A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2005 is it worth it?

In my post in new members I said I live in Princeton Minnesota, I have been reading through this site and am interested in trying to make a humming bird garden next year, does anyone know if it would be worth it, are there any humming birds where I live? I have never seen one but I havent exactly been looking.

I believe so, we have members in Canada who have recently been mourning the departure of their hummingbirds for the south. Try hanging a hummingbird feeder and growing a few of their favorite flowers next year and you should be able to attract them.

Its definitely worth it. I'm sure you haven't seen any because you haven't really been looking and they probably don't frequent your yard if no food is available. This was my exact situation a few years ago until I put up a feeder and planted my first monarda(bee balm) That same summer I saw my first hummer and have had them every summer since. I've also continued planting hummer friendly plants and shrubs. Good luck.

And the hummer friendly plants and flowers are pretty. So it isn't any hardship.

Although my garden is not specifically hummingbird/butterfly/bird friendly I have began getting visits from different species and it adds a touch of whimsy to gardening that I never expected.

I am not so much of a gardener as I am a Birdwatcher and amateur bird researcher. I have friends near Bimidji MN, that get Ruby-throated Hummingbirds all the time. I am in Nashville, TN and almost never saw Hummingbirds until I hung up some feeders. Within two weeks I had several living at my feeders for the rest of the season. Keep in mind that Hummingbirds almost entirely quit coming to the feeders for about 1 1/2 months in the Summer to raise their young, but as soon as the young fledge, both parents and young locate a feeder in their area and set up residence there for the rest of the summer. You then have DOUBLE the numbers of Hummers that you did in early spring!

Oh, it's SO worth it, isn't it?
That first hummingbird of the season is so exciting...
I had brought along a jar of sugar water to fill the feeder, and I filled it and hung it up from a hook on her porch. Within 5 minutes there was a hummingbird there. In a few more minutes there were 3 more. She had never seen one there before.

Cindy

I love those little hummers. I plant everything that says it will attract hummers.

I will have to remember to try that next spring. I read the list of what flowers they like and one of them was the Columbine flower, I found that kind growing wild in my back yard this summer so maybe I will build my garden around them.

they like the 4:00's too anything that is a trumpet shaped flower

A word of advice from a fellow Minnesotan ....

We put our feeder out in May, and didn't notice any hummers until we hung the thing right smack in front of the window. Well before we saw any, I purchased a bag of mixed hummingbird flower seeds and planted them. Well the spot I chose didn't get enough light, and are now just starting to flower. But the hummers came even though I had no flowers to attract them. I did notice that they would come to our feeder and then zip over to the neighbor's house to feed from the hostas. So I think just having attractive plants in the area really helped out.

What I'm saying is you could put up a feeder without having to plant a garden and you would probably still get some. But if you'd rather have a garden, then more power to you I prefer a feeder cuz the bloom time for some of the flowers is so short, and this way with a feeder they can eat until they are ready to migrate south.

We met in the new members forum...I'm from Glencoe. This was my first year with my hummingbird garden. A few plants I planted that were magnets for hummers were: Canna Indica, Anise Sage(Salvia guaranitica), and Scarlet Sage(Salvia Coccinea). I will be planting these next year!! The Salvias were a hit! Also today I had tons of hummers playing all over in our yard. I was outside with our son and they were flying two feet away from us and screeching and chasing each other! They also perch on our giant sunflowers and feeding from our feeders.