I just finished hanging four feeders and I have a beautiful Hummingbird Friendly Garden..........WHERE ARE THEY?.....Does it take awhile for them to adjust to the new garden and feeders or do you think I might be scaring them away because I am always out there doing something?..........
You have built it and they WILL come! Try some large splashes of red (ribbons, fake flowers, etc.) to bring them to your place. They will soon try to chase you away from their flowers and feeders.
I'M IN THE SAME SITUATION AS YOU. I HAVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY WOULD LOVE, BUT NO HUMMERS-------DIXIEHIL
I heard that people living close to busy highways have trouble bringing the little guys in. If thats the case the plants and feeders need to be placed in the quietest spot in the garden.
Haven't seen 'em here yet either. We just naturalize flowers they like - no feeder. Usually, they start trying to chase us out of the garden in August, and we often don't see them sooner. Except, on a trail or in a neighbor's abandoned lot (certainly not mine - LOL) I do see them busy at that Chinese garlic cress in April.
Well, Molly, we have them across the river so you probably have them and haven't seen them, or will get them soon, don't you think?
Do you have red flowers blooming now? If not, try the red ribbon effect. It's shameless, and may spoil the look of your beautiful garden, but.... :-) t.
I read that somewhere too, t. Flashing some (a lot of?) red towards an open area in the sky just might bring a passing hummer in. Ya never know!
Molly---do you have any hummers yet?
I put out five feeders and have a little HB business, but the one feeder with the 'red ribbon effect' is getting the most business...just thought I'd report! t.
t, do you have photos of the feeder and red ribbons?
John
Still waiting........
molly--maybe your feeder is too pretty. My HBs like the cheesey ,cheap, red and yellow plastic ones from Home Depot!
And what is that pretty flowering plant? Lovely color. Please keep us posted. t.
p.s. Was in Covington last night on our way to dinner. Very, very pretty old city. Would love to have one of those houses on Riverside Drive. (Ate at the '915' in Ft. Thomas.) Didn't see any HBs over there, either!
Molly, are other enthusiast in your area seeing hummers?
Molly, i'm still waiting too. I have scads of red flowers, live in a fairly isolated area, but still no luck. I'm buying red ribbon tomorrow.---BEth
What do you do with the red ribbons? Just tie them around here and there? I have feeders out but the only hummer I've seen went to the hollyhocks. My red cypress vine is not in bloom yet and the hummers dropped out of the sky for that last year. But lots of other things that should attract them are and I have four of the cheap red/yellow feeders from Home Depot out, too. Still only one little guy so far. Your glass feeder really is pretty.
I just tied some red gift ribbon onto the hangers...nothing special...
Another idea that has been reported to attract orioles, and might work for HBs, is to get fake (red for HBs) flowers at the dollar store and tie them around your feeder. (sounds 'unethical', but....) ;-)
Although it sounds like you have plenty of flowers already (I don't).
I'm not getting a lot of HBs either, and I think it has to do with all the Hurricane's last summer. I think we lost a lot of them...
Well, I was out this morning and saw several hummers--on the honeysuckle, at the feeders, at the hollyhocks. So maybe they are finally getting going for the year. Our weather has been strange this spring, so maybe that's what has delayed them.
The way I understand the red ribbon thing is that we are trying to imitate a mass planting of red flowers. A passing hummer(s) sees all the red "flowers" and swoops in to investigate. The red stuff should be placed in an area open to the sky.
John
Hello tabasco......I just got back from Ireland....Wow is all I can say about the beauty of that Emerald Isle. Everybody has window boxes and containers everywhere. Saw some interesting flora as well. Palm trees are everywhere too. I didn't know Ireland had Palm trees.....It never freezes there and they brought them over from Spain. The plant in the picture is bougenvilliea......I just got home yesterday and grall the blooms are gone! I don't know if it will flower again or not. I live on Riverside Drive! It's very beautiful here. My parents bought this place in the early 50's and I still live here. I put the feeders away when I left so I don't know if any of my friends have been here or not. I had someone take care of the garden while I was away and they did a great job. Everything is in great health.
Beautiful courtyard, Molly...so romantic, and what a lovely and picutresque street you live on! It must be delightful gardening there...next time I am over in Covington, we'll have to meet for lunch...
We are new to Cincinnati, but this year we met a delightful couple who must be neighbors of yours...Sandy and Sallie. Sallie has a pretty garden, too, with a beautiful view of the skyline and river.
