[Diana in Wisconsin]

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Why Garden Toads are Valuable in the Backyard

https://www.birdsandblooms.com/gardening/backyard-wildlife/toads-valuable-garden/

When you think of garden wildlife, it’s likely that birds, butterflies and bugs come to mind first, but if so, you’re missing one of the most charming of creatures: the garden toad. Not only are they cute—in a lumpy, bumpy sort of way—they’re incredibly valuable in the backyard.

Frog or Garden Toad?

Toads are amphibians and closely related to frogs. There are about two dozen toad species in North America. Unlike aquatic frogs, toads are adapted to live in drier land environments. They have dry skin, rounded bodies, blunt noses and short legs that they walk on as often as hop. Most have tan, brown or gray coloration to blend in with soil, fallen leaves and rocks. Toads also have bumps on their skin. Contrary to myth, these aren’t warts. They are called paratoid glands and they produce toxins that protect toads from predators.

What Do Garden Toads Eat?

Toads are strictly carnivorous. They feed on beetles, slugs, crickets, flies, ants and other invertebrates. Larger toad species even eat small rodents and snakes. All toads will try to eat anything they can pull into their mouths and swallow. When it comes to natural pest control, you can’t do much better than a healthy toad population on your property.

Environmental Indicators

Toads, like all amphibians, are highly susceptible to environmental toxins. Their skin readily absorbs pesticides, chemical fertilizers and other
pollutants. If exposed to unhealthy levels of these things, amphibians can’t survive. If you have toads in your yard, it’s a good indication of a clean environment.

Attract Toads to Your Yard

Although garden toads don’t rely on plants for food, they do benefit from them. Native plants offer habitats to natural insect populations, which are a toad’s main food source. Plants also provide toads with cover to hide from predators. A bare lawn won’t help attract toads, but natural garden beds filled with native plants will.

Create a brush or rock pile and leave a layer of fallen leaves to provide hiding places. Also, eliminate the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, which can kill toads outright and eliminate their prey. A clean water source is also necessary. Toads lay their eggs in shallow ponds, and without water, they can’t produce the next generation. In most cases, a water garden a foot or more deep will suffice. Place a small tree branch in the water, as well as aquatic vegetation, and let some leaves accumulate. Toads attach strings of their eggs to twigs and branches, and their tadpoles use the vegetation as hiding places. Start welcoming toads to your yard and enjoy the magic of listening to the trilling mating calls of male toads on warm spring nights.

3 Ways to Create a Garden Toad Abode

Build toads a space of their own. Place your new toad home in a shady spot near a water source.

Half-bury a large flowerpot on its side.

Tip a flowerpot upside down and prop one side up with a few rocks to create an entrance.

Gather flat rocks and build a toad-sized house with them.

[left that other site]

Good Morning. Did Yard Work all day yesterday.

Today, it’s POURING.

[mairdie]

Just lovely, Diana.

Briggs’ Roses - The Rose of Tralee - Nightnoise
https://youtu.be/PImQUXp-KpI

Night Blooming Cereus - Photographs by Paul Kosinski
https://youtu.be/z-Gq2wqmrak

[FamiliarFace]

I did a bit of Spring cleanup this week. Apparently I got a little aggressive with some of the heavy weeding. I realized my forearm near my wrist was hurting, and finally took a good look at it last night. It’s a little swollen, and one move in particular is painful, so I think I’ve sprained a muscle or something. Of course, it’s on my dominant hand, so this will either get better in a day or two, or get worse if it’s not rested. Hoping for the former. Most of the mulch has been laid, just one section left to do. I’m thinking of getting a new potting bench. The one I have currently I found at a resale consignment store years ago, and it’s starting to get wobbly on me. Any suggestions are welcome.

[Liz]

Mission accomplished......worth the wait.

Brown Butter-Sunchoke Soup With Bacon

Ingredients 6 tablespoons butter 2 pounds sunchokes (also sold as Jerusalem artichokes), skin-on, scrubbed, and cut into 1/2-inch disks 1 large leek, white and pale green parts only, split in half, washed and sliced into half-inch pieces 1 medium onion, finely sliced (about 1 cup) 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons) 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh sage leaves 6 cups low-sodium homemade or store-bought chicken broth 2 bay leaves 1/4 pound bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Dash sherry or white wine vinegar 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, split in half

Directions Swirl butter in a large Dutch oven on med-high til deep brown w/ nutty aroma, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add sunchokes and stir. Cook/stir til sunchokes are well browned on all surfaces, starting to lightly char, 10 min. Add leeks and onions; cook/stir/soften, about 5 min. Add garlic and sage and cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic, a minute. Add chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until sunchokes are tender, about ten minutes. Discard bay leaves.

While soup simmers, cook brown and crisp, 10 min. Liftout to bowl, leaving fat in the skillet. Set aside.

Batch blender on high til smooth, about 2 minutes per batch. Strain through a fine mesh strainer if a smoother soup is desired. When all batches are pureed, s/p. Whisk in vinegar, a teaspoon at a time, until desired flavor is reached (tbl total). Keep soup warm.

Garnish----Reheat bacon fat on high til sizzling, then add a garden goody or halved brussels sprouts, cut-side-down. Cook without moving til well-charred, 3 min. Toss and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and well browned, 6 min total. Return bacon to skillet and toss to combine. S/p, and a dash of vinegar. Set aside offheat.

Serve garnished with garden goody (or brussels sprouts), bacon, drizzled with olive oil.