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Got Toads?

By Horseshoe
February 12, 2012

Lions and Tigers and Toads, Oh MY! Well, nix the first two but the latter is a must in your garden! Ninety percent of a toad's diet consists of insects as well as other small creatures (think cutworms!) Encourage them to linger by providing a toad abode (upturned flower pot, box, etc) and a shallow pool for drinking and cooling off in on hot days.

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Feb 11, 2012 7:04 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Marilyn
Kentucky (Zone 6a)
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Cinda,

Love your toad pic! Cute! Lovey dubby Green Grin!

I'm always thrilled when I see toads in my garden/yard! Thumbs up
Welcome to the Agastache and Salvias Forum!

Hummingbirds are beautiful flying jewels in the garden!


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Feb 11, 2012 7:56 PM CST
Name: Lin Vosbury
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)

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Great tip Shoe! Thumbs up I agree .... toads are our friends and we should encourage them to live in our garden. The more toads, the less insects to munch on our plants!

Cinda: I like that photo too!
~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!


Avatar for tropicbreeze
Feb 11, 2012 11:57 PM CST

Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
It depends very much on where you live and whether toads belong.
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Feb 12, 2012 7:39 AM CST
Name: Lin Vosbury
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)

Region: Ukraine Region: United States of America Bird Bath, Fountain and Waterfall Region: Florida Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
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Zig: That is very true in some circumstances. While we have native frogs/toads here in Florida, we also have the very invasive Cuban Tree Frogs which eat our native tree frogs and anything thing else that will fit in their mouths: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C...
~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!


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Feb 12, 2012 10:04 AM CST
Name: Linda Williams
Medina Co., TX (Zone 8a)
Organic Gardener Bookworm Enjoys or suffers hot summers Charter ATP Member Salvias Herbs
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I think toads are great...I've missed them. We've been too droughty for them to show up very often in recent years. And this tip sure is appropriate, now that we've got that new forum, Gardening for Wildlife!
I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority. E. B.White
Integrity can never be taken. It can only be given, and I wasn't going to give it up to these people. Gary Mowad
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Feb 12, 2012 10:47 AM CST
Name: Tami Smith
Naylor, GA (Zone 8b)
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Love my frogs!!! Of course I have to watch out for the rattlesnakes that also show up to eat the frogs. Grumbling Although I have been pretty lucky that when they see me come to the garden they slither off into the woods. Smiling
Avatar for tropicbreeze
Feb 12, 2012 12:11 PM CST

Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
plantladylin said:Zig: That is very true in some circumstances. While we have native frogs/toads here in Florida, we also have the very invasive Cuban Tree Frogs which eat our native tree frogs and anything thing else that will fit in their mouths: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C...


That's right Lin, and you also have the Coqui Frogs in Hawaii. Here toads have been a catastrophic environmental disaster brought on by well meaning but shortsighted people. In the right place these things are an essential part of their natural system. Outside of it can be quite a different (and expensive) story.
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Feb 12, 2012 1:46 PM CST
Name: Horseshoe Griffin
Efland, NC (Zone 7a)
And in the end...a happy beginning!
I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Charter ATP Member Garden Sages Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle I sent a postcard to Randy! I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
For our friend, Shoe. Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Enjoys or suffers cold winters Birds Permaculture Container Gardener
Ugh. Zig, I remember reading some years back about how toads were shipped somewhere to "help" with mosquitoes or something of that kin and it backfired on them, with toads eating entirely to many beneficials or something and causing even more problems. That must have been in your area, eh? No fair.

Fortunately in my area there are no invasive species (crossing fingers), not even the Cuban tree frogs so I'm blessed in that regard.

Speaking of tree frogs, I've been hearing them for the past week at night. I've never heard them in January before. I guess this weather is messing with more than just plants, eh?

