Kitchen Garden Forum

Having grown my Runner Beans in pots in the greenhouse and hardened them off in the cold frame, I gave them a good watering prior to planting out yesterday.

When I picked up one of the pots, to tip the plant out, I noticed the compost looked ruffled and loose, so I tried to firm it a bit so as not to lose the compost when I tipped the plant upside down to get it out of the pot. Imagine my surprise (and delight, I might add) when a rather indignant looking toad popped its head out of the compost!! It looked so comical as it wriggled its way out of the compost...probably muttering to itself about not being able to sleep in peace!
There wasn't much room in there between the pot and plant and it was quite a large toad so it must have had a bit of a squeeze to get in.....then I was inconsiderate enough to turf it out after giving it a drenching followed by squashing it! No wonder it was puffed up with indignation....well okay, that's poetic licence as I know it was the toads'
defence posture and not really indignation!
Brilliant! Made my day!
Cheers!

Should have guaranteed no slugs in the pot.

Elaine - I think you should fill up another pot with fresh compost especially for your new little friend and put a label on the pot with his name on it.
Just think, a pet you don't have to feed, and who, as Geoff says, will help clear away any slugs which dare to lurk in your greenhouse.

It never ceases to amaze me how far Toads will travel and wander considering that they're not really built for land-locomotion - even if they do spend most of the year out of the water.

We regularly get them popping up at the front door particularly on damp evenings when I guess they're out slug hunting, even though the nearest pond is about 1/4 of a mile away down a steep hill. They love living under mulch mats too, which is also where the slugs and snails congregate, so they have a walk-in larder on hand!

We once found a very flat toad in a new compressed bale of compost. The bag had just been opened so presumably the toad was compressed during packaging etc. I washed it down and popped it in the greenhouse where it made a complete recovery.