Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflora) does much better (IMO) if it's whacked back to a third of its height early in the growing season so it doesn't grow so tall it flops over. According to my notes I cut most of my plants back in mid-June. All are blooming with gusto at the moment & growing fully upright. There are plenty of seedpods but I haven't decided whether or not to harvest seeds this year since I'm not committed to growing more of them via winter sowing. I may harvest seeds only from the double white & double blue varieties. Be aware the term bellflower is generally used in describing campanula rather than platycodon. Larry Hodgson's 'Perennials for Every Purpose' describes them as "kissing cousins" but in my garden campanula blooms much earlier in the season than platycodon/balloon flower. You can certainly deadhead them if you have no interest in the seedpods or harvesting seed. I generally just leave them for the critters who might benefit from the seeds. Whatever you decide, it's your garden so do what pleases you.

I don't think these are earthworms at all. They are root maggots and you have to kill them immediately. They kill plants really quick and "Throw Away the infested plant and soil if it's in a pot!" I am attacking them with Diatomaceous Earth. They have already devoured two of my plants roots. Completely killed them. It's been really humid, and wet where I lived and I've noticed more flies around. This is how my plants were infected. Overwatering is the problem....Because I'm reseeding grass and have to constantly water it, my garden gets wet. I have a watering gauge and I won't have to water my plants for awhile. I hate these bugs; they've killed some really beautiful plants. I googled "root eating bugs" and got a lot of information. I hope all goes well for me and anyone else who is trying to get rid of these pest.

Here's a picture (not mine--it's from the internet but this is what's out there. I will try to get a picture from my garden later). They are just underneath the surface and go down a few inches. If I dig them up they burrow back underneath the ground. From what I read they are beetle larvae, and it seems like they usually ruin lawns by eating the roots. I am guessing these things are all over my yard, and they are what killed off the grass that once existed in my backyard (when we moved in it was already just weeds and dirt, but I do know there was once sod, maybe 6 or 7 years ago). Now they are in my garden bed eating all the plant roots. I wish they could just eat the roots of weeds in my yard! Thanks to everyone for responding! I hope the picture helps if anyone has experience with these. I'm thinking since my entire yard is infested I might have to just spray the entire area with pesticides and start again next year. I'm wondering if anyone agrees that's the best option? I know a picture of the actual infestation might help so you can see how prolific these grubs are. I will get one later. Thanks again for any input.

Must think out loud. Assuming beneficial nematodes are already at work in my potato bed how about this solution...Every single potato I check has these white little worms. So it's safe to assume that if I'm finding them everywhere it's total coverage. Digging up the potatoes to me would seem like a waste. If wireworms only dig a bit in and not all the way through, why can't they be salvaged? Here is my idea. I remove the straw from the bed, cut potato tops off and broadcast peas covering them with potting mix or something. I leave the potatoes so the nematodes(assuming that's what they are)can go to work. I'm sure the pea roots will have no trouble growing through sifted top soil. I just want them to add nitrogen to the soil for next spring. Additionally, I may not choose to eat these potatoes since they are infested but save for seed. Is this unwise? I'm not rich and frankly I'm sick of paying for seed. I'm trying to kill 2 birds with one stone, skin a cat and win the lottery at the same time but I can't stop trying and see very little I have to lose. I'm not talking about 1 worm here and there but a bunch of little white worms all over each potato. They don't fit the hole which I'm sure are wireworms. Is mother nature helping me? Should i interfere to much and be ungrateful? I'm not quite ready to go down with the ship.