'He looks like he just woke up'

A gardener got a fun surprise when they were repotting some plants, and they unearthed a friendly critter almost out of a fairy tale.

On the r/gardening subreddit, the OP shared that they were repotting some of their pepper plants when they dug up a rather confused-looking toad.

"I wish I had this problem." Photo Credit: Reddit

They said the little guy had been hibernating, and they accidentally disturbed them while pulling the plants out, and “Concentrating. Then a LIVING CREATURE POPS OUT OF THE FOUR-INCH POT, and here we are.”

Toads are a fantastic garden guest (frogs too, though they’re easy to mix up). The amphibians are great at pest control, eating all sorts of insects like flies, crickets, and slugs, among other species, according to Birds and Blooms.

A toad living in your garden is also a good sign for the overall health of your space. Toads and frogs are “indicator species,” so called for their sensitivity to changes in the environment. Their absorbent skin is susceptible to toxins in things like pesticides, fertilizers, and other pollutants, so if they’re not thriving, neither is your garden (or even you).

The best way to encourage toads and other wildlife to visit your garden is to embrace native plants and even let them become wild again. Not only do native plants encourage these adorable and helpful critters to visit, but they’re also much easier and cheaper to maintain than traditional lawns and gardens.

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Native plants use fewer resources like water, which saves money on your utility bill, as well as chemical additives, because they’re well-suited to live and grow in their respective environments, rather than fighting nature to make them thrive.

And they’re easier to maintain, requiring less work like mowing and weeding. That means you get more time to enjoy your garden, whether you’re just observing it or digging in the dirt and awaking a charming little toad.

Redditors in the comments were absolutely delighted by the toad’s expression and presence in the garden.

“I wish I had this problem,” one person wrote.

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“He looks like he just woke up and he’s on another planet,” another person joked.

Another recommended, “Plant more peppers. Get more toads. Stay winning in life.”

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