Natural bug control and frogs/toads

Felicia · Thu May 06, 2010 11:00 pm

I'm pretty new to gardening and the bugs this year are being relentless. Are there any natural alternatives for keeping bugs away? Do any kind of plants or vines repel them? Also, does anyone know how well frogs and toads do with helping to keep the bugs down? I have a million hopping animals in my yard and a raised bed, enclosed veggie garden that I could keep putting them in. Are they bad for the veggies?

gixxerific · Fri May 07, 2010 7:56 am

Frogs area great addition to gardens. I have quite a few as well along with all the lizards they are all very welcome.

You could plant flowers around your beds. That will attract the beneficial insects that feed on the bad insects.

gixxerific · Fri May 07, 2010 10:52 am

Too funny here. I am making up some soil to plant some more stuff. I have some manure and organic garden soil I am mixing together. So I go grab a few shovels of my finished compost that is just sitting there. When I go to mix it all together. I notice a clump which I have been breaking up with the shovel before this. It was kind of an odd color to note.

When all of the sudden as I was about to come down with the shovel the clump starts hopping.

I had already turned it over several times before this. It was a a big old bullfrog.

Just so you know the frog is doing fine with no visible harm and has been put back into the garden.

Toil · Fri May 07, 2010 11:31 am

Felicia wrote:I'm pretty new to gardening and the bugs this year are being relentless. Are there any natural alternatives for keeping bugs away? Do any kind of plants or vines repel them? Also, does anyone know how well frogs and toads do with helping to keep the bugs down? I have a million hopping animals in my yard and a raised bed, enclosed veggie garden that I could keep putting them in. Are they bad for the veggies?

You will enjoy your garden more and be more successful of you concentrate on what you attract, not keeping things away. All those bad guys are food for the good guys, and they prevent more disasters than they create. Yes, aphids are your friends, too.

Never mind the losses, they are pre-ordained. Just shoot for attracting diversity, and your reward will surely follow.