Help needed! White soft bits in soil!

[alisaalisa]

Hello! It's my first post here, I hope I am posting in correct category.

My grandmother has flowers in her garden, and recently there has been a lot of white, squishy / soft bits in soil. I do not think they are perlites, as they are soft. My grandmother is convinced that as soon as they appear they ruin all the roots of the plants ( see image attached ). Had a look online and cannot find anything! They look like perlite, but damage the roots.
Any help would be appreciated!

[WendyC]

I think you are looking at vine weevil larvae damage. Gran is right they eat the roots. Larvae are c shaped white grubs with a brown head.

[alisaalisa]

Thank you for your quick reply! I had a look online, and they don't really look like them, they don't move and pretty much look like little stones, apart from them being squishy. Do you think it would help to take some and keep it in container to see if they develop into vine weevil? Thanks again!

[veggiechicken]

Hi and welcome!
Are these things in the pots or in the ground?

[alisaalisa]

They are in the ground, but now I am thinking it might be better to pot it perhaps. Quite frustrating, as so many good plants are dying!

[seasprout]

The first picture you showed, the white bits are pearlite. Crush them hard, they will crumble.

The reason that cyclamen is rotting is because it's an indoor plant, if it's outside then it's far too cold, and it's turning to mush.

[Nicos]

I was wondering if it's the indoor variety too?
Has it been in the garden for years?
Mine flower in the Autumn, but there is one variety which flowers in the spring

https://www.rhs.org.uk/Advice/profile?PID=589

[DannyK]

I too think it looks like vine weevil damage especially if corm is still firm, although I would have thought it on the cold side for them. Have a careful dig in the soil to see if there are any grubs.
Wash all the soil off in case there are eggs before potting up.
The white bits are probably from the compost the plant came with.