thick around the entire space, with the exception around the base of trees. It’s best to avoid piling mulch up right around a tree trunk, so leave a couple feet of clear space around it.  We plan to refresh and top it off with more mulch as needed every few years. Read the pros and cons of 8 common types of mulch here.

Rock & Steel Borders

Though we opted to not build rock wall terraces, I still wanted to bring in some landscaping rocks to add dimension and further define the space. We added a row of large cobbles to top of each berm, which also helps us keep track of where the irrigation lines are and prevents us from stepping on the edge of the berm. The rocks also provide ideal habitat for western fence lizards, who help keep the insect population in check too!

We also installed steel edging along the uphill and outer edge of the orchard hill space. The edging will hold in mulch, help keep weeds out (like the creeping invasive ice plant), and also stop water runoff – forcing it to infiltrate along the uppermost terrace instead. We like to use the hammer-in corten steel edging from Edge Right. We used the same edging around our raised bed garden project too.

The Finished Space + Before-and-Afters

Now it’s time to sit back, relax, and watch the space grow. Well, there will be a tad more maintenance and upkeep to come (pruning, deadheading, fertilizing, refreshing mulch…) but it sure feels good to have all of the heavy lifting done!

Thank you for touring our new orchard on a hill!

Ooof! I told you this was one of our largest projects ever. I realize that was a lot of information to digest, and many the things we did may not exactly apply to other sites or climates. Yet I hope this gave you plenty of fun ideas and useful tips nonetheless! Please feel free to ask any questions or just say hello in the comments below. I really appreciate you tuning in today!

You may also like:

• Tree Planting Best Practices
• About Fruit Tree Chill Hours + Chart
• How to Build a Raised Garden Bed
• The Benefits of No-Till Gardening
• How to Kill or Remove Grass (and Grow Food, not Lawns!)
• Raised Bed Drip Irrigation System
• Solar Powered Drip Irrigation Controller

The post New Pollinator Orchard Garden on a Hill (Permaculture Berms Terraces)  appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

We ventured out on a couple day trips in search of wildflowers over the last few weeks, and the sights were so spectacular, I thought I’d share some of my favorites with you here. I broke them up into two sections below: our visit to Highway 58/Carrizo Plain, and our local Montana de Oro State Park – my favorite. Enjoy the scroll, and happy spring!

Disclaimer: Stay On Trails!

It’s always important to respect nature and stay on trails when you’re out visiting wild spaces – and even more so when it comes to wildflowers! Delicate annual wildflowers are easily trampled and crushed, and when that happens, they can’t spread seed to regenerate future flowers to come. While it may be tempting to get that perfect shot, or even sit down for a dreamy picnic, please stay on trails and do not step on flowers! All photos shown below are taken from trails or roadside.

Places to See Wildflowers (near the Central Coast)

Carrizo Plain

One trip took us out Highway 58 from Santa Margarita to Carrizo Plain National Monument. The brightly colored fields and hills were jaw-dropping, but most of that day was spent in the car, stopping at various eye-catching spots along the way. We mostly saw California native wildflower fiddlenecks, goldfields, baby blue eyes, purple heliotrope, and Indian paintbrush out towards Carrizo Plains, with plenty of poppies, tidy tips, lupine, and goldfields just outside of Santa Margarita.

Carrizo Plains is about a 4-hour round trip drive from home, but between all the stops and some car troubles we encountered when we first got on the road, it turned into a very long, full-day adventure. I wanted to do the Painted Rock hike to stretch our legs, but apparently the sensitive habitat is usually closed during the spring.

If you ever visit Carrizo Plain, plan in advance! It’s a very remote location with no gas, no services (minus some porta-potties at the visitor center) and limited cell service. Gas up, pack food and water, sun protection, Bug Off Balm, and other supplies you may need.

Montana de Oro State Park

My favorite wildflower outing this spring was our hike along the Point Buchon Trail at the end of Montana de Oro State Park, just 40 minutes from home. Unfortunately, we just missed the poppy peak by a week or two (the grasses had started to grow tall around them, hiding a lot of the shorter wildflowers) but the experience and 7-mile oceanside hike was still breathtaking. I much prefer being able to hike, move my body, and take in the sights, smells, and sounds along the ocean while enjoying the wildflowers – compared to the slightly more touristy, grab-your-photos-and-run, car-based experience of Carrizo Plains. My soul needed this!

On this hike, we saw plenty of poppies and lupine, along with some goldfields. We also got to see quail, otters, snakes, butterflies, ample birds, and other wildlife friends along the way.

Sheesh, Mother Nature sure is magnificent. Let’s do our best to take care of her, shall we?

The post Spectacular California Wildflower Superbloom 2023 Photos appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Read along to learn how to create a bird-friendly garden, with tips and best practices to attract birds with natural cover, bird feeders, water features, birdhouses and more. We’ll also briefly explore how to identify birds, the benefits of having birds in the garden, and tips for patios or balconies. Last but not least, learn several ways to easily protect edible crops in your garden from bird grazing. Don’t worry, we’ll turn you into a fellow bird nerd in no time!

This article is proudly sponsored by Gardener’s Supply Company, our favorite Certified B Corp for bird feeders, birdhouses, and other garden goods. This post also contains affiliate links that help support the work we do here at Homestead and Chill. We’re so grateful for your support!

Benefits of Birds in the Garden

• Birdwatching is an enjoyable, educational, peaceful, and relaxing lifelong hobby for all ages and abilities to enjoy. It’s a fantastic way to slow down, tune into the natural world around us, and deepen our connection to nature.
  
  
• Birds provide natural pest control in the garden. Sure, some birds may pick at our precious plants on occasion, but more often than not, they’re scavenging plants and soil for caterpillars, aphids, beetles, and other insects instead! Larger birds of prey can also help keep rodent populations at bay.
  
  
• Birds need our help. In a rapidly changing world where human activity continues to encroach on habitat, food, and water sources, it’s important for us to do our part to support local wildlife populations in as many ways possible.
  
  
• A bird-friendly garden is usually a sustainable one. While focusing on attracting birds, you’ll inadvertently start a cascade of benefits to the environment, biodiversity and other wildlife too!

How to Identify Bird Species in Your Garden

The Merlin Bird ID app by Cornell Labs is one of the best tools to identify bird species in the garden. I use it almost daily! The sound ID feature is especially handy; all you do is hit record, it listens, and tells you what birds are singing nearby. Then you can save birds to a running “life list”. I personally only like to save the birds I hear in our garden to my life list, but I use the app to ID birds away from home too. I also like to refer to my state Audubon book when I need help identifying a bird – especially when I can’t take a photo or get an auditory ID.

It’s fun to know exactly what bird species are around, learn to recognize them by sight or sound, and look up interesting facts to get better acquainted! It’s also important to know what bird species are in your garden or area so you can better tailor your efforts to attract and support them. For instance, various bird species have different preferences or needs for food, shelter, or bird houses. 

Attracting Birds to Your Garden

Birds need four key elements to survive and thrive in any habitat: food, water, shelter, and places to raise young.

There are a number of ways to enhance your yard with both natural features (e.g. plants or ponds) along with man-made additions such as bird feeders and baths. The more options and variety you provide among the four categories, the more diversity of birds you’ll attract to the garden! 

When creating a bird-friendly garden, we’re really talking about creating an ecosystem. All four elements are connected. One of the best things you can do is replace traditional grass lawn with shrubs, trees, flowers, edibles, and/or native no-mow grasses instead. The plants directly provide cover and food, as well as increase the number of insects and worms in the garden – another vital food source for birds! By following organic gardening practices and avoiding the use of pesticides and herbicides, it allows all life to flourish – from birds to pollinators and beyond. 

Food Sources for Birds

Most bird species primarily rely on seeds and insects for food, while some also eat fruit, vegetation, nuts, and/or nectar. Birds of prey like hawks or owls also eat lizards, snakes, rodents, and other small birds or mammals, while scavengers like vultures and crows will eat just about anything. Focus on providing a variety of food sources for birds in your garden. After all, it’s the spice of life! 

