VEGETABLE PATCH : The Waning Gibbous moon, still brilliantly lit at nearly 98% and descending, keeps energy flowing steadily toward foliage — a fine stretch for leafy crops that thrive on this kind of quiet, sustained attention. Sow Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla ‘Bright Lights’) directly in rows 30 cm apart, seeds 1.5 cm deep, thinning later to 20 cm; the broad, colourful stems will reward you through summer and into autumn / Direct-sow spinach (Spinacia oleracea ‘Matador’) and lamb’s lettuce (Valerianella locusta) in a shaded or semi-shaded bed — both appreciate cooler conditions and germinate quickly now, covering with fine soil no deeper than 1 cm / Transplant pak choi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) and mizuna (Brassica rapa var. nipposinica) seedlings raised under cover, spacing 20–25 cm apart; firm gently around each collar and water in with a fine rose to settle roots without compacting the surface / In Mediterranean climates or under glass, succession-sow rocket (Eruca vesicaria) and flat-leaf parsley (Petroselinum crispum) every two weeks to maintain a continuous harvest — parsley germinates more reliably when the soil temperature sits above 15 °C
INDOORS : A good moment to check on leafy seedlings still under cover — yesterday I noticed that overcrowded trays of celery (Apium graveolens) and celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum) were beginning to stretch and pale, a clear sign they need pricking out into individual 8 cm pots filled with a peat-free multipurpose compost / Prick out kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica ‘Nero di Toscana’) and perpetual spinach seedlings too, handling each one by a leaf rather than the fragile stem; set them under bright indirect light and water sparingly from below to encourage downward root growth / If you have a cold frame available, start hardening off lettuce (Lactuca sativa ‘Merveille des Quatre Saisons’) and endive (Cichorium endivia) trays by opening the lid for a few hours each afternoon — this gradual acclimatisation over 5–7 days significantly reduces transplant stress once they move to their final positions outdoors