all a’buzz

Bring on the butterflies, moths,

and, of course, the bees!

I can’t hide my penchant for pollinators.

“The Wonder of Discovery: Pollinators All Around” by Carolyn Vibbert

It’s that time of year …

Blooms are bursting open around the farm, spiffing up the place with color and fragrance. I welcome the annual buzz and whir of those wondrous little magicians who make food happen. Last weekend, I was showing my grandgirls some flowers that were covered in our honeybees. I explained how it all ended up as honey, but more important, I explained that without the bees buzzing around the flowers on our blueberry bushes, we wouldn’t get blueberries. (Blueberries are Mia’s favorite food.)

Photo by Aiwok via Wikimedia Commons

Six years ago, the U.S. Senate unanimously declared the third week in June as “National Pollinator Week” to help address the declining pollinator crisis, and Pollinator Week has blossomed into an international celebration.

This year, the party kicks off on June 17, and the Pollinator Partnership website offers ideas about how you can get involved.

For my part, I’m focusing on some of my garden’s most charming guests:

hummingbirds.

A little Rusty-breasted Rufous gal paused to peek into my window this morning, then she rocketed away toward the garden.

But I knew she would end up landing here in my journal …

Photo by Sberardi, via Wikimedia Commons

Nature’s Nectar

As fun as it is to watch hummers flock to a feeder, it warms my heart all the more to see them sipping nectar as nature intended:

from flowers.

Photo by jeffreyw via Wikimedia Commons

Planting native vegetation is the key to attracting wildlife (like hummingbirds) with the least amount of effort. Once established, native plants don’t require fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides, which can be harmful to hummers.

According to Portland Nursery over in Oregon, Northwestern gardeners like me can offer an enticing buffet of native flowers to attract hummingbirds from early spring to fall. Take a look at their recommendations here.

Since hummingbirds don’t have a keen sense of smell, they rely on bright colors to find their food, and red is their all-time favorite.

Photo by Joe Schneid via Wikimedia Commons

Feeder Feast

If you have limited flower space or simply enjoy treating hummers to an easy feast from a feeder, skip the store-bought nectar, which is expensive and may contain artificial ingredients, and use this simple recipe to make your own.

You’ll Need:

• 1 cup organic sugar (a 10-pound bag of Wholesome Sweeteners Fair Trade Organic Sugar sells for $30 on Amazon)
• 4 cups water
• Mix sugar and water in a saucepan and boil for two minutes (no microwaving—it breaks down the sugar molecules and makes the nectar unfit for bird consumption … hmmmmmmm). Cool the mixture and fill your feeder. Unused nectar can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Photo by Michelle Lynn Reynolds via Wikimedia Commons

A few more feeder tips to keep in mind:

• Use only real sugar for your nectar. It has been found to mimic flower nectar very well and provides hummingbirds with the energy they need. Honey can actually kill hummingbirds by causing a tongue disease.
• Contrary to popular practice, it is not a good idea to use red food coloring in your mixture. The red plastic “blooms” of the feeder are all you need to lure in the birds.
• Change your hummingbird nectar every 3-5 days (every 2 days in hot weather or direct sunlight) to avoid fermentation, which turns the nectar cloudy and sour.
• Clean the feeder with hot water every time you change the nectar. If the feeders get gross, submerge them in boiling water for five minutes.

Oh, and if you haven’t read my post on hummingbird whispering, feast your eyes here.