Solstice, I do boil my water in the microwave..makes it easy and I make up a 4 cup batch which I have to tell you that I've used half up already... It must have been a traffic jam here..cause I had an abundance of hummers..and now I have one Head Turd..who seems to direct traffic.. I have to tell you all.. I am so enjoying this and in 3 weeks I'll be heading back to Philly..ready to put a feeder up as they should be hitting my area in May..so I'll work it one way or another...My housekeeper came over today and she is going to enjoy this...(I hope) but she is use to having them where she was before she came to live in Florida.. Next Oct when I come back I'll start getting more plants as I just bought the star Jasmine..and will be planting that... It's very easy to get hooked..but gosh you have to be prepared to work for these darlings.. Evening time I get a hurry get the last drink in..now I don't get all at the same time ..which I'm so anxious to see but every 10 to 15 minutes I have them fly in... I've only seen the female maybe once or twice during the day...but mostly males... Sudimari, my feeder will hold 32 oz easily but living here in Florida I'm sure it would go to waste quickly...I don't mind changing the feeder as I have a few but just didn't put them up... not yet..so when I bring one in for cleaning the fresh one is left hanging...can ya tell I'm use to production without interuption LOL God Bless BarbZeee and her critters..

Beats the stuffing out of me why the ant traps are so often make RED. They attract the hummers, but they don't actually offer them anything. I suppose it's RED to attract the shoppers in the stores. Perhaps fill the ant trap with sugar water and let it serve two purposes 1) ant trap and 2) (dead) ant feeding station for hummers. Anyone tried that? Heartless Jim

It got down to 29 degrees here early this morning. Speaking of birds...there were a couple of birds in Wal-mart seeking warmth yesterday. I also, found one overnighting in my garage this morning, but when I opened the door he flew out. Texas Birds aren't accustomed to these low temps. The back of my Fireplace is on the wall of the garage, so my garage stays a little warmer.

popamama... I am in Zone 10 in Florida. I have a couple of black and blue salvia.... I have a red, pink and white summer jewel salvia.... I have a purple salvia that is from SA and it doesn't reseed, but I don't remember the name of it. I had lime light salvia that grew and grew and just when it was time to bloom a windstorm laid it over..... they it grew again, before being hit by another windstorm ... the last time it promptly died. I also have lots of tropical butterfly weed.... I also have the following, but I don't know if hummers like it red penta, orange lantana, and pink cleosia. Once it cools down, I have zinnia, hollyhock, four-oclock, and geranium seeds..... So far, no hummingbirds.... I have a feeder, but was told not to put it out until October.... I really hope to get some hummers this year. Can anybody tell me how aggressive blue morning glory would be.... I grew up in Missouri and it was considered a weed and very aggressive.... I wouldn't mind letting it grow up a sunflower (which was also considered a weed.... and I use to cut them out of my father's bean field) .... but I don't want to be fighting it trying to keep it contained... that is kind of the reason that I don't want honeysuckle... I have a friend who has one and she is CONSTANTLY doing battle with it,,,,,, I have hibiscus, but it must have much nectar, because NOTHING visits the ones I have (3) of them). I also have two dwarf butterfly bushes that smell amazing.. I also have gladiolus of various colors and peackcock glads too..... (of course most of my garden is roses which I doubt a hummer will visit, but I was surprised to have TONS of butterflies visiting my plants.)