Questions

I planted lettuce plants under a cloche to extend the season into autumn. Unfortunately over half of them have died and appear to be cut off at ground level. I cannot find any insects in the soil and I have been using slug pellets. The same happened to other lettuces earlier in the summer; not under the cloche.

I recently got some large logs from a neighbour to create a "fernery" but this fungus has appeared on the ground immediately next to the logs. The logs originally had the bark on them but the harsh frosts detached the bark. the fungus does not have any stalks, the cups appear to emerge directly from the soil. I would like to know (1) what this fungus is and (2) whether it is a "goody" or a "baddie" - will it put my trees at risk? The new fernery is in the centre of three Silver Birch trees. Many thanks Hazel Luskin Glennon

This might seem like a daft question. The attached 'greenery' has invaded my veggie patch and I don't think it is anything I planted as it is in strange places. It lies flat on the ground. Is it a weed?

I have a rat in the compost bin. Can I use the compost or should I destroy it?

I have recently put in raised beds. The first layer of soil is made up of the grass / lawn sods taken from the area. Followed by mulch. The beds are 20" high. Cutworms are appearing and eating through all stems of salad and leafy veg. only thing that they have not eaten are onions of any sort! When I lift the root of a salad there are 3 or 4 of them embedded in the roots! Is there any solution apart from digging everything out and starting again.

Two of my raised beds have been taken over by a weed with a white root (see photo) that can run parallel to the ground at the depth of a few inches. The root is quite strong and can be a number of feet in length and I assume it is strangling the roots of any other plant I try to grow. I tried to remove it in one of the beds by hand but in came back just as bad the following year. This string like root is about 2mm wide. I have thought of just treating the beds with a strong weed killer but the one I have says I can not use the ground for planting for 18 months. So what would you recommend?