ORCHARD : Waxing crescent on a fruit day — a reliable moment for fruit tree work. Try chip-bud or cleft grafting on quince tree and fig tree, keeping the union snugly wrapped with grafting tape and sheltered from drying winds. Inspect kiwi and grapevine for winter damage, trimming dead wood cleanly with disinfected secateurs. In a Mediterranean climate, olive tree benefits from a light shaping prune now — remove crossing branches to open the canopy.
VEGETABLE PATCH : The soil holds a pleasant warmth beneath your fingers — fruiting crops respond well today. Cucumber is a solid choice under cover: sow 2 cm deep, seeds 5 cm apart in a module tray, to be planted out later at 60 cm in the row, rows 100 cm. Squash follows the same logic: 2 cm deep, seeds 5 cm apart, then plant out to 100 cm in the row, rows 150 cm. If you have a warm polytunnel, bean sown 3 cm deep, seeds 5 cm apart, rows 40 cm, will get a head start before outdoor conditions settle.
LANDSCAPING : Peony buds are pushing through — resist the urge to disturb them. Wisteria and clematis appreciate a balanced fertiliser now to fuel their spring surge; water it in well if the soil feels dry.