VEGETABLE PATCH : A root day under the waning crescent — the soil is firm and ready. Draw a 2 cm deep drill and sow beetroot seeds 5 cm apart in rows spaced 30 cm; once seedlings emerge, thin to 10 cm for well-rounded roots / Turnip is worth sowing now too: 1 cm deep, seeds 3 cm apart in rows 25 cm wide — they germinate quickly in cool spring soil / Salsify rewards patience: sow 2 cm deep, seeds 3 cm apart, rows 30 cm; mark the row clearly as emergence is slow.
LANDSCAPING : A quiet morning is a good moment to check your rose bushes — remove any winter dieback cleanly with sharp secateurs / Mulch around hydrangea and rhododendron with a 5–6 cm layer of composted bark, keeping material 10 cm clear of the stems to retain moisture and feed the soil gently.