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Are Frogs Good or Bad for The Garden ?

Knowing if frogs are good or bad for your garden largely depends on your own personal opinion.

Some people just do not like frogs or want them around their house.

Personally, I think frogs are great to have in the garden!

But I will share both perspectives and provide tips on what to do if you would like to attract frogs, or get rid of them.

Frogs can be excellent natural pest control and bioindicators in gardens. However, like other wild animals, frogs can carry pathogens and may attract predators to your garden. Overall, frogs and toads are mostly helpful animals to have in organic gardens.

Let me start with advantages of having frogs, than disadvantages, along with how to attract them, and get rid of them,

Frogs Can Be Good For Gardens 

There are many reasons why frogs in your garden can be a great thing!

They can eat any unwelcome insects, attract other frogs or similar species, and tell you about the health of your garden. 

Frogs are also just super awesome and can be enjoyable to have in your garden!

My personal opinion is that they are cute and make nice sounds.

Natural Pest Control 

All adult frogs are carnivores, meaning they will eat insects, invertebrates, and sometimes small mammals that can fit in their mouths.

This helps with natural pest control, so there will be no need for pesticides.

Frogs and toads are therefore super helpful to organic gardeners.

Mosquitoes can be a nuisance that water features may attract.

Frogs and tadpoles can eat them off the surface of the water to keep their numbers down. 

Good for Conservation 

There is a global amphibian decline occurring that is endangered frog’s lives.

Attracting them to your garden and providing them with shelter and a natural food source can help that individual frogs.

In turn, it helps the local population and frog conservation.

Indicators of the Ecosystem 

If a frog visits your garden it is a good indicator that your little ecosystem is thriving.

Frogs are bioindicators, meaning that their presences helps indicate the good health of an ecosystem.

Amphibians will be attracted to habitats that meet their needs.

Having frogs is a good way to say “this is a healthy garden.”

Nature Observations

Frogs can be great for “water gardens,” or gardens that includes a water feature.

A water feature can be a pond or lake area of really any size.

People decorate these with plants or add a water feature to increase the enjoyability of their garden, and frogs can be a great addition to these spaces.

Having a water feature in your garden that attracts frogs can be a great way to observe them in their natural habitat!

Find out how to attract frogs to your garden on our blog:

Now let’s have a look at a few down sides of having frogs in your garden.

Frogs Can Be Not So Good For Gardens 

There are a few reasons why frogs may not be so great to have in your garden.

Besides the fact that some people just don’t like frogs (to each their own), gardens have the potential to attract not so welcome frogs. 

May Attract Poisonous Frogs 

The species in your area really just depends where you live in the world.

Some areas have common poisonous frogs, while others do not.

It’s best to know what kinds of frogs exist in your area so you know what to be on the lookout for. 

Poisonous frogs carry toxin secretions on their skins.

The toxicity varies per species, so some poisonous ones may pose no threat to you!

If a dog licks a poisonous frog, you will likely need to call your local veterinarian to see if you need to take any measures. 

Frogs May Carry Pathogens 

Like any other wild animal, frogs can carry pathogens on their skin.

This includes salmonella, which is really only an issue if direct contact is made without proper hand washing.

This could be a concern with small children in the area.

I grew up catching frogs in our outdoor pond when I was young and never got sick from it! 

May Attract Predators

Frogs can make a tasty treat to many larger species.

If frogs are using your garden as their new home, those larger species may venture in to find themselves a meal.

If frogs keep coming back and predators keep coming for a snack, a cycle will form that may keep the predator in the area. 

Remember! All frogs are good in their own way.

If you have a frog in your garden or habitat that you do not want to be there, try to remove it before causing it any harm. 

Find out how to safely get rid of frogs in your garden on our blog:

But having frogs is awesome overall, so here are some tips to attract them.

How to Attract Frogs to Your Garden 

Here I’ll give you some tips and tricks on attracting frogs to your garden!

If you’re like me, you would love to have them around your house.

I get really happy hearing their calls at night. 

Use Natural Potting Soil 

The less pesticides the better.

The best is to go completely organic.

You would want to use a soil that would not cause any harm to the amphibian’s skin.

Some potting soils, such as Miracle-Gro, have fertilizers that may be useful for the plants in the garden, but not for the frog.

Try to limit their use, or use the fertilizers deeper in the ground. 

Limit The Use of Pesticides 

Pesticides may cause harm to the plant as well.

This is a method used to eradicate insects that may cause harm to the plants in the garden by eating them.

Sometimes it can be in the form of chemicals that could cause damage to the natural environment the garden may reside in. 

Research Toxic Plant Species 

Some plants may be toxic when eaten by amphibians, and may be invasive to the environment.

It is a good idea to research plant species before planting and growing them to make sure there is no harm done.

Add or Enhance a Water Feature 

Water features not only look great in a garden, but provide a home for amphibians.

They can be a lot of work, though, so touch base with a pond specialist before installing any type of water feature.

If a pond or pool is added make sure it provides the frog protection and has an easy way in and out! 

Daniella Master Herpetologist

Daniella is a Master Herpetologist and the founder of toadsnfrogs.com, a website dedicated to educating the general population on frogs by meeting them where they are in their online Google Search. Daniella is passionate about frogs and put her digital marketing skills and teaching experience to good use by creating these helpful resources to encourage better education, understanding, and care for frogs.