Natural sources of food

Plant native trees and shrubs that bear fruit or seeds for birds – which also double as shelter, and perhaps a place to raise young! For example, California coffeeberry, toyon, and elderberry provide edible berries that attract sparrows, quail, thrashers, finches, cedar waxwings, robins and more. Of course, birds will be attracted to fruit and other tasty treats growing in your garden as well. (We’ll talk more about how to peacefully navigate that in the “sharing the garden with birds” section to follow.)

Many tall grasses and “weeds” like chickweed, Miner’s lettuce, thistle and nettle provide seeds for birds, as well as host a variety of insects to snack on. Leaf litter and mulch is a great place for birds to kick around in, foraging for insects and worms. Attract hummingbirds to the garden with nectar-rich flowers such as salvias, zinnia, penstemon, fuchsia, and honeysuckle. Some of my very favorite easy annual flowers to grow also happen to be bird favorites; sparrows, finches and jays LOVE the seeds from cosmos, bachelor buttons and sunflowers!

Bird feeders 

Bird feeders are another invaluable food source for birds, especially during winter months while other food is scarce. Feeders come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and styles. 

• Classic bird seed feeders are a popular choice (like our favorite classic copper feeder) along with squirrel-proof versions if needed.
  
  
• Suet block feeders are a big hit with chickadees, jays, nuthatches, woodpeckers and others. The fat that holds the seed blocks together make them an incredibly high-energy food source. We currently have this long-lasting cheery sunflower suet wreath hanging for the birds in our garden!
  
  
• To supplement flowers, hummingbirds love to drink “nectar” (sugar water) from specialized feeders. Learn about hummingbird feeder best practices here, including how to make homemade nectar. 
  
  
• Some bird feeders are quite decorative and double as garden art! Like this adorable acorn bird feeder or this beautiful glass petal sunflower feeder.
  
  
• Check out the full selection of beautiful, high-quality bird feeders and related accessories from Gardener’s Supply Company here. 
  

Bird feeder best practices

Some folks question: is it good to put out bird feeders, or does it interfere with nature? While it’s a valid concern, even the experts at Audubon Society support the use of backyard bird feeders – as long as you follow best practices to maintain them.

In order to prevent the spread of disease, ornithologists recommend to clean bird feeders (and bird baths) every couple of weeks with a solution of 9 parts water to 1 part bleach. To reduce traffic and competition, Audubon suggests hanging several bird feeders rather than only one. It’s also recommended to take occasional breaks from hanging or filling feeders during the summer, so young birds that hatched in spring can learn to forage for food.

Hang bird feeders from tree limbs, under eaves, on shepherds hooks or pole mounts, or another location that’s at least 5 to 6 feet above the ground. That way, bird feeders are out of reach from outdoor cats and other ground-dwelling pests and predators. Where hawks are common, it’s best to keep bird feeders under a tree canopy or other sheltered place that’s less visible from above. Clean up spilled birdseed from below the feeder periodically to reduce rodent activity.

Water

Birds need water to drink and bathe in, so providing water sources like bird baths, fountains, ponds, or other water features is an essential element of creating a bird-friendly garden! Supplemental water is especially important during the heat of summer, and in winter when other sources may be frozen (check out this heated bird bath or heated deck-mount bath option). Even large birds of prey occasionally visit backyard bird baths to cool down during exceptionally hot and dry spells.

Fountain and bird bath best practices

Like feeders, it’s necessary to routinely clean and sanitize bird baths and other water sources to prevent the spread of disease. At least once per month, clean bird baths with a dilute bleach solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. Thoroughly rinse it out after. I also like to scrub our birdbaths with a firm brush. Do not add chemical algaecides to the water! This copper birdbath offers natural antimicrobial and anti-algae properties, making it extra easy to clean. Prevent mosquito breeding in standing water by dumping and changing out birdbath water once per week.

Shop all bird baths from Gardener’s Supply Co here.

Shelter 

Birds enjoy shelter from trees, shrubs, vines, open barns or outbuildings, and more. Shelter offers birds a safe space away from predators, cover from inclement weather, or just a comfortable place to rest. Try to incorporate a diverse selection of shelter plants in your yard! Tall trees will attract hummingbirds, woodpeckers, hawks, owls, and others to your garden. On the other hand, shrubs and hedges bring in smaller birds like sparrows, finches, quail, titmice, warblers, towhees and more. Allowing some areas of your yard to grow a bit wild (less manicured) is ideal for birds and other wildlife alike.

In addition to plants, these adorable protected roosting pockets offer a nook for backyard birds to take cover from freezing rain, snow, or wind. In our garden, birds also love to roost on our trellises and arbors.

Places to Raise Young 

Last but not least… babies! Birds are attracted to gardens where they can safely build nests and raise their young. In addition to providing cover, trees, dense shrubs, vines, and brush piles are favorable places for birds to nest. That said, please avoid heavy pruning or tree-trimming during the spring nesting season! Instead, wait to prune or trim trees until late summer, fall, or even during the winter. Birds will also build nests around eaves, porches, chimneys, rafters, and other structures. 

Bird Houses

Many backyard bird species will use birdhouses (nesting boxes) including chickadees, wrens, bluebirds, purple martins, tree swallows, kestrels, nuthatches, titmice, many sparrows, woodpeckers, and some species of owls. It’s an absolute joy to watch birds nest in a birdhouse you hung for them! But patience is a virtue. It can take birds a season or two to find, accept, and make use of birdhouses.

Keep in mind that different bird species have unique preferences in terms of box style and location. For instance, chickadees, wrens, nuthatches and other petite songbirds favor birdhouses with a 1.25 to 1.5 inch opening hole, while woodpeckers, kestrels, and owls will need much larger nesting boxes. Do a little research and choose appropriate birdhouse styles for the birds in your garden, including where they’d like it mounted. Most birdhouses should have an access hatch for annual cleaning.

Gardener’s Supply Company offers a wide selection of beautiful, durable, and functional birdhouses to choose from. Check them out here! They have options to hang, mount on a pole, or affix to a tree or post. We have several styles, and I’m very impressed with their high quality.

Bird-Friendly Patio or Balcony Gardens

You don’t need a huge yard to create a bird-friendly space! Patios, balconies, and other urban gardens can also offer birds a special nook away from the hustle and bustle of it all. Plus, many bird species are quite acclimated to urban environments. While you may not be able to grow large trees and shrubs, most all of the other tips we explored today can easily be scaled down to small spaces. Attract birds to your patio garden with potted plants, bird feeders (including hummingbird feeders), and bird houses. It’s not at all uncommon to see birds nest in hanging plants! You could even install one of these nifty rail-mounted birdbaths on your deck or balcony, shown below.

Sharing the Garden with Birds 

So what happens once you’ve successfully attracted birds to your garden… but now they’re eating it?! Trust me, I understand the frustration. Yet we’ve been peacefully and successfully growing our own food alongside a healthy bird population for many years. It simply takes a little added ingenuity and patience – and is well worth it, IMHO. 

The majority of birds don’t bother garden crops. Again, we see them picking insects off plants for us more than anything! Yet when they do go after our edibles, the most common targets are small tender seedlings, leafy greens, berries, or ripe fruit on trees. 

Here are several effective ways to prevent birds from damaging crops in you garden:

• To protect young seedlings and leafy greens, we cover our raised beds with these handy super hoops and floating row covers. It’s typically only needed for a few weeks while the plants size up. Once they do, the birds don’t pay them as much attention. Plus, a few nibbles are far less damaging to larger plants. (Bonus: we also use the hoops with shade cloth or frost cover when needed!)
  

• Cover individual plants (e.g. strawberries or heads of lettuce) with cages or chicken wire cloches like these.
  
  
• Use crop cages or wire fencing around areas you know birds cannot resist, such as a berry patch or blueberry bushes. It will effectively deter deer, rabbits, and other critters too!
  

• Grow crops or varieties that are less attractive to birds. For example, we love to grow green-skinned fig varieties. Rather than turning purple as they ripen (aka “hey birds, look at me!”), some fig varieties stay green and therefore draw far less attention from birds.
  
