Author Topic: A new strategy for toads! (Read 7360 times)

pigeonseed · « **on:** August 15, 2009, 21:07:59 »

I saw something new in the garden today!

When I was weeding round the base of a tomato plant, the earth shifted in a way that definitely meant an animal was under there - I brushed aside some soil and had a look and it was a toad!

It's still out there now.

That tomato plant suffers from snails climbing up the wall and eating the ripe tomatoes - I never have eaten one yet! And I'm guessing that the toad is helping me out a bit there.

Clever don't you think? Toads must observe the habits of their food, and then plan their hunting strategies.

saddad · « **Reply #1 on:** August 15, 2009, 21:50:36 »

I wish my frogs were such quick learners... I think I have "remedial" ones... :-X

pigeonseed · « **Reply #2 on:** August 15, 2009, 22:25:14 »

oh dear!

Well toads are very common while frogs are becoming rarer - maybe frogs should take note of their bumpy cousins

thifasmom · « **Reply #3 on:** August 16, 2009, 00:45:47 »

toads are more common? i have never seen one, only got frogs around here :( but i'll take what i can get :)

1066 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 16, 2009, 10:16:51 »

Toads are great aren't they! We have several in our garden and I love watching them, if you sit outside after some rain in the early evening you can watch them crossing the garden, it gets quite busy out there at times.

A couple of years ago I had a similar surprise and found one had half buried itself in a pot with a geranium.

Saw a frog yesterday on my plot - the 1st I've seen up there so very pleased to know they have found my plot :)
1066

pigeonseed · « **Reply #5 on:** August 16, 2009, 22:40:36 »

Yes they waddle about all over the place. A large one with sort of leopard skin markings sits near our back door every night now - I presume catching some insects or slugs.

But the toad in the hole hasn't returned to his hole - I hope I didn't spoil it for him/her!

I've never been lucky enough to have toads or frogs before, and I really like them.

1066 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 18, 2009, 06:58:09 »

Quote from: pigeonseed on August 16, 2009, 22:40:36

Yes they waddle about all over the place. A large one with sort of leopard skin markings sits near our back door every night now - I presume catching some insects or slugs.

The larger ones are (usually) the females, when you see a smaller one with darker colouring they will be the males. We're planning a small pond in our garden so they can spawn :)

Quote from: pigeonseed on August 16, 2009, 22:40:36

But the toad in the hole hasn't returned to his hole

;D ;D ;D

1066

pigeonseed · « **Reply #7 on:** August 26, 2009, 22:35:03 »

That's nice to know, I didn't know how to tell male and female ones apart.

angle shades · « **Reply #8 on:** August 29, 2009, 19:52:00 »

:) I love toads, have loads on my lottie of all different ages and sizes,they refuse to use the log piles and shady safe places I have made for them,

they prefer to go in my greenhouses which bake during the day and live in my tomato and melon grow bags, I also have newts in my tomato pots which are quite high... can they climb? / shades x

thifasmom · « **Reply #9 on:** August 29, 2009, 21:29:40 »

Quote from: angle shades on August 29, 2009, 19:52:00

:) I love toads, have loads on my lottie of all different ages and sizes,they refuse to use the log piles and shady safe places I have made for them,

they prefer to go in my greenhouses which bake during the day and live in my tomato and melon grow bags, I also have newts in my tomato pots which are quite high... can they climb? / shades x

wow! you are lucky.

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #10 on:** August 30, 2009, 19:36:30 »

Yesterday I found one in my walk-in coldframe, nice and fat and must have been finding enough bugs somehow to stay alive. There is no water in there which concerns me so I tried to catch him to carry him out but no luck.

angle shades · « **Reply #11 on:** August 31, 2009, 16:48:54 »

:) they only need water to breed in GrannieAnnie it must like it in your coldframe / shades x

1066 · « **Reply #12 on:** September 01, 2009, 07:36:21 »

Angle Shades - I love the story about the newt! I only tend to see them when I uncover or move something around on the plot.

angle shades · « **Reply #13 on:** September 02, 2009, 22:13:39 »

1066 :) my newt is still in my tomato pot, she comes out and looks at me when I pick the toms, she's in the Gardeners Delight pot,every time I pick a tomato I'm scared others will fall and squish her ::)/ shades x

1066 · « **Reply #14 on:** September 03, 2009, 07:01:51 »

aawwww :D

Digeroo · « **Reply #15 on:** September 03, 2009, 07:17:53 »

I have lots of toadlets on site, thought they might be frogs but they are getting more toadlike by the day.

But I have never seen a newt out of water. That is great. Can you put some kind of cover across the top of the pot to stop the tomatoes falling on the newt.

angle shades · « **Reply #16 on:** September 09, 2009, 23:04:30 »

:) Nancy the Newt was missing today ;but doesn't appear to have been squished by a Gardeners Delight ;D/ shades x

pigeonseed · « **Reply #17 on:** September 10, 2009, 09:28:04 »

I don't know what Nancy's up to.

Yesterday I found a small toad (maybe the ex-tomato one) in the compost heap, buried under compost and another large speckled one strolling around under the squash plants (just stretching its legs)

I wonder how many there are, and I think it's a shame that, if I keep on taming the garden, there'll be less space for them. (there's loads of dense bindweed and dock plants)

I think it will have to be done gradually, so until the garden plants get large, I'll keep some large weeds.

1066 · « **Reply #18 on:** September 10, 2009, 11:27:01 »

here's wishing Nancy all the best in her new life and location :D

PigeonSeed - the toads in our garden seem to find all sorts of dark/damp corners to hide in, never quite sure where exactly they overwinter. But then our garden is certainly not pristine!!

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #19 on:** September 10, 2009, 18:11:20 »

I sometimes find them hiding under the mulch. Toads don't seem to mind bare soil as long as they've got a hiding place. Frogs don't like being away from thick vegetation.

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Author Topic: A new strategy for toads! (Read 7360 times)