🐸 Going Green 💚

I have a thing for frogs.  Seriously, I don’t know that I even recognized it was happening until one day I looked around and noticed that I have quite the collection of frog-tchotchkes.  I suppose that’s how things like this get started.  You mention to a few people that you like frogs, then pretty soon, every holiday, birthday etc., you’re getting some new item to add to your collection.  So, yep, I’m a full-fledged frog fan.  So, what’s a fanatic to do?  Build a Frog Habitat of course.

Green Acres Is The Place For Me

When we moved to the toolies from the city, (and by toolies, I mean, there’s no Trader Joe’s here) things certainly did change for us.  We went from big city life to country life.  And although Los Angeles, believe it or not, houses plenty of wildlife, nothing we’d experienced quite compares to the sites and sounds of our little nest.

When we first toured around looking for homes, I excitedly asked the realtor about deer.  We actually had quite a lot of deer at our last home (in Los Angeles) and certainly assumed we’d be seeing them all over, roaming in the morning fog, and having to fight them out of the gardens.  He just said, “no deer”. I didn’t ask why. 

Here Puppy, Here Puppy….

As soon as we moved in it was fairly clear.  Coyotes are like dogs around here.  Not that you’d walk up and try to pet one, but they are all over the place.  Morning, noon and night, you can see them and at night, their sounds are incredible.  When a pack of coyotes is under your bedroom window, believe me, the sound is quite remarkable.  Deafening.  And although some might not like it, I actually find it kind of musical.  

In addition to the coyotes, you name it, we got ’em.  Except for deer.  No deer here.  Coyotes ate them all, apparently.

We have a second story deck on our house.  It’s quite high up off the ground and when we first moved in, I noticed a baby frog living in my strawberry plant.  That frog was very social.  Every evening when we’d sit outside on the deck, the frog would come out and spend time with us.  I like to believe that eventually he just moved on.  But, we’ve had them a number of times and I’m pretty sure they are accidentally “spared” when dropped by a bird on our deck.  I’m not sure of any other reason or way they are making it up there.  This year our “deck frog” was living in my chair.  I kept forgetting about it and sat on him a time or two.  Fortunately, no harm done, physically anyway.  We were both a little shook up.

The Funny Thing About Frogs

One of the funniest things about the night sounds around here is during what I call Frogy 🐸  Tinder Time 💕. It starts around January and lasts for months.  The frogs are mating getting acquainted and they are so loud, you can’t even hear yourself talk. 

You’ll find yourself shouting above the “riiiibbbittts” and “croooaks” until you don’t even realize you’re kind of yelling.  The television volume is up so many decimals just to be able to hear it.  

Then, suddenly one day you notice it’s quiet again.  I always imagine the frogs packing up their bags and walking out of town, looking for wetter fields just over the horizon.  Don’t you worry little marching frogs, I got your back.  Just you wait and see.

 

Making A Frog Habitat

Just a few weeks ago I was in my garden and saw a most adorable little frog leaping away.  I realized I wasn’t actually doing anything to help them make a better home or to thrive.  Did you know that adding frogs to your garden will help you tremendously in getting rid of so many annoying bugs!  That’s right, just a few frogs will eat tons of bugs.  They are completely carnivorous eating only insects such as biting flies (I hate those $#&%*$!) slugs, beetles, cutworms, grasshoppers, gypsy moths, sowbugs, pillbugs, centipedes, millipedes, mole crickets, ants, and earwigs. A single toad might eat up to 1,500 earwigs in the summer! In fact, larger female toads are also known to eat Japanese beetles and June bugs. I guess the male frogs aren’t interested.

Light bulb moment, BOOM – and here we are, just making a lot of homeless frogs happy.

Budget-Friendly Frog Habitat DIY – $0.00 to $You Name It

I like making things from trash.  That’s right, and I’m not ashamed.  You can make a great Frog Habitat from broken pots and rocks and wood you find laying around.  For my version, I did spend a little money on a pond liner and plants, a few bags of gravel and rock.  However, all of those things are negotiable.  You can also make your frog habitat very small or grand so, if you only have a little space, don’t let that stop you.  

