VEGETABLE PATCH : A root day under a waxing crescent — the soil is quietly energetic and ready for root work. Lift parsnips that have sized up nicely, twisting the foliage off 3 cm from the crown before boxing them in slightly damp sand for storage. Black salsify benefits from a gentle hilling up now to keep roots blanched and tender; draw soil around the stems with a draw hoe. Turnips that are still in the ground can be thinned to 10 cm in the row if you haven’t done so yet, freeing up space and improving the remaining roots. On heavier soils, work a fork gently between rows to loosen compaction without disturbing the roots themselves.
LANDSCAPING : Crocus bulbs are crying out to go in right now — push them 8 cm deep, 5 to 8 cm apart in natural-looking clusters under deciduous trees or along path edges. Daffodil bulbs can follow the same logic: plant them 15 cm deep in well-prepared ground, working a handful of coarse grit into the base of each hole on heavy soils to prevent waterlogging over winter. Strawberry runners not yet planted should go in without delay, crown sitting exactly at soil level, 30 cm apart in rows.