VEGETABLE PATCH : Root day until evening — a fine window for working the soil with purpose. Hill up potato rows, drawing earth 10–15 cm up around the stems to encourage tuber development and shield them from light. Transplant celeriac seedlings started under cover, spacing plants 35 cm apart in rows 40 cm wide; firm the soil gently around each crown, keeping it exactly at soil level. Swede can go in too: thin established seedlings to 25 cm in the row, rows 40 cm apart, and water in well. In heavier soils, work in a shovelful of compost per metre of row before planting to open up the structure and feed the roots over the coming weeks.
ORCHARD : Check the fig tree for early fruits that yield slightly under gentle pressure — those are ready to harvest now, stalk included, to avoid bruising. On the raspberry, remove any canes that have finished fruiting right to the base; the young green canes stay untouched and will carry next year’s crop. Kiwi side shoots can be pinched back to two leaves beyond the last fruit to concentrate energy into swelling rather than leafy extension.
LANDSCAPING : After the evening change (flower day) : lavender in full bloom deserves a light trim of the spent flower spikes — avoid cutting into old wood, but shaping the fresh growth now encourages a compact habit for next season. Wisteria summer pruning is timely: shorten lateral shoots to five or six leaves to build the flowering spurs that will reward you next spring. Mulch the base of hydrangea with a 5 cm layer to retain moisture through the summer heat.