The Case Against Leaving Fruit Out For Hummingbirds In Your Garden

It's always a treat to see hummingbirds flitting around our gardens. They're beautiful tiny creatures that make our outdoor spaces feel like we're living in a fairy tale, and it's only natural to want to draw them in. A common way people try to do that is with fresh fruit, but there's a good case against leaving the product out for hummingbirds in your garden.

The main reason you shouldn't leave fresh fruit out to attract hummingbirds is because it doesn't stay fresh for long. Once it's cut, fruit quickly starts to spoil and ferment, becoming unfit for human and bird to eat. You wouldn't want to eat a piece of watermelon that's been sitting out in the hot sun all day, after all, so think twice before you put out what will amount to a fresh fruit cocktail to entice your local hummingbirds. In addition, the fruit can attract nastier insects like wasps, which can not only harm hummingbirds but will also repel them from your garden.

Once you rule out fresh fruit, your next thought might be to put some in your hummingbird feeder, or perhaps some fruit juice ... but think again. Fresh fruit has the same problems in a feeder as when it's just left out on a table, while fruit juice is full of other ingredients that aren't good for hummingbirds. Hummingbird feeders in general aren't a very good option, either, since they can get dirty and attract pests, while the nectar inside can spoil.

So, if fresh fruit and hummingbird feeders aren't the best options, what is? Don't worry, it's very simple. Flowering plants are the best way to both attract hummingbirds to your garden and feed them at the same time. What plants those are exactly will depend on where you live, but anything native will be of great benefit to your environment and the birds, especially if it's brightly colored or has a tube-shaped flower that a hummingbird can easily drink from.

Another great way to attract hummingbirds is to avoid using pesticides in your garden. It should come as no surprise that spraying what is essentially poison all over food is harmful, and it's no different for a hummingbird. Instead, use responsible and natural pest control methods. For example, companion plants can go a long way toward repelling insects, like how planting basil in a garden keeps tomato plants safe.

Finally, a great way to help and attract hummingbirds is to install helpful water features with them in mind. Hummingbirds can't swim and are too small to safely use most standard water features, so look for ones that are shallow. Use features that create mist, drip water, or that run it over a solid surface instead of creating a basin of water that a hummingbird could get trapped in. While you're at it, you can use old water bottles for easy garden drip irrigation to help you create a low-effort native landscape.