  
• If space allows, plant enough to share! Birds grazing on a handful of plants or fruit will be far more noticeable and frustrating than when there’s more than enough to go around.
  
  
• To protect fruit on fruit trees, add reusable mesh baggies around individual fruit as they ripen. (Think sachets or sheer party favor bags.)
  

• Avoid draping the old-school “bird netting” (the stuff that looks like black fish netting) loosely over plants or trees. More often than not, birds can get under it – and then get tangled and entrapped! Use finer-mesh netting or a more rigid solution like chicken wire instead.
  
  
• See a full selection of effective plant barriers and bird fencing solutions from Gardener’s Supply here.

And that’s how to attract birds to your garden!

After reading this, I hope you’re eager to make your yard more bird-friendly than ever. I love our feathered friends so much, just putting this post together made me ridiculously happy. I also hope you found plenty of new ideas here, and enjoy learning more about the bird species in your yard going forward. Thank you in advance for doing your part to help local wildlife! Please feel free to ask any questions or simply say hi in the comments below. Happy birding!

You may also enjoy:

• Top 23 Plants for Pollinators: Attract Bees, Butterflies, & Hummingbirds!
• 10 Ways to Help Pollinators: Save Bees, Butterflies & Beyond
• 15 Best Flowers to Attract Hummingbirds (w/ photos)
• How to Turn Your Yard or Garden into a Certified Wildlife Habitat
• Homemade Hummingbird Food (Nectar) Recipe + Feeder Care FAQ

The post Bird-Friendly Gardens: How to Attract Birds to Your Yard appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

This post features an updated garden tour video that shows the current state of the garden, snippets from spring, exciting wildlife developments (like, we have dozens of wild baby California quail here right now!!!), and highlights some of our favorite flowers and veggie varieties. 

Other than the video, I’m basically using this post as a photo-dump for all my favorite garden photos from the last few months. It’s a great way for us to journal and document our first growing season in the new garden, and I hope you enjoy looking through them too!

I had to start with a few of my favorite images first (I mean, we can’t wait until the end of the post for baby quail and sunflowers, now can we?!) and then added the rest of the photos in somewhat chronological order.

Wow, are you still here? Lol! That’s all I have for our summer garden update. Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below, or just pop in to say hello! We appreciate you tuning in today.

The post Homestead Update: Garden Tour Summer 2022 (Video and Photos) appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

If you missed the story of our move, including why we left our OG homestead and what we were looking for in a new place, get caught up here.

Homestead Projects & Progress

Before we go have a look around together, here is a quick recap of what we’ve tackled in our time here so far:

• We moved and incorporated our prized potted plants from the old homestead amongst the new landscape, including many mature agaves, aloe vera, cacti, jade, and other succulents. We also littered the garden with our favorite solar tiki torch lights, wind chimes, metal flower sculptures, chairs, rustic stump side tables, decorative branches, and other adornments we brought from the old place. These special touches really made the new garden start to feel like “home”.
  
  
• Added two hummingbird feeders, a bird bath, and a bee puddler bowl. The new property has abundant wildlife, but there wasn’t a dedicated source of water set up for them yet. Water is an essential and minimum requirement of being a Certified Wildlife Habitat, so I didn’t feel comfortable putting our wildlife habitat sign up until that was addressed. We’ll definitely be adding fountains, a bat box, owl box, and likely a small pond in the future too!
  
  
• For now, we set up our compost tumbler and worm bin in the side yard. We haven’t yet decided if we’ll re-work or relocate the existing 3-bay compost bin in the garden yet. It’s a tad undersized, but great to have in the meantime!
  
  
• Rehabbed and deep-cleaned the chicken coop. If you missed it, see a detailed account of that poop-tastic adventure here.

• A certified arborist came out to assess the health of our numerous large trees. Together we established a maintenance plan, talked about drought, disease, pests, and defensible space against wildfire. Then his team returned to do some much-needed pruning on our Coastal Live Oaks and Eucalyptus, and also removed a handful of dead pine trees. In the end, the property looked nicely rejuvenated and we were left with several large piles of wood chips to move and spread as mulch in the garden – which also desperately needed to be refreshed. A win-win… plus a great workout!
  
  
• We planted the existing raised beds with calendula, green beans, and zucchini right when we moved in. With limited space and time left for a summer garden, these were our choice quick producers! We also planted some very late season cannabis plants. Without much in the way of frost here, they should finish up and be ready for harvest in November.
  

• So far we’ve planted two fig trees (Excel and Corky’s Honey Delight) and brought home (but haven’t yet planted) a dwarf weeping mulberry and Lamb Hass avocado tree – some of my absolute favorites! Learn all about growing figs here, and avocado trees in this guide. We’re looking forward to adding even more fruit trees with time, but for now we’ve been enjoying the established apricot, white peach, and grape vines. The day after filming this homestead tour video, we harvested over 16 pounds of grapes! Some went into the freezer, and then we made homemade raisins for the first time too. Those raisins will be a delicious addition to sourdough bread this weekend.
  
  
• Since we don’t yet have a greenhouse at this property like we used to, the next project on the horizon is to turn one of the existing outbuildings into a new seed-starting “grow room”. After all, I always say that you don’t need a greenhouse to grow from seed! A few shelves in a room with grow lights will do just fine. Stay tuned for that reveal – it’s going to be a fun one! 

Well, that’s it for “newsworthy” updates! Otherwise, we’ve just been busy busy busy trying to keep up with the business side of Homestead and Chill, create resources and goodies for you all, work on getting settled and unpacked inside (we’re almost there!), and continue to get a feel for the place to make plans for the future. 

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy wandering the new property with me!

Badger says “thanks for tuning in friends!”

Mirroring Badger’s sentiments, Aaron and I also want to sincerely thank you for tuning in and following along on our homestead adventures! Your support and camaraderie means the world to us. We feel so grateful to be embarking this new chapter in our lives, and are excited to continue to share (and hopefully teach and inspire!) as we go. Finally, here is a list of resources or articles that I mentioned in the video:

• How to Build a Raised Garden Bed (this includes steps for gopher-proofing too)
• Growing Fig Trees: Varieties, Planting, Care & More
• How to Grow Avocado Trees
• How to Grow Cannabis Organically
• Composting 101: What, Why and How to Compost at Home
• How to Kill or Remove Grass (and Grow Food, Not Lawns!)
• How to Turn You Yard into a Certified Wildlife Habitat
• Pros and Cons of 8 Different Types of Mulch
• Hummingbird Feeders 101: DIY Nectar Recipe & Feeder Care

The post Homestead Update: Full Property & Garden Tour (Video) appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

This article highlights 15 different flowering plants that hummingbirds find irresistible. We’ll cover key characteristics of each flower on this list: its growing zone, usual bloom time, if it’s an annual or perennial, and other unique facts. If possible, select a variety of flowers for hummingbirds that are well-suited for your climate and bloom at different times of year. That way, our little friends will always have something to eat! 

What do hummingbirds eat?

Hummingbirds primarily eat nectar from flowers. They need a steady intake of sugar (carbohydrates) to keep up with their immense metabolism and activity levels. Therefore, those with a high-nectar content are the best flowers for hummingbirds. Their long slender beaks and straw-like tongues are perfectly evolved to reach the nectar deep within tubular flowers. Bright hues of red, orange, pink, and purple are particularly enticing! Hummingbird feeders provide them supplemental nectar too.

To round out a well-balanced diet, hummingbirds also need to eat protein. They dine on small insects including mosquitoes, gnats, aphids, fruit flies, ants, and spiders. If you see hummers haphazardly zigzagging in the air, they’re probably chasing bugs! While sipping on nectar, hummingbirds also inadvertently consume pollen – another source of protein, nutrients, and energy.

