PlanetJune Craft Blog

Latest news and updates from June

hummingbird nectar recipe

I’m still deeply ensconced in my secret project, so I haven’t had anything crafty to post about recently – hopefully that will all change soon! In the meantime, I thought I’d share a quick nectar recipe for those of you who are lucky enough to live in an area visited by hummingbirds.

ruby throated hummingbird

Hummingbirds are fascinating little miracles – so tiny and so fast, it’s hard to believe they can exist! They are only 3-4 inches long from beak to tail and they beat their wings around 60 times per second, which produces the humming sound for which they were named. Coming from the UK, I had never even seen a hummingbird until a couple of years ago, and now I can see Ruby-throated Hummingbirds daily (in summer) in my own garden, just by putting up a little nectar feeder for them 🙂

ruby throated hummingbird

You can buy powdered hummingbird nectar, but it’s a bit messy to prepare, and expensive. It’s actually super-simple to make your own nectar for feeding hummingbirds: all you need is sugar and water! Hummingbird feeders are red, so the colour of the feeder will attract the birds and there is no need to add red colour to the nectar.

  • Ingredients: 1 part granulated white sugar and 4 parts tap water. (I use 1/2 cup sugar and 2 cups water, which makes a 2-week supply for my hummers.)
  • Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally.
  • Cover the suacepan and boil the nectar for a couple of minutes (this retards mould growth).
  • Allow to cool to room temperature, then pour into a clean hummingbird feeder.
  • Store leftover nectar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
  • Replace the nectar and clean your feeder twice a week to prevent mould.
  • Enjoy the beauty of the visiting hummingbirds!

ruby throated hummingbird

5 Comments »

  1. patty said

    Thanks for the nector recipe.
    Had no hummers then all of a sudden i cant keep them fed i can count as many as 10 only they are so busy and fast. I know there are a lot of them. I have wondered if someone stopped there feeding. Anyway they are awsome little fellers.
    Thanks PATTY

  2. KD said

    I’ve actually had hummers get really close to my face, like they’re saying “fill up the nectar bottle!” I had one actually tap on my slide door window, to let me know the bottle was empty, lol. Isn’t that the most adorable thing? My dilemma is I have the powdered type nectar which I put in a container and didn’t keep the mixing instructions. So now I don’t know how many parts of powder nectar to mix with water. Can anyone who knows, tell me? I’d really appreciate it! Thank you.

  3. Kira said

    Can’t wait for the secret project!!

  4. val said

    Hi June! We have 5 feeders around our house! We had to add 3 this year b/c they are all OVER us. Last week during a light rainstorm, we had 7 of them up under the front porch, feeding at the same time. I don’t know how many we actually have…I think about 12!
    I had one just the other day fly about a foot from my face and hovered there fussing at me. I was too close to the feeder. When I moved back, it went and landed to feed. SO funny! Each time I took a step closer, it would fly down and fuss at me in my face! The kids were loving it!

  5. Deb said

    Love it! I watched a hummingbird actually resting on one of my rhodies yesterday–sat there nearly 2 minutes! But I’ve never had any luck making my own nectar! So I resort to the powdered nectar from the store. We have Anna’s Hummingbirds here…

RSS feed for comments on this post

Leave a Reply

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment here! I read and appreciate every comment. I only respond to questions here on the blog, so please return to this page to see my reply, or check the box below to subscribe to new comments by email.

Please note that I can only answer questions related to PlanetJune patterns and tutorials (see details), and I can only respond to questions or comments written in English. Thank you :) - June

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Quick Links: Crochet

    navigation: arrow

    buy crochet patterns and accessories from my online store

    'Everyday Crochet' and 'The Essential Guide to Amigurumi' crochet books by June Gilbank

    Crochet video tutorials and step-by-step photo tutorials

    Free PlanetJune crochet patterns

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Quick Links: Crafts

    navigation: arrow

    Punchneedle Embroidery information, ebook & patterns

    Papercraft ebook & tutorials

    Free PlanetJune craft projects & tutorials

  • Blog Post Categories

  • Blog Archives

  • Welcome to PlanetJune!

    June Gilbank

    Hi, I'm June. Welcome to my world of nature-inspired crochet and crafting. I hope you enjoy your visit!

    If you'd like to get in touch, you can contact me here.
    crocheted Canadian flag by PlanetJune
  • A fanned-out pile of the books Everyday Crochet and The Essential Guide to Amigurumi, with text 'The answers to all your crochet questions at your fingertips - find out more'
  • Support PlanetJune!

    Want to say thanks? You can send me money in seconds at paypal.me/planetjune (over $20) or paypal.me/planetjune2 (under $20) or send me a donation through my shop.

    Or simply click through from my links before you shop at Amazon, Etsy, KnitPicks, LoveCrafts or Crochet.com, and I'll make a small commission on your purchase, at no cost to you! Start here:

    ♥ Support PlanetJune ♥

    Tip: This link is also in the footer of every page!

    Thank you so much for your support!