Frog Bog

21 years ago

I wish to create a frog bog which I assume is a pond filled in with dirt. I can't help thinking that this will result in a smelly putrid swampy mess. Thoughts?

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Comments (11)

robyn5760
21 years ago
It shouldn't smell - ponds don't smell. Just don't put it near you bedroom window... (ask me how I know this.) Mine was not lined, but it has a thick clay base and I filled it with a manure/soil blend. Didn't smell, although I live in a cool/cold climate.
Cheryl_West_Australi
21 years ago
I have never heard of a "Frog Bog" can you please explain one to me and it's use. I do know for a plant bog you need some drainage in the bottom.

Thanks,
Cheryl.
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I have a 300 gallon Rubbermaid stocktank lotus "bog". We refilled the stocktank with plain soil that we'd dug up for the stocktank. We filled it with soil up to about 10" from the top, then filled the rest with water. It has alot of algae in it, until the lotus starts growing. But algae doesn't bother me. I'm not sure how many frogs overwinter in it. We are in zone 5 and the top water gets frozen solid sometimes. I have another 300 gallon in-ground rubbermaid stocktank pond with just water. In that I keep lilies in containers. In the winter I use a deicer, which seems to be what keeps those frogs alive in there. Did you save some of the soil you dug up? If you feel that that's too heavy, I would maybe buy some topsoil to mix with it. This is only my 2nd year with the lotus bog, but I have the feeling the lotus are going to take over quickly. I don't think I'd put lilies in there too though, since they are all so aggressive. Keep us posted on how it goes. Sounds interesting.
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catfishsam, I'm not "making up" potential problems. I said "I PERSONALLY have a horrible problem with string algae..." I removed most of my marginals to my "wetland" after reading a post by another ponder (wish I could recall who or where) who had had the same problem and opted to lose the standing water over the marginals. It worked for both of us. But, as with any gardening endeavor, different folks may have totally different experiences. And I'm not trying to put up roadblocks, just trying to point out a potential pitfall of which I am aware. If other people here, such as yourself, have different experiences, they are welcome to share them, and we can all learn from them. A liner with holes in it to create a bog garden would help to keep soil that is not naturally soggy from needing to be watered constantly, thus saving labor and conserving water. But you're right about the original poster wanting water for his frogs - I was no longer addressing the question he asked when I moved on to the bog garden discussion. BTW, I admire and envy your clear water - more power to you!
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robyn5760
21 years ago
Definition of a Frog Bog;

A frog bog is a garden created for frogs. This garden is manually dug, filled, planted, tended and looked after by a hard working gardener. Once built, it is takes very little time for a frog to find it. That frog then calls out all night to all his froggy mates to come to the nice place he has found. The frog mates all turn up (usually wearing football jumpers and carrying 'frog beer'.) Pretty soon there is a frog party in full-swing where all the frogs tell loud frog jokes that are really bad, but they laugh at them anyway. Eventually, you open your bedroom window and yell "SHUDDUP!" That works for about the length of time it takes for you to get back into bed and just begin drifting off to sleep.
User
21 years ago
I know that feeling oops I mean sound...MM
Cheryl_West_Australi
21 years ago
Oh, I see....in that case I shall just keep to my "Frog Ponds" they don't attract the loud partying frogs but the nice peaceful ones that sing nicely without disturbing the neighbourhood too much.

Cheryl.
alisonoz_gw
21 years ago
If you "google" using the words "making frog bog" there are plenty of references - one link below. Our (once for fish) pond is quite shallow at the edges and a bit of leaf litter builds up and decays there. The marsh frogs are often found there - or even in moist gaps in the paving under flower-pots though I't sure they need water to breed. You might also try just a generally rainforesty planting with a couple of sunken tubs growing potted water-plants cannas etc. The tiny green pond frogs spread all through the garden when they are not breeding but seem to like the areas with bromeliads and ferns that stay moist, or the plants like moraea, liriope

Here is a link that might be useful: frog bog and links
Cheryl_West_Australi
21 years ago
Thanks for that link, AlisonOZ, looks like it is what I know as a Frog Pond, the Bog bit had me there, just different terminology I think.

Cheryl.
Larsman
Original Author
21 years ago
Thanks for all the thoughts. Against Robyn's enthusiastic story, I'm still going to create one. The reason I'm not making a 'pond' is because of the drought. I'm hoping the 'bog' will take less water. Plus my dog would sit in a pond all day. I have 1.5acres in the Gold Coast Hinterland so I'll put it far enough away that the noise will be like a eerie echo to send us off to sleep.... Also, Cheryl, I didn't make the term 'frog bog' up. I got it off 'Flora for Fauna' or a similar web site to that. Anyway I'm still wondering if anyone has successfully created one and if there are any secrets I should know. Ta all.
Larsman
Original Author
21 years ago
Sorry Robyn, forgot to stay I had a good chuckle over your story. If I do have that problem I'll make frog kebabs out of the little buggers.
Cheryl_West_Australi
21 years ago
Larsman, sorry if I gave the impression that you had made the term up, I didn't think that at all, the term is used on the site AlisonOZ posted, I read the site and it looked to me they were talking about what I have always thought of as a frog pond so thought it was just different terminology they were using. I am not sure if you are wanting to have the frogs breeding on your property but if so for most species you will need water for them to breed in, not just boggy ground if that is what you have in mind.

Cheryl.
Robert_NSW
21 years ago
I am on the Central Coast of NSW and made the big "mistake" of building a frog pond about five metres from my bedroom window. I just built a pond with the usual pond liner. (By the way, it does not have to be all bog; in fact some deeper water provides opportunities for a larger diversity of Frog species.)

Anyway the evenings are often full of the rise and fall of celebratory choruses from the now overcrowded pond. I would also recommend putting lots of rocks around it as the burrowing Frogs love to use them during dry periods.