Pests

Having a good dig about have found numerous tiny bright yellow/orange bead like balls in the soil when squashed between finger and thumb go squish any one know what they might be? they have even been found in newly purchased plant roots.

 

If found in newly purchased plants then they are probably a slow release fertilizer.
Try to crush one. Are they dry?

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&sugexp=frgbld&cp=19&gs_id=28&xhr=t&q=miracle+gro+slow+release+fertilizer&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1280&bih=647&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=tQKDT8_dGsOk0QXE6ZSJBw

Slug eggs look like this....
They go squish. Yuk!

http://www.meades.org/photos_from_the_garden/slug_eggs.jpg

Watch out for vine weevil. Eggs very different. See....

http://www.fruitdisease.co.uk/EntomologyResearchPage3.asp

 

Thankt you Silver Surfer, you were absolutely right slow release fertilizer it is.