Don't Toss Old Coffee Mugs — Give Frogs A Home In Your Garden

You've just broken the handle off your favorite coffee mug, so now what? Do you toss an otherwise functional cup, or do you let it clutter up your cupboard? While you're contemplating that, you might also want to consider how many of your mugs you actually use, and how many you're just holding on to because you don't know what else to do with them. Functional or not, your unused mugs can find a new life in your garden as a home for frogs and toads. 

While probably not the first use you'd think of for your coffee mugs, the ceramic coating helps create a cool, shady refuge for amphibians, serving as a place where they can escape the heat, storms, or predators. It's as simple as setting the coffee mug on its side and adding some soil and leaves for a comfortable floor. For extra stability, you can partially bury the mug. It's best placed near water and under shade, with the opening facing away from direct sun.

Encouraging frogs and toads to take up residence in your yard can have benefits for you as well as them, particularly if you're trying to grow vegetables. It's an efficient and chemical-free way to rid your vegetable garden of caterpillars, slugs, and beetles that would wreak havoc on your harvest. A single frog can take care of as many as 10,000 insects in a season and has no interest in munching on your plants.

If you still have cups to spare, there are plenty of ways to reuse old coffee mugs and keep them out of the trash. Staying in the garden, mugs can make very cute planters for herbs or succulents. You'll need to drill a drainage hole or add a layer of pebbles under the soil to prevent root rot. Alternatively, you can use it as is as a quirky vase for small wildflowers, provided that it still holds water.

If your mug still has the handle attached, you can hang it on a string and use it as a bird feeder. This design works well for solid bird food or even leftover unsalted peanut butter. However, even mugs that are in very bad shape can still find new life in your home or garden. Mugs and teacups can be transformed into stunning art with just a few inexpensive supplies. The curved fragments of the mug are especially helpful for covering plant pots and vases or even for creating a luxury frog house.