How to attract hummingbirds to your yard

• Plant colorful nectar-rich flowers, like those on the list below!
• Include a variety of flowers that bloom at different times per year. Choose native plants as much as possible. Check out your locally-owned nursery for zone-appropriate and native pollinator plants. 
• Hang a hummingbird feeder to provide an additional source of food when less flowers are in bloom. Follow the tips provided in this article for how to make homemade hummingbird nectar, and best practices for feeder care and sanitation.
• Provide areas for shelter, perching, and nesting. Hummingbirds rest frequently by sitting on small branches, wire trellises, or other skinny perches that are suitable for tiny feet. They build their nests in a variety of dense shrubs, trees or vines, and do not use bird houses, boxes, or hollow tree cavities like many other birds. 
• Water will also attract hummingbirds, though they prefer moving or airborne water over stagnant water – both for bathing and drinking. Hummingbirds take baths by fluttering their wings under a light shower of water. Consider adding a mister to your birdbath, or creating a fountain with a dainty trickle instead of a heavy cascade. They also love lawn sprinklers. 

Flowers not on this list

This article could have easily grown to a list of over 30 flowers to attract hummingbirds! In a pinch, hummingbirds will visit just about any flower that provides a little nectar, including verbena, butterfly bush, lavender, larkspur, foxglove, hollyhock, petunias, impatiens, red hot poker, cleomes, and more. Yet I left those off the list of the best flowers for hummingbirds because they don’t seem to be their top favorites. Also, some of those flowers can be somewhat problematic in one way or another: either invasive, pest-prone, toxic to humans or pets, have a short bloom time, or otherwise are not the most effective for attracting hummingbirds. That’s not to say they’re not worthy of growing though!

What flowers do hummingbirds NOT like?

Many popular flowers that gardeners love just don’t do it for the hummers! Either due to low nectar content, lackluster color, or other factors, hummingbirds are not usually attracted to: roses, tulips, marigolds, irises, lilacs, lilies, sunflowers, daffodils, gardenias, or peonies.

Now, without further ado…

15 Best Flowers for Hummingbirds

1) Salvia (Sage) 

• Description: The sage or salvia plant family is vast! There are thousands of different varieties of salvia, and they come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colors. Some salvia species may have just a few petite flower spikes on a compact plant, while others grow into a massive bush of flowers. Yet one thing most salvia species have in common is: hummingbirds adore them. In our garden, salvia flowers attract hummingbirds more than any other plant! It is their clear favorite.
  
• We grow many different types, but the hummingbirds are especially fond of our Pineapple Sage, Hummingbird sage, Wild Watermelon Salvia, ‘Black and Blue’ salvia, ‘Love and Wishes’ salvia, and ‘Mystic Spires Blue’ salvia. Most varieties of sage are container-friendly as long as they have excellent drainage.
  
• Growing Zones: Most salvia can be grown as perennials in USDA hardiness zones 7 or 8 through 11, and as tender annuals in lower zones. Read the descriptions for particular varieties you’re interested in, and check in with your local nursery to see what they carry or suggest for your area. 
  
• Bloom Time: Prolific blooms in spring through fall, though year-round flowers are possible in climates with mild frost-free winters.

2) Bee Balm

• Description: Bee balm attracts hummingbirds with fragrant nectar-filled flowers that form in a unique circular cluster atop tall stalks. I think it’s crazy-beautiful, and comes in shades of pink, red, lavender and more. Bee balm (Monarda sp) is part of the mint family, but does not rampantly spread through underground runners like most mint does! Even better, Bee balm is native to North America and has a rich history as a medicinal and edible plant. 
• Growing Zones: Perennial in zones 3 – 9
• Bloom Time: Late spring through fall (depends on the variety)

3) Agastache

• Description: Like Bee Balm, agastache is another non-invasive beautiful member of the mint family.  Agastache produces long-blooming tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds from far and wide. So much so that agastache often goes by the common name ‘hummingbird mint’. There are dozens of cultivars and colors of agastache. Anise hyssop is one stunning variety that hummingbirds particularly enjoy in our garden, as do butterflies! On the other hand, deer and rabbits tend to avoid agastache.
  
• Growing Zones: Most varieties of agastache can grow as perennials in zones 4 through 10. 
  
• Bloom Time: Tall flower spikes bloom in early summer through fall

4) Cardinal Flower

• Description: Cardinal flowers are a bright, brilliant shade of red; hummingbirds can’t miss them! Hummingbirds can drink nectar from their slender tube-like flowers with ease. These flowers are so bird-friendly that The Audubon Society has dubbed cardinal flowers “a hummingbird magnet”! The plants do like a lot of water, making them ideal for wetter climates. In dry areas, plant them in partial shade. Yep, cardinal flowers are shade-tolerant! They’re also native to North America, low-maintenance, deer and rabbit-resistant, and incredibly hardy. 
  
• Growing Zones: Short-lived perennials, grow in zones 1 through 10.
  
• Boom Time: Early to late summer

5) Penstemon

• Description: If you think your area is a little too dry to keep cardinal flowers happy, consider planting penstemon instead. Penstemon (also known as ‘beardtongue’) is drought tolerant once established, and is happy in poor but well-draining soil. It can also benefit from a little afternoon shade in the hottest climates. Native to North America, the Penstemon group is very diverse. It includes hundreds of different species and varieties, so you’re bound to find one suitable for your garden. Penstemon flowers will attract hummingbirds with their vibrant hues of red, pink and purple. 
  
• Growing Zones: 3 – 10, depending on variety. Perennial.
  
• Bloom Time: Spring through fall, also depending on variety. Mid to late summer is most common.

6) Lupine

• Description: This American native wildflower will attract hummingbirds and other pollinators out in natural landscapes, or to your garden! Lupines create a regal yet whimsical vibe with their tall, showy flower spikes of purple, blue, or pink blooms. Since Lupine is part of the pea family, they improve soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere into their roots. That makes lupine a wonderful multi-purpose plant to grow. Blue lupine is a beautiful and prevalent variety native to the eastern US. Here in California, we see hummingbirds and bees feed from the California lupine that dot the hillsides of our favorite hiking areas. 
  
• Growing Zones: There is a lupine for every zone! Seek out varieties native to your area. Most species grow in zones 4 to 8 (as perennials) while a few extend into zone 9 and 10. 
  
• Bloom Time: Spring through late summer. 

7) Bottlebrush

• Description: Bottlebrush trees (or shrubs) are originally from Australia and are related to paperbark trees – both part of the Melaleuca family. These plants get their name from their frilly, bristly flower spikes that very much resemble a bottle brush. Most bottlebrush flowers are red, though less common varieties also come in pink, yellow or white. I can tell you first hand – hummingbirds love bottlebrush trees! There are dozens of these plants along one of our favorite walking paths, and they’re always full of hummers. The dense shrubs double as habitat and a safe place to perch.
  
• Growing Zones:  8b through 11. In lower zones, plant bottlebrush in containers that can be moved to a protected area in winter.
  
• Bloom Time: Early spring through fall

8) Snapdragon

• Description: Snapdragons boast beautiful, long-lasting, tall stalks of flowers in every color of the sunset. Between their rich and flashy colors, ample nectar, and cupped shape, snapdragon flowers are perfectly suited to attract hummingbirds.
  
• Growing Zones: Most snapdragons are annual flowers, which can be grown in any zone. Select hardy snapdragon varieties can be grown as short-lived perennials in zones 7 through 11.
  
• Bloom Time: A long bloom period, from early spring until first fall or winter frost. Snapdragons are considered ‘cool-season bloomers’ – meaning they may temporarily stop blooming during very hot weather, but resume producing new flowers once things cool down again in fall. 

9) Nasturtium

• Description: I’ll admit, I never thought of nasturtium as being a key flower to attract hummingbirds – until I saw them frequently visited by tiny bird friends in our own garden! The more I researched, I learned that nasturtiums contain especially sweet-tasting nectar. Nasturtiums are an easy-to-grow, sprawling, annual flower. They are also highly attractive to bees, but draw in pest insects like aphids and cabbage worms. We use them as a companion plant and trap crop for that very reason. Nasturtiums peppery arugula-like leaves are edible, as are their colorful flowers.  
  
• Growing Zones: Annual in zones 4 to 8, possible perennial in zone 9 through 11. Super easy to grow from seed (and will readily self-seed and come back year after year). 
  
