How to make a frog pot | Redland City Council
Skip to content Skip to main navigation
Redland City Council Redland City Council
Back

Home

How can we help you today?

Browse our website

How to make a frog pot

frog home

Across different environments, frogs have mastered the art of camouflage and escape techniques such as jumping and swimming to avoid being eaten by predators. Frogs also use their environment to escape from danger. A frog pot will provide habitat and refuge for all local frog species to use.

Constructing a frog pot is easy and would make a great project for families or anyone who wants to support frogs on their property.

Frog pot materials:

Frog pot materials

  • 2 x Terracotta pots, both with drainage holes
    • 1 x garden terracotta pot (16cm)
    • 1 x bowl terracotta pot (26cm)
  • 1 x Terracotta saucer (31cm)
  • Nut and Bolt (½ x 1 ½ inch)
  • 2 x Flat washers (½ inch)
  • Sphagnum moss
  • Native plants that are suitable for moist conditions
  • Solar powered light

Optional materials:

  • Decorative rocks
  • Pet friendly paint or low VOC paint for decoration
  • Pet friendly paint or low VOC paint for decoration

How to build your frog pot

Step 1:

Connect the two terracotta pots with the bolt and washers. Ensure that the garden pot sits within the bowl pot. 
 
Optional: If you are wishing to paint your pots, do this beforehand and allow for the paint to dry.
 

Frog pot construction

Step 2:

Plant native plants along edge of saucer, and cover the roots with spagnum moss. Leave the center free.

frog home

Step 3:

Spray the sphagnum moss with water and place the pots facing down in the center. The low bowl pot should not be touching the saucer. If you need to add some height to the pots, place some sticks or flat rocks underneath the rim of the garden pot.
 

Step 4:

Place the frog pot in a sheltered area out of direct sunlight. Place a solar light by your new frog pot to attract moths and other insects for frogs to feed on at night. Now your frog pot is ready for visitors. 

Additional Tips:

  • Check your frog pot every few days and spray the sphagnum moss with water when necessary. It is best to use water that is chlorine and chemical-free. You can achieve this by standing a bucket of tap water outdoors for 24 hours.
  • Make sure you choose native plants that are happy to be in wet soil. Some frog-friendly natives include:

Common Name

Scientific Name

Maidenhair Fern 

Adiantum atroviride

Waterhyssop

Bacopa monniera

Binung Fern 

Christella dentata

Crinum Lily 

Crinum pedunculatum

Scrambling Lily

Geitonoplesium cymosum

Coral Fern

Lycopodiella cernua

Climbing maiden hair 

Lygodium microphyllum

Swamp Lobelia 

Lobelia alata

Milky Vine 

Marsdenia rostrata

Warrigal Greens 

Tetragonia tetragonioides

Arrow Leave Violet

Viola betonicifolia

Native violet 

Viola hederacea

Please do not plant weed species in your frog hotel. 

Learn how we can help you support the natural environment on your property, join our Environmental Partnerships program.