BobTheGardener

Stag Beetle Grubs?

Most likely Rose Chafer larvae, which are often found in compost heaps and are about 20mm long, which fits well with the 3/4 inch size quoted.  Stag beetle larvae are a fair bit bigger than that (up to 110mm, but usually about 50-80mm) and are usually only found in (or in the soil under) dead wood.

Can anyone help identity this plant?

If Agapanthus, as meganrose mentioned, they will have thick white hairy roots.  Probably not those though as most varieties lose their leaves in winter unless in a very sheltered spot.  If they are, they're more likely to start flowering in a pot though, so I agree with everyone else on taking that course of action (whatever they turn out to be!)

can you save seeds from cut flowers?

hi Tracyshed, Yes, I've done the very same thing in the past.  Growing petunias from seed can be slightly tricky as the seeds are so tiny and they need to be surface-sown and not covered by compost.  The normal recommendation is to prepare a seed tray and water it first, before sprinkling the seed evenly and finely over the surface, then (very gently) patting it down into the surface (with dry hands, so the seed doesn't stick to them!)  Best to start them in a propagator (set to 21-26C), or put the tray in a plastic bag on a light, warm windowsill until they germinate (they need light to germinate, which is why you don't cover them with compost.)  Prick them out into  individual small pots/modules when they have 2 or 3 leaves (that may be hard if you sowed too thickly!)  Good luck - you might save yourself a small fortune!

personal experience on composting

Hi Sam, There's a bit of a myth that composting is difficult, but it really isn't.  The simple trick is to turn it often, so it gets regularly mixed.  Doing that will ensure it breaks-down evenly and quickly.  It is hard work, but skimp doing it and it will take two or three times longer and will still have some uncomposted material in it.  It needs to be damp but not wet, so cover it to prevent rainfall making it all into a soggy mess.

In scientific terms, if it gets too wet and isn't turned, the 'good' air-loving (aerobic) bacteria which do the composting will die-off and be replaced with anaerobic (air-hating) types which operate much more slowly and are what make some compost heaps smell nasty. 

when to plant

And watch-out for Lily Beetle when they start growing.  My Madonna lilies are in the centre of a bed so hard to get to, and the little red devils love them, munching them to death if they get the chance!

When to prune zebra grass?

That's right, Berghill - grasses are one of the few plants which grow from the base of the leaf, so if you cut the tops of the new shoots off, they carry that damage all season.

Which sand for soil improvement?

Yes, a rough grade of sharp sand like that would be good and is the cheapest suitable stuff.  Just avoid 'builders sand', as that has rounded grains (it's basically graded beach sand) which won't help drainage much.

Thuja Plicata turned red

The base looks as though the bark had been damaged by something (could a mower or strimmer have stripped it?  Perhaps animal or fungal damage?)  I would cut the red (which is dead) top off, immediately above the green growth, which then has a better chance of taking over as the main stem, although it will probably always have an odd shape.

dead tree fungi

Hi Dave,

I agree, those are bracket fungi of some kind and will not affect any surrounding plants.  Personally, I enjoy seeing fungi growing like that and find them fascinating.  Apart from wood-boring beetle larvae, fungi are the primary way wood is naturally broken down and returned to the soil.  The bracket fungi will eventually make the wood become very weak, so if any of the dead branches are above head height, I'd recommend you cut them off now in case they fall on someone. As LeadFarmer said though, it is always risky leaving dead tree stumps in the ground as they can become a base for a Honey Fungus infection, although I'm 100% certain that's not what you are seeing at this point.

dead tree fungi

Dave, as Lyon said, can you post a picture of the fungus?  If it's actually growing out of the trunk, that's good news as the dreaded Honey Fungus usually only appears on the ground, near affected trees and shrubs.  It looks like a normal mushroom but has a yellowy-brown (well, honey coloured!) cap and usually appears in small groups.

Bee spotting

New deliveries

Flower ID

Oh no, lily beetles are back!