Make Your Own Hummer Food

If you enjoy hummingbirds, you no doubt already have a hummingbird feeder or two. Did you know you can make your own sugar water for them?  I’ve been making hummer food for years. It’s very easy and of course, cheaper. Besides, the red coloring in the commercial stuff is not good for the hummingbirds, and totally unnecessary. They will come without it.

I know they sell clear commercial solutions containing vitamins and minerals “for better egg laying”. But whenever I’ve tried it, the birds aren’t interested at all and it spoils. So I stick with homemade sugar water and trust the hummers will get enough nutrition from insects.

Here’s how to make your own.

Beat the Weeds

No one that I’ve met really enjoys weeding.  Luckily there are ways to tame this often dreaded chore along with deadheading and trimming, so the task is manageable rather than monstrous. Here are a few tips.

I collect weeds in rubber barrels until I have a full load (4 barrels) to take to the municipal mulching center. A board and dolly make loading and unloading a snap.