What You'll Need
- A broken or chipped clay flower pot (8" or larger)
- Damp soil or leaf litter
- A shady garden corner
- Optional: flat rock for a "doorstep"
How To Do It
- Find a shady spot near a garden bed, under a shrub, or beside a fence — toads like cool and moist, not sunny and dry.
- Set your pot on its side with the broken edge as the doorway. The opening should face away from the most-traveled path so the toad feels safe.
- Hollow out a small dip in the soil underneath the pot — about 1 inch deep. Toads like to press into cool earth.
- Add damp leaf litter inside and around the entrance. This keeps humidity high and brings in the tiny insects toads eat.
- Place a flat rock in front of the entrance as a "welcome mat" — toads bask on warm rocks at dusk before hunting.
- Water the area lightly every few days during dry spells. A toad won't move in if the ground is bone dry.
Safety Note
In Louisiana, always use the Stick Rule before reaching under or into any pot or sheltered spot: poke gently with a stick first and wait a few seconds. Copperheads and cottonmouths share the same cool-damp habitat preferences as toads. Wet hands are slippery — handle the clay pot carefully and have an adult help position it.
What to Watch For
- A toad in residence will leave tiny footprints in the soil around the entrance
- Toads emerge at dusk — check quietly with a flashlight after dark
- Look for shed toad skin nearby — they eat it!
Grandma Says
Toads eat up to 100 insects per night, including mosquitoes, slugs, and grubs. One toad living in your garden is worth more than any pesticide spray.