Now is the time to prepare your home and yard for spring, and, more relevant to this article, for hummingbirds! During the winter, hummingbirds migrate to the southernmost parts of the U.S.A. and further south to Central America. With Spring’s return, however, hummingbirds come back to most of the U.S.A., and areas of Canada.
Whether you are preparing your yard/porch for the first time, or your a long-term vet when it comes to hummingbirds and gardens, here are few tips on preparing your yard for these tiny, migratory birds. . .
Hummingbird Feeders & Migration
Put out your hummingbird feeders if you haven’t yet! For the southern states, March is generally the month when hummingbird scouts head north, looking for food. You don’t want to be found lacking when they arrive!
Have you already put out your feeder, but haven’t seen any hummingbirds? If you’re curious as to whether or not these little guys are in your area yet, or are wondering when they will show up, check out this neat, interactive map (scroll down a bit on the linked page to see the map) from hummingbirdcentral.com. Hummingbird sightings for the year are marked on the map, so you can see weather or not hummingbirds have been sighted in your area yet.
Planting a Hummingbird Haven
If your home isn’t a well-established hummingbird hotspot yet, you can make it one this year. Brighten up your porch with potted plants or hanging baskets that have their own striking colors. This will help attract more hummingbirds to your home and feeder. Several of the plants for South-Central Texas (planting zones 7b – 8b) that hummingbirds love include:
- Autumn Sage Salvia Greggi (just planted several this weekend!)
- Esperanza
- Lantana
- Red Yucca
- Bird of Paradise
- Coral Honeysuckle
- Butterfly Bush
- Desert Willow
- Verbena
- and a host of others mentioned in this fantastic TAMU article.
Don’t live in this part of Texas? Check out this helpful link from the Audubon Society to see what flowers you should plant in your area to attract hummingbirds.
Do you want to attract more hummingbirds, but don’t have time or space for a garden? Hummingbirds love geraniums, a common & easy-to-grow plant that does well in a pot!
For more information on creating a hummingbird haven, as well as some fun hummer facts, check out this article from austinrealestate.com!
Happy planting,
– Cait
Born a world traveler, Caitlynn has settled in Cleburne to continue doing what she loves – investing in her family and community while capturing beauty with her camera and her writing. Caitlynn also has a background in customer service, administrative support, and sales. She is married to her highschool sweetheart, Ryan.
