How To Attract Frogs To Your Garden
Attracting a little local wildlife to your backyard can be a wonderful way to add some entertainment and enjoyment to your outdoor living space. By creating your own do-it-yourself bird feeder, you could get the attention of birds in your neighborhood, or by planting the perfect flowers in your garden, it might encourage bees and butterflies to make a stop by your plants and bring some life to your backyard. But maybe the birds and bees don't do it for you, and you would rather have some frogs bumping and croaking their way through your garden. Well, no worries, because we have some great ideas about how you can attract some amphibious friends to your flower patch.
Having frogs in your garden can prove to be incredibly beneficial. The common frog's carnivorous diet consists mainly of snails, slugs, worms, and other bugs, according to Discover Wildlife, which can be the enemies of the avid green thumb. Slugs, in particular, can cause havoc in any garden. Their constant munching can ruin the leaves, flowers, and stems of existing plants as well as cause damage to new plant bulbs and immature plants, per The Royal Horticultural Society. That's why if you are a gardener who is looking for a plant-protecting ally in your flower bed, then it might be a good idea to attract some frogs. Let's look ahead and see exactly how we can make your garden a more welcoming environment to charm frogs into making it their new home.
Create a frog-friendly pond
In order to get frogs interested in your backyard garden, you need to create an environment that will make them feel right at home. Designing an outdoor pond by your garden would be the ideal way to attract amphibians. Since frogs need to stay moist and they are always on the lookout for a place to spawn, a little pond could be just the thing to add to your backyard landscape in order to get their attention. However, there are a few things to consider when you are looking to design the perfect frog-friendly conditions.
According to Almanac, it doesn't take a huge pond in order to attract frogs. Sometimes even a three-foot-wide ditch that is up to six-inches deep could do the trick. Also, since frogs aren't at the top of the food chain — and have to be wary of predators like birds, skunks, or foxes — you should provide a little shelter to give them a place to hide and keep cool. Big surrounding plants or even a decorative clay pot turned on its side would make for a great hiding spot. Adding floating lily pads or even a little rock perch in your pond will also give them a place to rest. To make sure that the frogs have easy access in and out of your pond, place a few rocks or flat stones near the water's edge to create a little frog ladder.
Other ways to attract frogs to your backyard garden
Aside from adding a little pond to your outdoor space, there are other ways you can attract frogs to your backyard. Having a lush green garden that is kept moist will generate the ideal shelter and attract bugs and worms that your new amphibious neighbors could munch on. Since frogs need to hide from predators, having a pile of logs or creating innovative froggy hidey holes could make for ideal resting spots.
Even the way you maintain your lawn could ensure that you have the perfect frog roaming conditions. Because the skin of a frog absorbs moisture, you should make absolutely sure that you are not using any unnecessary fertilizers or pesticides in your lawn care routine, according to HGTV. These chemicals might ruin your yard and could repel frogs from wanting to visit your garden. Also, try using the highest setting on your lawnmower when taking care of the grass in your backyard. This extra length can allow frogs to stealthily hop around your yard without being detected by would-be predators. By following some of these ideas, you just might be able to create the ideal habitat to host your own frog get-togethers.