I had an old kiddie pool someone gave me.  Remember, I make things out of trash, so I usually store such things until I find the perfect use for them.  What was I thinking I’d use a 3 x 3 kiddy pool for?  Not sure, but wow, great job trash-collecting Karen.

Location, Location, Location!

Choose your location.  I’ve read a few things about this and there is some controversy.  I’m going centrist here and choosing a location near a deciduous tree.  It will get some shade in the heat of the summer and less so in the winter.  It’s in my garden, but away from any traffic.  In the mornings it will be only me, my coffee, and 20 or so of my favorite frogs.

The most important consideration in keeping your frogs safe is never using chemicals or pesticides.  Build your habitat away from any possible use and that includes neighbors that may be so inclined as well.  Yuck, who needs that kind of neighbor anyway? Let’s not get me started on people who use pesticides in their gardens…….Bee killers, Frog Killers, Happiness Killers.  But don’t kill your neighbors, no matter what.

The other and most important safety concern is kids.  If you’re going to add water, you should add some hardware cloth over the top of the habitat.  Frogs can get in and out, but just in case you have any curious kiddos (and what kid doesn’t want to see fabulous little frogs?) the tough, metal screen should keep little ones above the water.   Just attach and secure tightly over the top to be sure no one falls in.  Mine is mostly rock and gravel with only about 8 inches of water at 25% of the pool, so I’m pretty comfortable with the safety aspect.  But if you have any doubt, cover your frog habitat up!

 

A Pond Of Dreams – Build It And They Will Come (I think)

Start your Frog Habitat by digging out your “pond”.  Mine is 3 x 3 because of this kiddie pool.  You can use a washbasin or any other form to hold water.  The pool is about 2 feet deep, so I dug out the ground just enough to set it down to about 1 foot.  Check to be sure it’s level.  Line with a pond liner.  We bought one that was 12 x 12 (the smallest one they had) for about $17.00.  Put the liner over the pond.  Before you cut or shape the liner, add gravel to about 1 inch over the liner inside of your pond shape.  Once it settled in, smooth the pebbles.  Trim the liner so that there’s enough to completely cover the outside of your pond form.  Tuck in under and back-fill with dirt.  Add more gravel or river rock to give the base high and low tide areas.

Make easy entry and exits.  I added a long ceramic roof tile for easy and protected access.  Frogs want to be able to get in easily so don’t make your habitat too high off the ground, and be sure to add lots of “leap ways” via stone steps etc.

Add pond rocks.  In addition to foraging much of the rock from around our yard, I used several bags of decorative river rock.  To give the pond some various depths, I pushed lots of the river rock to one side.  On top of the river rock I added a concrete block that is used as the foundation for the main frog house. 

Fill the pond with water.

Little Frog Houses For You and Me – Habitat For Frogmanity

A frog house is a safe place that frogs can go to stay warm, get out of the water, hide from predators and make whoopie, I suppose.  Anything made of ceramic works great.  I used a broken pot.  It’s curved and just right for a frog house.

Set the frog house up from the water and on a flat surface.  It should be slighted lifted from the base and the entry should be facing east.  Okay, I was trying to find the facts on why the entry should be facing east and I was unsuccessful.  However, I bet it has to do with the sun rising in the east, so if you know why, please leave me a comment below.

Frogs like plenty of hiding places, so make sure you add some old wood pieces, plenty of grass and vegetation.  I purchased a few water plants too. Frogs do not eat plants which makes them perfect for your garden and you really don’t have to worry about the type of plants you use in your frog habitat.  Just plant and they will come…Leave the grass and wood and all to decay and all of that is just more fun in the sun for your new tenants.

You’re likely to attract a few other savory and not so savory characters with such a rich and lovely wetland.  I will be sure to check for snakes regularly, but that’s just par for the course around here.  For now, we wait anxiously for the arrival.  I will be sure and let you know how this turns out in a few months.

Happy Labor Day my friends.

XXOO,

Karen

 

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