How to Make Toad Houses from Flowerpots
Transform Old Clay Pots into Festive Toad Houses
Jun 1, 2009
Toads in your backyard can be a gardener’s best friend. Besides being fun creatures to watch and observe, they also have a hearty appetite for garden pests such as grubs, slugs, and worms. It has been estimated that the average adult toad can eat around 100 insects per night, adding up to 10,000 insects during the summer season.
The most common toad in the United States is Bufo americanus, the American toad. While the toad requires water for breeding and in the tadpole stage of its life, once changed over into an adult toad they spend most of their life away from the water. Unlike frogs, toads simply need to keep their skin moist and can do so by taking a simple dunk in some water now and then.
Their reliance on insects and unfrequent need of water make toads a very common and pleasing occurrence around backyards. You can do your part to invite more toads to your yard by the addition of a simple toad house and a fresh water supply. While toad houses are available commercially, it is quite easy and inexpensive to make them yourself. They are also a perfect nature craft project to do as a family and don’t require expensive materials.
What You’ll Need to Make Your Toadhouse
- Clay or terracotta flowerpot, new, used, or even slightly broken
- Non-toxic paints/weather-proof paints
- Acyrilic spray
- Paint brushes
- Trowel
- Dirt
How To Make Your Toadhouse
- Make sure your flowerpot is clean and dry, especially if you are using an old or broken one.
- Turning your pot on its side, paint anything you like (preferrably using muted or forest-like tones) on the top and sides, not forgetting the bottom of the pot. Leaves or other woodland scenes make excellent décor.
- If you are not using weather-proof paints, when the paint is dry you may wish to seal it with an acrylic spray to preserve your art from weathering.
- Find a place to put your toad house. Your location should be fairly shady and in close proximity to gardens or lawns where toads can find food.
- With the trowel, dig a hole as wide as your flowerpot.
- Place your flowerpot in the hole on its side so that your design is facing up. Bury it halfway in the soil, leaving a small space for the toad to get in, but large enough so that they fit. Full-grown American toad can get to be three inches long and wide. Keep in mind that toads prefer dark, damp places, and too large of an opening might not be appealing to them.
- Make sure that the floor of the toad house is dirt. Toads like to scratch and dig themselves a place to sit during the day, and nothing is better than workable dirt. Add some if you need to.
A Water Supply For Toads
If you have toads in your yard, chances are they have already found a water supply to keep themselves moistened. But by adding a water supply near to the toad house, you can increase your chances of toad success. Bury the saucer from your flowerpot close by. Keep it filled with fresh water and scrub the algae out when it forms, an easy chore for children.
The best time to make and place your toad houses is early summer before the toads have gotten established in their own habitats. Invite them into your yard at the right time and enjoy them and their insect-eating abilities throughout the growing season.
Homemade toad houses are a simple, inexpensive, and fun addition to any garden or yard. Allowing children to be involved in the painting and placement of these homes makes for a natural and educational experience as well.
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