Flutterbug, I wish I could remember the exact number of years, but it was so many that I was beginning to think it would never bloom. It must have been at least 6 or 7 years, and I'm even tempted to say 10. It was ridiculous! Worse yet, I don't think I can give you any smart advice because I don't think I did anything special to get it to bloom. Maybe it would have bloomed sooner if I'd fertilized it, but I didn't. I just kind of ignored it and as the years dragged on, wondered how the darn thing could look so healthy and yet not produce a single flower. Finally, my impatience was rewarded with blooms last year, and the hummingbirds just loved them! Part of the problem could be that it just doesn't get that much sun, and Pittsburgh also tends to be a very cloudy place. Although blooming, it doesn't bloom as heavily as specimens I've seen in other people's yards. I think mine gets sun from about 7am until 1pm, but some of it might be filtered by a silver maple tree--not a tree that causes dense shade, but it is still somewhat shady. This could well be the problem for me. It's also the variety called "flava," having pale golden orange blossoms instead of the usual bright pinkish orange. I assume you have the common type. Maybe flava is a more reluctant bloomer than the species, and you'll have better luck with yours. I will say, though, in spite of the non standard bloom color, it's an excellent hummingbird flower, and well worth growing if you can get it to bloom. I hope this helps!

Yep, this is prime migration time. According to hummingbirds.net in the Migration Basics section: "Some adult males start migrating south as early as mid-July, but the peak of southward migration for this species is late August and early September. By mid-September, essentially all of the Ruby-throated at feeders are migrating through from farther north, and not the same individuals seen in the summer." You still should keep your feeder filled for a while - there may be some late migrants coming through your yard and they'll be really hungry. Claire

Becky, You had asked about what to feed the hummingbirds~just use regular water and table sugar at a ratio of 4 parts water to 1 part sugar. I boil 4 cups of water then add 1 cup of sugar~ allow to disolved and cool. Once cooled, I just pour some into the feeders (usually about 1/4 to 1/2 way) and hang them out. If I have any left over I keep it in the fridge in a clean milk jug. I have one feeder hanging outside my kitchen window. I screwed a hook into the fascia ~ added a chain to the feeder and let it hang (I get a lot of visitors at this feeder!). I have 2 others that I hang from my deck and those hang from shepards hooks. One I screw right into the side of the deck and the other is the type with a bracket you tighten onto the railing. I hope you have great success with your feeders and I hope I was somewhat helpful?! GL

pd728: I would (and I will) leave the feeders up until at least the end of September, and probably until close to frost. I'm still seeing hummers but when that's rare I'll take in the feeder from the deck and leave the feeder up in the front yard. The deck feeder will come in because the raccoons empty it every night and I have to refill it every morning. The front yard feeder only needs to be refilled every four or five days, depending on the weather. Claire edit note: I just saw this site The amazing tongue of the hummingbird