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It's extremely disappointing and off-putting when you open a pea pod to find a small creamy white caterpillar with a black head about a quarter of an inch (6mm) long feeding on your ripening peas. This is the larvae of the pea moth, Cydia nigricana, and it is one of the most serious pests of our culinary pea.

The actual moth lays its eggs on the leaves of the pea plants from early to mid summer (June to August). These eggs hatch quite quickly and tunnel into the young pods, where they will feed for several weeks. They then migrate into the soil, overwintering in cocoons to emerge as moths the following summer to repeat the cycle.

If your peas are in flower and pod during this critical period around June and July then the crop can be sprayed with certain recommended insecticides, such as permethrin and fenitrothion - but do remember the caterpillars will need to be caught before they enter the pods. Instead of chemical control, you could set a pea moth trap alongside your crop. Such traps are partially filled with water and a small amount of cooking oil. This is then baited with a sex attractant or pheromone which is known to be given off by the female moth. The male moths are lured to their death and this in turn reduces the chances of the females being able to successfully mate. Such traps are specific to these moths and other beneficial insects are not attracted to them.

Sowing quick-maturing varieties of peas early and late in the season is another way to avoid any damage, making sure they flower and pod outwith the female moth egg-laying period. Finally, cultivating the soil in the winter should help expose the cocoons to any predators and heavy frosts.

timely tasks

l Enjoy a trip to Scotland's National Gardening Show, with gardens, floral marquees and a wide range of horticultural sundries at Strathclyde Country Park on May 29, 30 and 31. Hope to see you there!

l With quick-growing vegetables like lettuce, radish and spring onions sow little and often. This will create a succession of fresh salad crops with hopefully little waste.

l If you have a few variegated shrubs or climbers check them over to see if any of the shoots have reverted to green. This is a common problem and these growths should be removed as soon as possible before they take over.

quiz

1. The hybrid Loganberry is a cross between which two other soft fruits?

2. What is the Latin name of the Maidenhair tree?

3. Is the lettuce Little Gem a butterhead, cos or loose leaf?

houseplant

(bloodleaf or beefsteak plant)

If you want to add colour to the home with foliage then Iresine herbstii can certainly do that. It has the most amazing wine-coloured leaves, with deep fuchsia pink veins and the same coloured stems. This striking colouring is actually due to the pigment anthocyanin and has, no doubt, given rise to the unusual common names for this houseplant of Bloodleaf and the Beefsteak plant. Iresine herbstii originates from South America and when grown as a houseplant can make a small shrubby specimen up to 2ft (600mm) high. The colourful stems are soft and succulent and the leaves are several inches long, ovate to rounded, with a notch at the top and often puckered.

For this plant to maintain its full colour or to prevent fading it needs plenty of strong light; indeed, this is essential to prevent the plant from becoming rather long and lanky. It enjoys a temperature of 13 to 18oC (55-65oF) and keep the compost well-watered. Spraying regularly with a fine mist of water will help to keep a high humidity and feeding every two weeks in the growing season will improve the plant's vigour. As it grows do regularly take off the stem tips to encourage a nice bushy habit. Although this plant can be kept for more than a year, it does tend to become leggy with age and I find it best to treat it as an annual. Take tip cuttings about 2 to 3 inches (55-75mm) long any time from the spring through to the autumn. They root easily in compost or water. For best effect group about three cuttings into one pot.

If this plant appeals to you also try and grow the variety Aureoreticulata. also known as the chicken gizzard. Instead of the striking deep red foliage it has leaves that are blotched and streaked with a golden yellow and bright green.