• Bloom Time: Early summer through fall in most climates. May halt flowering during very hot conditions.

10) Lantana

• Description: Lantana flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies alike with their stunning red and orange hues. The ‘Sunset’ variety is a particular favorite, though there are over 150 different cultivars! Lantana offers nectar within tight round clusters of tiny, tubular flowers. The plants are known to be low-maintenance and easy to grow. However, some varieties of lantana are considered invasive and may spread – so do your homework before planting! 
  
• Growing Zones: Perennial in frost-free zones, annual in lower/colder zones.
  
• Bloom Time: Profuse and continual blooms from spring until frost. 

11) Fuchsia

• Description: Fuschia is an excellent addition to any hummingbird garden! There are hundreds of varieties to choose from, including upright shrubs, some that sprawl, and others ideal for hanging baskets. Hardy fuschia attracts hummingbirds with its vibrant pink and purple flowers, which hang upside down from the plants. This doesn’t stop them though! Hummers are the perfect suitors for these unique flowers, as they’re agile and can easily navigate to drink from them. Hummers also love the tubular flowers on our California native fuchsia!
  
  
• Growing Zones: Perennial in zones 7 to 10, depending on variety. Annual in lower zones.
  
• Bloom Time: Blooms from May or June until the first frost. 

12) Trumpet Honeysuckle

• Description: The name says it all. If you’re searching for a perennial flowering vine that will attract hummingbirds to your garden, consider trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens). The long slender flowers are loaded with nectar, and come in bright red, orange, and coral-colored tones. Don’t confuse this awesome vine with Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), which is very invasive. In contrast, Trumpet honeysuckle is native to the eastern US and does not aggressively spread – but they do grow fast! 
  
• Growing Zones: 4 through 9. Evergreen in places with warm winters, and may lose some of its foliage during winter in colder regions (deciduous).  
  
• Bloom Time: Summer and into fall.

Need a trellis for your Trumpet vine or Trumpet honeysuckle?  Learn how to make a sturdy, inexpensive DIY trellis with this easy-to-follow tutorial. 

13) Trumpet Vine 

• Description: Here is another perennial flowering vine for your hummingbird garden! Also known as a “Trumpet Creeper”, Trumpet vines boasts clusters of big beautiful red-orange, pink, or purple flowers (up to 3 ½ inches long). These flowers are highly enticing to the Ruby-throated hummingbirds that inhabit the eastern United States. While Trumpet vines are native to North America, they can aggressively spread – so have your pruning shears ready! Plan to prune just after the blooming season.
  
• Growing Zones: 3 through 9. Like Trumpet honeysuckle, Trumpet vines are evergreen in frost-free climates.  
  
• Bloom time: Spring to fall, with a mid-summer peak.

14) Rhododendron (and Azalea)

• Description: Azaleas and Rhodies are very similar members of the Rhododendron family, so I’m lumping them together here. Both offer pink, red, and purple flowers that hummingbirds love! The key difference between the two is that Azaleas are deciduous (lose their leaves in the winter) while rhododendrons are typically evergreen. Azalea flowers are more funnel-shaped, and rhododendrons have bell-shaped flowers. 
• Growing Zones: 4 through 11. Perennial.  
• Bloom Time: Early! Winter and spring. Rhododendrons and azalea have the potential to provide the earliest blooms for visiting hummingbirds – some as early as December to March, depending on the variety and your zone. 

15) Wild Columbine

• Description: Wild columbine is native to the eastern United States and Canada, and grows there with ease. It’s red or pink and yellow bell-shaped columbine flowers naturally droop downwards, much like fuchsia flowers do. They’re narrow, bright, and full of sweet nectar – just what the hummers ordered! Columbine will attract Ruby-throated hummingbirds along with a host of other pollinators, all while being naturally deer-resistant. 
• Growing Zones:  3 – 9, in the Midwest, Northeast, Midwest, or the Plains/Texas regions
• Bloom Time: Beginning in early to late spring through summer. Like Rhododendrons, Columbine are a welcome sight for ‘early birds’ as migratory hummingbirds return to the eastern half of the United States.

And that sums up the 15 best flowers to grow to attract hummingbirds.

I love our little hummingbird friends, so much! I hope this article inspired you to grow more of their flowering favorites. Do you already have a hummingbird-friendly garden? Did I miss any popular flowers that your hummer buddies greatly enjoy? Please let me know in the comments below. Also, please feel free to pin or share this article if you found it valuable. Thank you so much for helping your local hummingbird population!

Don’t miss these related posts:

• Top 23 Plants for Pollinators: Attract Bees, Butterflies and Hummingbirds
• How to Turn Your Yard into a Certified Wildlife Habitat
• All About Monarchs: How to Attract and Raise Monarch Butterflies
• 10 Ways to Help Pollinators: Save Bees, Butterflies & Beyond

The post 15 Best Flowers to Attract Hummingbirds (w/ photos) appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Read along to learn 10 ways to help save pollinators, including things you can do at home, in your community, and beyond! Most of the ways we can help pollinators seem small and easy to do – but can add up to make a big difference! Pollinator populations are impacted by human lives and our daily decisions in more ways than most people realize. Furthermore, human lives depend on pollinators far more than we give them credit for! Pollinators are a critical part of our food systems, environment, and economy. 

“Without the actions of pollinators, agricultural economies, our food supply, and surrounding landscapes would collapse.”

Pollinators.org

Before we dive into 10 ways to help save pollinators, let’s quickly get acquainted with exactly who pollinators are, and why they need our help!

Who are Pollinators?

When you hear the word “pollinators”, most folks immediately think of bees – and for a good reason! Bees are one of the most prominent and important pollinators of them all, including native bees. As bees buzz from flower to flower, they pick up and carry pollen. Thousands of plants depend on this transfer of pollen between flowers (aka, the act of pollination) to reproduce and bear fruit or seeds, including most food crops.

However, many other insects and animals play a role in pollination too! This includes butterflies, moths, birds, bats, ants, beetles, other animals, and even the wind. Humans could be dubbed pollinators at times, such as when assisting with hand-pollination (like we do with our squash flowers). However, the term is usually reserved for those that perform it naturally in the wild.

Pollinators are considered a keystone species group. The National Geographic Society describes a keystone species as “a plant or animal that plays a unique and crucial role in the way an ecosystem functions. Without keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether.” In fact, pollinators are directly responsible for one-third of all food that humans consume, including everything from fruit and veggies to coffee and chocolate – some of my very favorite things!

Why are pollinators dying?

As our natural world becomes increasingly urbanized and polluted, pollinators are taking a big hit along with it. Bees are especially sensitive creatures and are very, very susceptible to the pesticides commonly used in conventional agriculture operations. The most lethal of them all (to bees) are neonicotinoids, which according to Cornell University are also the most widely used class of insecticides used in the world. One small exposure can take out an entire colony of bees. However, any broad-spectrum pesticide use puts pollinators at risk, including outside of a commercial farm setting! This includes residential use, at parks, on golf courses, on public right-of-ways, and more. 

Furthermore, natural habitats and food sources for pollinators are being altered, destroyed, or contaminated by expanding agriculture and “urban sprawl” development. Last but not least, our changing climate and weather patterns are negatively impacting many plants, animals, and ecosystems, including our pollinator friends.

Yikes. That all sounds pretty depressing, right? It certainly is… Yet the good news is: WE CAN HELP! Even more, most of the ways we can help save pollinators also benefit our personal wellness and the overall environment too. Consider it a “win” for all.

10 WAYS TO HELP SAVE POLLINATORS

1) Plant for Pollinators 

One of the best ways to help struggling pollinator populations is to create a pollinator-friendly garden, incorporating plants that provide nectar and pollen. Give preference to plants that are native to your area, which are best suited to both your climate and the pollinators that live there! Blooming trees are also highly attractive to pollinators. Even if you don’t have an extensive garden or large outdoor space, consider adding a few potted flowering plants to a balcony, patio, or window planter box. Many of the best plants for pollinators are low-maintenance and container-friendly!

