Working in the greenhouse, growing native Minnesota plants is a pleasure in so many ways, as well as a great learning experience. I feel so fortunate to spend time in the greenhouse each season, especially late summer evenings when all is quiet and the butterflies and bees happily go about their business.
I love how much we interact with nature while growing our plants. This spring I found a number of pots with the plants uprooted, lying on the floor and with soil spilled out on the ground. Upon closer inspection I was startled to find a big American toad with a little soil covering his head, trying to hide in a pot not much bigger than he was. I had to laugh but was a little bugged by the ruined plant. After taking the first few toads outside, now I’ve been leaving them alone since they eat insects, grubs, slugs and snails among other things. We figure we can afford to let a few plants get unearthed here and there for the slug and insect control the toads provide us.