Shoe
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Feb 12, 2012 3:21 PM CST
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Name: Evan
Pioneer Valley south, MA, USA (Zone 6a)
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Love dem toads. Fortunately I don't have to do much for them as there are so many places for them to hang out. Only problem comes when I'm cutting the grass and have to keep my eyes peeled. Toughest with the really little ones. I now have an old tool bag they go into taped to the handle.
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Feb 21, 2012 12:35 PM CST
Surprisingly GREEN Pittsburgh (Zone 6a)
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And I learned from some other thread recently that if you put a SAUCER under your "toad home", it can help hold enough moisture to attract and keep tham.
SHOW ME YOUR CRITTERS! I have a critter page over at Cubits. http://cubits.org/crittergarde...
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Feb 21, 2012 1:10 PM CST
Name: tarev
San Joaquin County, CA (Zone 9b)
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Love toads! Now if only I can persuade them to hang about awhile longer before they head down the dry creek bed. Winter two years ago were more conducive for them, much more rain here, but this winter is drier than usual. I hope to hear their croaking orchestra come spring, if they did manage to stay around.
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Apr 20, 2012 6:17 PM CST
Name: GardnerGal
Gulf Coast in Texas (Zone 9a)
Happily a Great-Grandma of SIX
In a shady spot in one of my flower spots, I have an upturned terra cotta pot with a hole for the toads to enter. One day, I decided to move it, and SURPRISE!!! I left it there.
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Apr 20, 2012 9:52 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Marilyn
Kentucky (Zone 6a)
Laughter is the Best Medicine!
Region: United States of America Rabbit Keeper Hummingbirder Salvias Charter ATP Member Birds
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GardnerGal said:In a shady spot in one of my flower spots, I have an upturned terra cotta pot with a hole for the toads to enter. One day, I decided to move it, and SURPRISE!!! I left it there.


Hurray! Hurray! Hurray! Thumbs up
Welcome to the Agastache and Salvias Forum!

Hummingbirds are beautiful flying jewels in the garden!


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Jun 27, 2013 10:02 AM CST
Name: Jennifer
48036 MI (Zone 6b)
Cottage Gardener Houseplants Spiders! Heucheras Frogs and Toads Dahlias
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I love my toads! I have three separate residents. One lives by the pool and I often have to scoop him/her out! S/he floats around until s/he gets to the skimmer. Then s/he swims to the other end and then floats back. Repeat! Too funny.

One of my other ones is very mad at me right now because I demolished its mansion (a series of upside down milk crates holding up my winter sowing jugs). Sorry toadey!
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Apr 18, 2014 8:58 AM CST
Name: Jennifer
48036 MI (Zone 6b)
Cottage Gardener Houseplants Spiders! Heucheras Frogs and Toads Dahlias
Hummingbirder Sedums Winter Sowing Peonies Region: Michigan Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Just saw my first toad of the season this past Sunday. It was hunkered down in a divet in the lawn. I hope it found some place warmer to hang when we had very cold nights this week.
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Apr 18, 2014 9:23 AM CST
Surprisingly GREEN Pittsburgh (Zone 6a)
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I am on my 12th season in Pittsburgh and I have yet to see a toad.
Crying
SHOW ME YOUR CRITTERS! I have a critter page over at Cubits. http://cubits.org/crittergarde...
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Apr 18, 2014 2:33 PM CST
Name: Jennifer
48036 MI (Zone 6b)
Cottage Gardener Houseplants Spiders! Heucheras Frogs and Toads Dahlias
Hummingbirder Sedums Winter Sowing Peonies Region: Michigan Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Bummer crittergarden! They are one of my favorite creatures
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Apr 18, 2014 3:08 PM CST
Surprisingly GREEN Pittsburgh (Zone 6a)
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I like 'em too. And I put an appropriate pot out there.
AND an appropriate piece of a downed limb with a "cave".

I think it may not be wet enough out there.
Last year I put a second pot within range of the sprinkler I run every day it doesn't rain.
Still no toad.
SHOW ME YOUR CRITTERS! I have a critter page over at Cubits. http://cubits.org/crittergarde...
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Apr 20, 2014 12:18 PM CST
Name: Linda Williams
Medina Co., TX (Zone 8a)
Organic Gardener Bookworm Enjoys or suffers hot summers Charter ATP Member Salvias Herbs
Bluebonnets Native Plants and Wildflowers Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Forum moderator Purslane Hummingbirder
I'm hoping to see toads this year, also. They don't do well in droughts, but often a few will turn up in the yard, where there's more moisture.
I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority. E. B.White
Integrity can never be taken. It can only be given, and I wasn't going to give it up to these people. Gary Mowad
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Apr 20, 2014 3:47 PM CST
Surprisingly GREEN Pittsburgh (Zone 6a)
Rabbit Keeper Bee Lover Cat Lover Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Butterflies Hummingbirder
Dog Lover Birds Plant and/or Seed Trader Bulbs Echinacea Irises
Now I have TWO toad homes in range of the sprinkler I turn on every day it doesn't rain.
Send me some toads!!
SHOW ME YOUR CRITTERS! I have a critter page over at Cubits. http://cubits.org/crittergarde...

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