Aim to supply diverse and sustained food sources by planting a variety of annual and perennial plants, including ones that flower at different times of the year. Also, keep in mind that most (but not all) flowers produce pollen or nectar, which is what pollinators need to sustain life. Need ideas on what kind of flowers to plant? Check out our Top 23 Plants for Pollinators article, or our 7 Easy Companion Flowers to Grow From Seed list. Both articles discuss the characteristics of each plant, including zone suitability, general care tips, and our favorite varieties.

In our garden, the lavender, salvia, verbena, zinnia, borage and flowering herbs are always buzzing with the most bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies! 

2) Create a Wildlife-Friendly Yard, Beyond Flowers

While flowers are essential, pollinators need other key elements to thrive! Do your best to provide habitat and supplemental food sources that support a variety of pollinators and wildlife. For example, add hummingbird feeders, bird houses, a solitary bee house, a mason bee house, bird feeders, bird baths, or even bat boxes to your outdoor space. Put out shallow water baths for bees, such as a bird bath or shallow dish with stones or rocks in it.

Allow some areas of your yard to grow “wild” and less manicured, which provides safe spots for nesting and shelter. Be conscientious when pruning trees, vines, and shrubs, especially during known bird nesting seasons. Let some of the wild “weeds” in your yard stay to bloom, such as dandelion. Also, avoid dead-heading all your spent flowers. The birds will appreciate eating the seeds!

Shelter, food, water, and places to raise young are all key components of a healthy wildlife habitat. Did you know that a schoolyard, workplace, or residential garden can actually become a Certified Wildlife Habitat? Our property is certified! Check out this article to learn more about how to join us. If you’re interested in hanging a hummingbird feeder, see our simple hummingbird nectar recipe and feeder best practices here. 

2023 Update: I’ve also created a guide on how to create a bird-friendly garden – including best practices on maintaining bird feeders, baths and houses.

3) Avoid Using Pesticides

Help save pollinators by avoiding the use of chemical or synthetic pesticides at home. Instead, manage your yard or garden in a natural and organic manner. There are many ways to combat “pests” in a way that will not negatively impact beneficial insects like bees, parasitic wasps, and butterflies. In fact, beneficial insects themselves can be used to reduce pest insect populations!

For example, native American ladybugs, lacewings, and praying mantis eat many soft-bodied pest insects like aphids. Releasing them in your garden is considered a form of biological pest control – as opposed to chemical. Similarly, parasitic wasps can help control cabbage worms and beneficial nematodes can eliminate curl grubs. The use of companion plants, polyculture, and physical barriers (like hoops and row covers) are other non-chemical means to reduce pests.

There are also many homemade or mild sprays that can be used to control garden pests, such as this DIY soap spray recipe for aphids and mealybugs. Even then, many “organic” pesticide products can harm bees and beneficial insects if applied incorrectly. Therefore, please do thorough research before using any kind of spray! Check out this article to learn about 25 different organic ways to manage garden pests.

4) Go Organic

Beyond your garden, go organic in as many ways possible – such as buying organic products and food. Supporting sustainable, pollinator-friendly farms keeps them in business – and the bees safe! Don’t forget to hit up your local Farmer’s Market too. Even if they are not “certified” organic, many small local farms are much more cautious about pesticide use. Furthermore, buying organic goods lessens the demand for conventional (toxic) products. This is better for everyone and everything, including your personal health. Even your choice in cotton balls, clothing, personal care products, and garden seeds has a trickle-down effect to pollinators. 

5) Plant Butterfly Host Plants

Butterflies depend on “host plants” to reproduce and thus survive. Adult butterflies lay their eggs on a host plant, and when their larvae (caterpillars) emerge from eggs, they feed on the plant – until they too can grow up to become a beautiful butterfly. However, caterpillars won’t eat any old plant! Each species of butterfly has a particular host plant that their caterpillar babies will eat. Some caterpillars are very picky and will feed on one type of plant only, while others have a slightly wider appetite.

For example, milkweed is the sole source of food for monarch butterfly caterpillars. While there are many varieties of milkweed that they’ll eat, monarchs will ONLY eat milkweed. Gulf fritillary populations depend on passion flower vines. On the other hand, Swallowtail butterflies are less picky and will dine on dill, fennel, carrot greens, and parsley. So, plant extra and plan to share! Scatter native wildflower seeds to support native butterflies and moths.

Visit American Meadows for a more complete list of butterfly host plants, including trees, shrubs, and flowers. Or, see our article all about raising monarch butterflies if that strikes your fancy!

6) Make an Impact Outside Your Home

There are a number of ways to help save pollinators beyond the borders of your own garden. If you live in an HOA, apartment complex, or other maintained community, talk to the folks responsible for landscape management about pollinators, pesticide use, and organic gardening options. Ask questions and share information at your workplace too. Perhaps they’ll be willing to make some beneficial changes! Even the time of day that sprays are applied can help save pollinators; bees are far less active in the evening hours, at sunset or after.

7) Support Beekeepers 

Supporting beekeepers is an excellent way to help encourage healthy pollinator populations. How? Buy local honey and beeswax products! Just like going organic, it is all about supply and demand. Consuming local honey also has the added benefit of inoculating your immune system with local pollen, which over time helps reduce your seasonal allergy response. Most often, local honey is sold at local farmers markets along with small shops, or direct from the keeper. Even when I can’t find local beeswax, I always choose natural beeswax candles over classic petroleum-based candles (yuck!) or even soy candles, since soy is a very pesticide-heavy crop. 

8) Start Keeping Bees Yourself

Now, I realize this option isn’t for everyone. Nor will I pretend to be an expert on this subject myself! While our garden is filled with hundreds of visiting bees each day, we have yet to venture into the wonderful world of beekeeping. It is a dream for our future farm property though. I have heard that Flow Hives are very simple to get going and maintain. To learn more, consider checking out the highly-rated Beekeeper’s Bible Book or Beekeeping for Dummies. If you know of any other great beginner beekeeping resources, please drop them in the comments below!

9) Donate

If it is within your means, donating to relevant non-profits is an awesome option to help save pollinators – especially if you don’t have a yard space to put the other tips we’ve explored to work. Or, in addition to! Here at Homestead and Chill, we donate a portion of the proceeds from our shop items (organic sourdough starter and organic t-shirts) to wildlife and pollinator non-profits each year.

Listed below are a handful of non-profit organizations that are dedicated to helping protect pollinators and their natural habitats – though the list is by no means comprehensive!

• Pollinator Partnership
• The Xerces Society
• The Honeybee Conservancy
• Save Our Monarchs
• Bee & Butterfly Habitat Fund
• The Nature Conservancy
• The National Wildlife Federation

10) Spread the Love

Talk to your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers about the importance of pollinators! Encourage them to get involved and make small but impactful changes too. Give pollinators and wildlife-friendly gifts for special occasions, such as packets of wildflower seeds, local honey, bird houses, or hummingbird feeders. Last but not least, share this article and other pro-pollinator messages on social media!

And that sums up 10 simple but meaningful ways you can personally help save pollinators!

I hope this article provided insight and inspiration on a few changes or new steps you can take to protect pollinators in your area. Every little bit counts. You know what they say… think globally, act locally! Please feel free to ask questions, or chime in with other ways to make a difference in the comments below. Thank you for tuning in and spreading the word! Last but not certainly not least, the pollinators thank you for your efforts too.

If you enjoyed this article, don’t miss out on:

• Top 23 Plants for Pollinators: Attract Bees, Butterflies & Hummingbirds
• How to Attract, Raise & Release Wild Monarch Butterflies
• Homemade Hummingbird Nectar Recipe & Feeder FAQs
• How to Turn Your Yard or Garden into a Certified Wildlife Habitat
• 7 Easy Annual Companion Flowers to Grow From Seed
• Companion Planting 101 (with Garden Companion Planting Chart)
• Organic Pest Control: 25 Ways to Stop Pests from Destroying Your Garden
• How to Kill or Remove Your Grass (and Grow Food, Not Lawns!)

