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Toads
Virginia-4
Posts: 2
Hello I'm a keen gardener who likes toads, would like some advice on how to avoid injuring/killing them when digging over my veggie patches in spring. I have been fortunate up to now having managed to see them before the second 'cut' of the blade. Is there a time of year where one can avoid them?
0
Posts
Unfortunately I think it's very difficult to avoid toads when digging - I've skewered a couple by accident on garden forks. You want to be careful in specific areas where they're more likely to hide, such as along the edge of raised beds, in or under dense vegetation or rotting leaves on the soil surface, and under objects like pots, cardboard, weed control fabric, planks, logs etc, but if they're just buried in the soil then I don't think there's much you can do apart from keeping a close watch on there you're digging and hoping you don't hit one.
You can obviously encourage them to take up residence in other parts of the garden by putting in refuge areas such as log piles.
They'll be hibernating now so they should be buried deeper than usual to avoid frost, although I don't know how deep they go.
The alternative obviously is to avoid digging as much possible and follow a no dig / minimal dig system.
Hello Onopordum,
Thank you for your response, I do all the suggestions that you mention, I have four large log piles which I feel like I am constantly shoving disgruntled toads into!! Unfortunately I have to dig in parts of my garden, so I shall just keep my eye's peeled for the little monkies. If there is anyone out there who knows the approximate time of the year that they emerge, I would be most grateful.