How to Attract Hummingbirds to Deck Gardens

Hummingbirds are fascinating creatures. They beat their wings 80 times per second in a figure eight pattern rather than flapping. This allows them to hover and fly backwards like a giant insect. Their heart rate can reach 1260 beats per minute, which is a lot compared to human’s 100 beats per minute. This fast metabolism means they literally live life in the fast lane and are always in search of food to hold off starvation. They are intelligent birds with a very large brain size to body weight ratio and can remember every flower they have fed from. They can see ultraviolet light and of course, their feathers are beautiful. Hummingbirds would be a great addition to deck gardens everywhere.

So the question is, How do you attract these intriguing and beautiful visitors to your deck garden? Try these six suggestions:

Use Sugar-Water

Simple sugar most definitely hits the spot for this high calorie burning bird. Create a  20% sugar-water mixture and pour it into a red tinted feeder. For every cup of sugar, add 4 cups of water. Replace the mixture about 3 times a week and never add food coloring or other dyes.

Use Bright Colored Tubular Flowers

Hummingbirds are attracted by color, and colorful flowers make beautiful deck gardens. hummingbirds prefer red most of all but also like orange, yellow, pink, and purple. To accommodate their long beaks, the flowers must be tubular shaped. In addition, use nodding flowers (which have a downward bend) to make drinking easier.

Add Flowers With Different Blooming Periods

To keep them coming back, plant flowers with different blooming periods. Consult with a local garden expert to learn about the suitable flowers for your area. You can also prolong the flowering period for each species by deadheading them. This entails removing old and wilted flowers which stimulates the plant into producing more flowers.

Use Red And Orange Ribbons

Since hummingbirds are attracted to color, tie red and orange plastic ribbons around your deck gardens, such as nearby trees, bushes, and your deck railing. These will attract newcomers who aren’t familiar with your deck garden.

Make The Area Friendly For Feeding

Provide places for them to perch and rest their wings. This means providing plenty of bushes with exposed branches. Avoid bunching up flowers so that the hummingbirds have plenty of hovering room when they feed.

Include A Water Mister

Hummingbirds like to bathe by flying through water mist. Include a bird bath with a water mister in it.

Of course, what’s the point in having beautiful hummingbirds around if your deck is not equally beautiful. Make sure to pick up these cleaning products so that your deck looks as magnificent as these creatures. For more deck garden ideas and information, contact us.