The post 10 Ways to Help Pollinators: Save Bees, Butterflies & Beyond appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

If you’re interested in helping to support your local hummingbird population (and making new tiny friends while you’re at it) then you’ve come to the right place. Read along to learn how to make simple homemade hummingbird feeder nectar – the right way! We all have the best intentions to do more good than harm, right? Of course. So let’s also talk about important hummingbird feeder best practices, including feeder location, cleaning, and maintenance.

But first, please enjoy these quick facts about hummers. The more you know about them, the more you’ll appreciate what truly marvelous little creatures they are! 

10 Fascinating Facts About Hummingbirds

1. With over 350 different species of hummingbirds, this group is the second largest family of birds in the world. The most common species in our Coastal California garden is the Anna hummingbird, along with a short visit from the extra-feisty Rufous hummers during their impressive annual migration between Mexico and Alaska. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are very common in the mid to eastern United States. 

2. A hummingbird’s heart beats over 1200 times per minute! 

3. Hummingbirds can flap their wings at a rate of up to 200 times per second, depending on the species. On average, they fly at 25 to 30 mph – but can hit speeds of 50 mph during a dive!

4. Hummingbirds have an amazing memory. They can remember every flower they have ever visited, and also know how long it takes for the flower to refill with nectar. 

5. In addition to flowers, hummingbirds also have the ability to remember and recognize people. They will pay special attention to the person who changes out their hummingbird feeder, and will even get sassy with you as a reminder that the feeder needs a refill! Hummingbirds also remember where the good feeders and gardens are, and will return to them year-after-year!

6. Hummingbirds do not mate for life. The female hummingbird does the work of building a nest, tending to eggs, and raising the young. A hummingbird nest is about the size of a walnut shell, the eggs the size of a large jelly bean, and a newborn hummingbird is around the size of a penny!

7. While hummingbirds do not have a sense of smell, they are attracted to bright colors. Red is their favorite. 

8. A very specialized tongue lives within that long beak! Hummingbirds long narrow beak and tongue are perfectly designed to access nectar deep within flowers. They use their slender straw-like tongue to suck up nectar at over 20 laps per second. Hundreds of plant species rely on pollination by hummingbirds to produce or survive.

9. Hummingbirds’ feet are tiny and weak. They cannot walk or hop, but they do perch and rest! 

10.  In fact, rather than traditional sleep, hummingbirds can enter a deep resting period called “torpor”. In this state, their metabolism will slow down to ⅕ of normal, conserving energy in cold weather and when food is more scarce. 

Facts gathered from these sources: Hummingbird Central, Discover Wildlife, and Perky Pet

Hummingbird Feeders & Flowers

As you can see, hummingbirds are essentially tiny balls of pure energy. Given their incredible metabolism, hummingbirds need to consume a significant amount of food each day to maintain their body weight and health – and we can help with that!  

Adding a hummingbird feeder to your garden, balcony, or other outdoor space is one excellent way to provide hummingbirds with a steady supply of food. Made of only sugar and water, our simple homemade hummingbird food recipe closely mimics natural flower nectar. Nectar provides hummingbirds with essential carbohydrates, but is not all they eat. Hummingbirds also eat tiny insects and spiders for protein and other nutrients, and are also known to eat tree sap! The small amounts of pollen they inadvertently consume while sipping on nectar also provides a little protein to their diet as well. 

While I clearly support your interest in hanging a hummingbird feeder, I also highly encourage you to plant nectar-producing flowers! Hummingbird feeders are a great way to better observe hummingbirds, augment their natural food supply, or provide an off-season source of nectar when flowers are not in bloom. However, nothing beats the real stuff! Our hummingbirds love to eat a variety of salvia, lavender, nasturtium, agastache, bee balm, and penstemon flowers in the garden. Truth be told, they visit the flowers more than the feeder. For more ideas of hummingbird-friendly flowers, see this article: “The Top 23 Plants for Pollinators: Attract Bees, Butterflies, and Hummingbirds”

Want to take it a step further? Beyond homemade hummingbird food and flowers, think about other ways you can help support a healthy native wildlife population. If you are able to provide food, shelter, water, and places for wildlife to raise young, your yard could be considered a certifiable wildlife habitat! Our garden is. And always, avoid the use of pesticides and keep your yard organic! Learn more about turning your yard, patio garden, or even schoolyard into a Certified Wildlife Habitat here. 

What is the best hummingbird feeder to use?

Most hummingbird feeders are created fairly equal. As long as they can hang, hold your homemade hummingbird food, and attract the birds with brightly-colored flowers, it should get the job done! However, be sure to read product reviews to avoid feeders with frequently-noted problems such as leaking, peeling, difficulty cleaning, or other quality issues.

We love and have a couple of these green glass hummingbird feeder in our garden, and also recently added this adorable cactus feeder from Perky-Pet (shown below). Some feeders have additional features, like this one with a built-in ant moat on top. Or, consider feeders with “bee guards” if you have issues with bees or wasps. Most hummingbird feeders hold about 32 ounces of nectar, though there are some more petite options as well – like this compact 10-ounce feeder.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE HUMMINGBIRD FOOD

Hummingbird Food Ingredients

• Pure white cane sugar. This is perhaps the only time I would suggest to avoid using organic sugar, unless it is pure white in color. If the sugar is not 100% white refined sugar, it may contain a small amount of molasses. Molasses is rich in iron, and iron can be toxic to hummingbirds in even small doses. Therefore, avoid brown sugar or unrefined “raw” cane sugar. For example, the organic raw sugar we usually use at home has a brown tint to it, so we don’t use it in this homemade hummingbird food recipe. Do not use honey, agave syrup, or artificial sweeteners. Beet sugar is the only other suitable replacement for white cane sugar.
  
  

• Clean Water. Un-chlorinated water, filtered water, well water, or spring water is ideal, but most city tap water is okay as well.
  
  
  
• NO red food dye or preservatives! The colorful fake flowers that adorn most hummingbird feeders is what attracts birds to the feeder. Therefore, you do not need to add red dye or other coloring to the nectar liquid itself! On the contrary, those unnatural substances can be harmful to hummingbirds. 

Hummingbird Food Sugar-Water Ratios

The standard sugar-to-water ratio for homemade hummingbird food is 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. 

That could mean combining 1 cup of sugar and 4 cups of water, ½ cup sugar and 2 cups water, or what we often make – just a ¼ cup sugar to 1 cup water. We like to make smaller amounts to reduce waste, since homemade hummingbird food does need to be changed often. You’ll find the right amount for your feeder, depending on how numerous and active the hummingbirds are in your garden.

It is important to get the right balance because too much or too little sugar can be unhealthy, dehydrating, or otherwise harmful to the hummingbirds. The one caveat is during wintertime or cold weather, when it is okay to to increase the sugar-to-water ratio to 1 part sugar to only 3 parts water (but no more). This gives them an added boost of much-needed energy. The slightly sweeter nectar also has a lower freezing point, preventing it from freezing as easily.

Instructions to Make Hummingbird Food

1. Combine 1 part sugar with 4 parts water in a pot on the stove. 
2. Heat lightly and thoroughly stir until the sugar completely dissolves. There is no need to boil the sugar water combination.
3. Allow the sugar water to cool to lukewarm or room temperature. Then, add the homemade hummingbird food to your feeder of choice.
4. Hang the feeder outside, and have fun watching your hummer friends enjoy their food!
5. If you make extra, store any unused sugar water in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 

HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER MAINTENANCE

How often should I change my hummingbird feeder?

To maintain a healthy and safe level of freshness, change out the hummingbird food at least once per week. Every 4 to 5 days is ideal. In hot weather (over 90 degrees) plan to change it  even more frequently. If the hummingbird food in the feeder becomes cloudy, goopy-looking, or moldy, take it down, thoroughly clean the feeder, and then add fresh nectar. Always empty and clean it before adding more. Meaning, do not “top off” your hummingbird feeder with new nectar on top of the old.

Moldy, contaminated hummingbird food can be detrimental to their health.

