[DissLocated]

I was delighted to discover a frog lurking in my strawberry patch the other day and I'd like to attract a few more. Our site is surrounded by ditches on 2 sides so I suspect he came from there via a couple of overgrown grassy paths to my plot.  The trouble is I know the long term plan on site is to put bark down on the paths to prevent the grass growing.

My question is, will the bark deter the frogs? I'd hoped that if I left a few areas on my plot overgrown with long grass and supplied some housing materials a few frogs would just move in. If they can't get along the bark path from the ditch will I need to make a (small) pond so that they can actually live on my plot?

Any advice gratefully received.

[ally]

While weeding in between my raspberries (which have bark as a mulch) I found two frogs! Also one hiding in my GH! I wondered why I hadn't had any serious slug / snail attacks

[Mum2mj]

I found a frog in my chimnea which had lots of dry bits in it, lucky for him I checked it before lighting!

[DissLocated]

Ooh, hopefully they'll approve of the bark paths then.

You didn't fancy bbq frogs legs Mum2mj?!

[Mum2mj]

Haha, it didn't cross my mind! and I've never tried them 

[upert]

dare i suggest build a pond? even a large plastic tub full of water will entice them in.

[salmonking]

dare i suggest build a pond? even a large plastic tub full of water will entice them in.

I don't know about that,ive built a small "pond" by my apple tree and found 5/6 frogs and put them in,its got lots of little nooks and crannies for them to hide in,but they have all gone!

[Beetroot queen]

We have a bucket pond which keeps going cloudy but the frogs prefer the rhubarb bed and we usually find a few dozen when digging out the spuds, gave me heart failiure last time 

[gremlin]

My comments - based on years of successfully growing frogs in my garden pond.     

Your average frog only returns to the pond to breed, and possibly to hibernate at the bottom of a deep pond.  Maybe at least two feet deep - but I have never proved this.   The rest of the time they live in long damp grass or undergrowth and under damp rocks.  They prefer cool and damp, with plenty of cover from evil cats. 

Whenever  I have "rescued" a frog on dry land and put it back into the pond, it hops straight out again and heads back into the damp undergrowth.   

I also reckon they hop for miles, and don't stick that close to their home pond, until Spring when they head home.

[snowdrops]

Frogs don't live in the water all the time,they just need to go back to where they were hatched to breed & for the tadpoles to survive,a pond will encourage them but is not necessary,you might also get newts. Bark paths won't deter them. Good to leave some natural areas,no chemicals,nooks & crannies to shelter from the sun etc.

[gremlin]

you might also get newts.

I want newts too, but they wont appear. I know of a manky, rubble filled, pond less than 1/4 mile away that is so full of hundreds of newts every year that they have to stand on each other - three deep. 

Being a protected species I am not going to import newts to my pond. I have to find a way to entice them. 

[DissLocated]

That's all good to know. I had read the thing about them not actually living in water so was hoping that hiding places would suffice, I'll give it a go and see what happens.

Thanks!

[fatcat1955]

Pop over to Sangat in France, there's plenty trying to get over here.

[Ema]

I would've thought tht like bark too as it acts as a damp mulch. there's a few ponds on my site and I'd love to pt a small one on my plot with a few logs and hiding places but it will have to wait until winter

[8doubles]

While weeding in between my raspberries (which have bark as a mulch) I found two frogs! Also one hiding in my GH! I wondered why I hadn't had any serious slug / snail attacks

I put a medium sized frog in the greenhouse every year for pest control , it has a shallow shaded water dish to lurk in during the day when the sun is bright.

The door is open at night and the frog could leave if it wished but they always stay till the end of Tom season clear out !