Any garden or backyard flowerbed needs good soil to give the gardens and floral display a lush and hardy look.

photo credit: doug_wertman

And if you are using raised bed techniques you often create most of your soil. So knowing how to identify your soil and make it healthier will benefit your overall garden and gardening experience.

The following you tube will show you more about good soil.

I tend to use lasagna gardening methods for soil. That is building the soil up on top of the soil. I don’t have to dig this way and I know my soil is health and will drain well.

I started using this method because I did not have a way to dig my garden and I had a lot of excess materials that could be composted.

Even if your backyard does not have a garden or flowerbed you often have shrubs, trees and areas that just may need additional soil.  Knowing good soil will help these areas. And if you have a small compost bin you can make your own soil or fill your own flower baskets and planters.

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Are toads beneficial to the garden? Yes! They have a large appetite for bad bugs. And besides that they add laugher and interest to your backyard and garden areas.

photo credit: darrenlewis1984

I never thought that much about toads in the garden until one year when I grew a unique cucumber with spines on the exterior. This vegetable grew like crazy and the trellis I put up for the cucumber plants looked like a jungle. It was so full the cucumbers were hard to pick and the area was shady.

One day I noticed I had left a little clay pot near the bottom of the trellis. (I cover all small squash and cucumber seedlings at night when they are young. It protects them from squash bugs.) I was going to pick it up and put it away until I noticed a toad was using it for a house. The pot gave the toad a dark, moist hiding place during the day.

The toad seemed content to stay in the cucumber patch area. It would watch me, tucked away in the pot, work in the gardens.

The next year I put a terra cotta pot back in the garden in a shady area and the toad returned. Every night, toads will stalk and consume 50 to 100 unwanted pests including slugs, cut worms, and flies. So if you like natural insect control, the toad is your answer.

To attract toads to your garden or near your pond or water garden, find a location to attract toads. You are looking for a soft, moist area with as little wind as possible. You also need an area about one foot square in an area that you can leave alone.

Next, build your toad a home. Any form of natural, miniature cave-like waterproof sturdy shelter will do. The toad just needs to be able to move in and out freely, remain on cool, moist soil while inside, and are hidden from overhead predators and severe weather.

photo credit: mara

A favorite method is to lay a medium-sized unglazed terra cotta flowerpot on its side and sink part of it into the ground. Toads love to climb inside and the clay pot provides a moist climate. Stones or bricks can also be arranged into a permanent mini shelter, but they require more work to set up.

Some people recycle other types of old, broken heavy plant containers. They turn them upside down in the garden after breaking a large enough opening on the top edge as a doorway. By using a broken pot you have you can use colors that match your yard or plants. It can even be considered garden art.

You can even buy commercial toad houses in garden centers and garden supply stores. But why not have the fun of making the toad house yourself? And it’s a great children’s project.

The last step is to protect the surroundings. Place the pot in a place that has some privacy. And make sure the area has little or no chemicals that would hurt a toad. Those who attract toads for garden pest control usually use natural methods in their gardens, so toxins in the garden are probably not a concern. A pool area might have toxins though.

You can further attract toads by providing a flat stone for a sunning area that gets sun, but is also somewhat surrounded by vegetation or natural shelter. This will give them protection and a feeling of security.

Toads don’t need as much water as frogs; you can provide water by setting a shallow waterproof tray with pebbles and stones on the ground. A gradual edge works best, and no deeper than an inch or so of water is needed.

Note: Frogs and toads are disappearing, so when you attract toads, you’re also helping the planet.  And you are practicing natural garden pest control.

Technorati Tags: backyard gardens, natural insect control, toad houses

Natural stone pebbles are becoming very popular in homes and the backyard because of their wide range of colors, uses and to simplify gardening. Larger pebbles or rocks can be stacked as garden art by ponds or in gardens. (If you have small children you may not want to do this)

photo credit: jerseygal2009

It also makes for a fun relaxing day picking out pebbles from a store or collecting them from a beach. When I comb the beaches for pebbles I also like to mix a few pieces of washed glass into my pebble projects. Here are a few ideas for use in your own home.

Decorative Pots

Place pebbles around the top of a potted plant can make indoor plants more attractive. This also helps to keep the soil from developing rust. You can use a decorative ceramic pot as well and select the pebbles to compliment or contrast the colors. The pebbles and pot you choose should help focus your eye on the plant.

One other use for pebbles is to fill a larger dish or tray with pebbles and place the container on the pebbles. Also add a small tea candle or shorter candle far enough away from the plant that the heat will not hurt any foliage. At night light the candles for added atmosphere.

Vases

Pebbles are also very effective used in the bottom of vases. Glass vases in particular look superb with some colored natural stone in the bottom or the glass pebbles used in crafting. The pebble base will help hold the arranged flowers in place. Decorative vases make great table decorations for dinner parties. And by changing the vase, pebbles and flowers you will always have a fresh new look for the patio, balcony, garden area or indoors.

Japanese Gardens

Japanese Gardens are very popular and easy to maintain. They are known for their peacefulness and tranquillity. This style of garden uses specific plants as well as rocks and water to create this effect.

photo credit: infomatique

Japanese  gardens can be small in scale and are incorporated into an overall garden design rather than being the whole garden. Many Japanese mini gardens are the size of a table top and can be moved indoors or out. These gardens are wonderful for apartments and garden rooms. This is also a garden that can be easily changed.

Pebbles add color, interest and change to your garden areas. This is particularly beneficial to the gardener with small space who needs to make as much use out of what space is available.

Part two of Pebble Projects for the backyard will follow in a few days.

Technorati Tags: backyard design, backyard gardens, backyard oasis, container gardens, gardens