How to Clean a Hummingbird Feeder

• Routinely rinse your hummingbird feeder with very hot water between nectar refills. You can also use a mild detergent or soap if needed, but be sure to thoroughly rinse it afterwards to remove any leftover soap residue. Some hummingbird feeders are also dishwasher-safe. 
  
  
• You may want to keep a designated hummingbird bottle-brush handy for a more detailed and effective cleaning. If build-up appears in the feeders’ fake flowers (or other tight areas) use a toothbrush or similar small brush to scrub them clean.
  
  
• At least once per month, soak the feeder in a slightly stronger disinfectant, such as in hydrogen peroxide or vinegar. Some people like to soak their hummingbird feeders in dilute bleach water, yet I have read on several reputable hummingbird websites that the use of bleach is not necessary under normal circumstances. If and when gnarly black mold is growing inside, then maybe consider reaching for the bleach. Otherwise, more gentle and natural disinfectants work just fine. 
  
  
• To use vinegar, combine 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts water in a bucket or large bowl, and allow the disassembled feeder to soak in it for an hour or so. A nice long contact time of 1 to 2 hours is important when using vinegar. On the other hand, a shorter 15-minute soak in a dilute chlorine bleach water (1 part bleach in 10 or more parts water) is sufficient. To use peroxide, soak the feeder in undiluted 3% household strength hydrogen peroxide for 10 to 15 minutes. A more frugal approach is to use a spray bottle to thoroughly coat the feeder with peroxide inside and out. However, you’ll need to swish it around occasionally or spray more to achieve the desired contact time. Remember, never combine bleach and vinegar!

Where should I hang the hummingbird feeder?

I imagine you’ll want to hang your hummingbird feeder somewhere that you can easily see it. That way, you can thoroughly enjoy watching the visiting hummingbirds feed! Also, it will remind you to clean it. A highly visible and accessible feeder is far less likely to be forgotten and neglected. However, this whole hummingbird feeder pursuit isn’t just about human enjoyment and convenience! We need to make sure we’re choosing a location that is best for the hummers too.

• If possible, choose a shady location such as under a tree, house overhang or other canopy. Homemade hummingbird food spoils more quickly in the sun and heat, and they also appreciate the sense of protection.
  
  
• Hang hummingbird feeders at least 4 to 5 feet above the ground. This ensures they’re out of easy reach from cats and other predators. If you don’t have a suitable tree or structure to hang the feeder from, use a tall sturdy shepherd hook like this one.
  
  
• Keep feeders away from any known nests, as this may draw attention and predators to the nest.

When to Hang a Hummingbird Feeder, and When to Take it Down

The best time to bring your hummingbird feeder out and then bring it down for the year depends on where you live. 

There are 17 different species of hummingbirds found in North America, and each has a unique range and migration pattern! In general, hummingbirds arrive in spring as the weather begins to warm. It is recommended to try to put out feeders before you see the first hummingbird in your garden, so there is food ready and waiting for the first early arrivals.  In the southern states, this means putting out feeders in March. For more northern states, early May is a good target. Other states are somewhere in between.

Come late fall to wintertime, leave your hummingbird feeder hung up for at least three weeks after you see the last hummingbird in your yard. You never know if a late migratory straggler will come through and need a snack on his or her way!

Here in California, we have hummingbirds in our garden year-round so we keep a feeder hung most of the year. Sometimes we take it down when all of our salvia flowers are in full bloom since they have plenty to eat in the garden. Other states with known year-round hummingbird populations include Florida, Arizona, and parts of Texas. 

For more information, check out this detailed article by Bird Feeder Hub. It includes a breakdown of “hang by” dates for each state!

Tips for Hummingbird Feeders in Winter

There a number of ways to help prevent your homemade hummingbird food from freezing in the winter time.

• One obvious and easy answer is to simply bring then hummingbird feeder inside overnight. However, hummingbirds need to feed very early in the morning (before sunrise) so it is essential that the feeder is returned outdoors in the early morning hours.
  
• As I mentioned in the recipe section above, making a sweeter homemade hummingbird food of 1 part sugar to 3 parts water also delays freezing by a few degrees than a 1 to 4 recipe.
  
  
• Try wrapping your hummingbird feeder in small holiday lights (non-LED). The heat emitted from classic incandescent holiday string lights is often enough to prevent the nectar from freezing. You could even use pink or red lights to create a warm and welcoming glow for the hummers. The warmth from a nearby flood lamp or shop light may also prevent freezing.
  
  
• A hummingbird feeder that is tucked near a house, window, under porch eaves, or in another sheltered location away from wind will be less prone to freezing than one out in the open.
  
  
• You could also try wrapping your hummingbird feeder in insulating material (e.g. bubble wrap) to keep it warm. Just be sure not to block the feeding ports, or allow any material to dangle that may endanger the birds!
  
  
• Some hummingbird enthusiasts maintain two feeders, so they can swap them back and forth to prevent freezing and/or allow time to defrost.

And that is how you make homemade hummingbird food, and properly maintain your feeder!

In closing, I hope that this article was as interesting as it was useful. I also hope that you’ll have plenty of magnificent little friends chirping at your doorstep in no time. One of my friends never had hummingbirds in her yard, recently hung a feeder, and the birds were eating from it the very next day! She is now a proud fellow member of the crazy-hummingbird-ladies (and gentlemen) club. Please, join us!

Feel free to ask questions or simply say hi in the comments below, and spread the love for hummingbirds by sharing this article.

Don’t miss these related articles:

• All About Monarchs: How to Attract, Raise & Release Monarch Butterflies
• 15 Best Flowers to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard
• Top 23 Plants for Pollinators: Attract Bees, Butterflies & Hummingbirds to Your Garden
• How to Turn Your Yard or Garden Into a Certified Wildlife Habitat
• The Top 7 Easy Annual Companion Flowers to Grow From Seed

Print

Homemade Hummingbird Food (Nectar) Recipe

Hanging hummingbird feeders are an excellent way to help support your local hummingbird population, and enjoy their presence in your yard! Making homemade hummingbird food is easy and inexpensive to do. It is also more healthy for the birds than store-bought nectar that is full of chemical dyes and preservatives.

Course Drinks, Snack

Keyword Hummingbird feeder, Hummingbird food, Hummingbird nectar, Hummingbird syrup

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 8 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cup of nectar

Cost $1

Equipment

• Stovetop
• Sauce pan or pot for the stove
• Hummingbird feeder

Ingredients

• 1 cup water, un-chlorinated and filtered if possible
• 1/4 cup refined white sugar* (do not substitute with other sugars or sweeteners, see notes below)

Instructions

• Combine 1 part sugar with 4 parts water in a pot on the stove. Scale up or down as needed for your feeder. For example, use 1 cup of sugar and 4 cups water, 1/2 cup sugar and 2 cups water, or 1/4 cup sugar and 1 cup water. (During winter: Increase the sweetness to 1 part sugar to only 3 parts water, but no more sweet than that!)
• Heat lightly and thoroughly stir until the sugar completely dissolves. There is no need to boil the sugar water combination!
• Allow the sugar water to cool to lukewarm or room temperature before adding it to your hummingbird feeder.
• Hang the feeder outside in a shady location at least 4 feet above the ground, and have fun watching your hummer friends enjoy their food!
• If you make extra, store any unused sugar water in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
• Replace the homemade hummingbird and thoroughly clean the feeder at least weekly. Every 4 to 5 days is ideal, and more frequently in hot weather. If the food becomes moldy, cloudy, or otherwise grimy, immediately take it down and clean out the feeder. See cleaning instructions in the main body of this article.

Notes

Regarding sugar: Avoid using organic sugar, unless it is pure white in color. If the sugar is not 100% white refined sugar, it may contain a small amount of molasses. Molasses is rich in iron, and iron can be toxic to hummingbirds in even small doses. Therefore, avoid brown sugar or unrefined “raw” cane sugar. For example, the organic raw sugar we usually use at home has a brown tint to it, so we don’t use it in this homemade hummingbird food recipe. Do not use honey, agave syrup, or artificial sweeteners. Beet sugar is the only other suitable replacement for white cane sugar.

 

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