Thrifty Thursday - DIY Hummingbird Nectar

One of my favorite things about spring/summer is watching the hummingbirds that visit our yard.  I have used the same hummingbird feeders for years.  I also prefer to make my own nectar.  The recipe is pretty simple.

Homemade Hummingbird Nectar
4 cups water
1 cup sugar

Heat one cup water and add in sugar.  Stir thoroughly until sugar dissolves.  Then add in 3 cups of cold water.  Stir to combine.

I like using a small amount of hot water and mostly cool water.  This means I am not waiting hours for the nectar to cool. I do not use red dye and have no problems attracting hummingbirds.

This time of year I fill the feeders with a fair amount of nectar.  The temperatures are warm but not so hot that the nectar spoils quickly.  As the summer progresses I put less nectar in the feeders.  I store the rest in the refrigerator.  It means that I need to fill them several times a week, but I am not wasting the nectar.

The last tip I have is to keep your feeders clean.  An old toothbrush works great for scrubbing them.  I also like to use pipe cleaners to keep the feeding holes clean.  Pipe cleaners are inexpensive and effective.

W and I enjoy sitting in the yard to watch the hummingbirds.  It is free entertainment in exchange for a bit of food.  Of course you could always grow flowers that attract hummingbirds.  Check out this link for information on the best flowers for hummingbirds.