INDOORS : Leaf day under a descending moon — the sap is drawn gently downward, which suits foliage crops beautifully, channelling energy into dense, flavourful leaves rather than premature bolting. Sow Swiss chard (‘Bright Lights’, ‘Fordhook Giant’) in deep modules at 18°C, one seed per cell at 1.5 cm depth, transplanting out in 5–6 weeks at 30 cm spacing / Prick out baby spinach (‘Matador’, ‘Bloomsdale Long Standing’) seedlings into individual 7 cm pots if they have their first true leaf — handle by the cotyledon, never the stem, to avoid bruising the growing point / Start pak choi (‘Joi Choi’, ‘Canton White’) and tatsoi under cover now: sow thinly in trays at 15–18°C, 0.5 cm deep, and expect germination in 5–8 days / Celery (‘Victoria’, ‘Tall Utah’) needs a long growing season — surface-sow onto moist compost, press lightly without covering (seeds need light to germinate), and keep at 18–20°C.
VEGETABLE PATCH : Yesterday’s root work is behind us — today the leaf signature takes over, and the outdoor bed deserves attention too. Direct-sow lamb’s lettuce (corn salad, ‘Verte de Cambrai’) and rocket (‘Skyrocket’, ‘Runway’) in short rows 10 cm apart at 0.5 cm depth; both germinate readily in cool spring soil and can be cut repeatedly from 4–5 weeks / Transplant overwintered leek seedlings (‘Musselburgh’, ‘Bleu de Solaise’) into prepared ground at 20 cm spacing, dropping each into a 15 cm dibber hole and watering in without backfilling — the rain does the earthing naturally / Sow cutting lettuce (‘Lollo Rossa’, ‘Oak Leaf’) in a cold frame or beneath fleece, scattering seed thinly over raked, moist compost and pressing to 0.3 cm; in a Mediterranean climate, outdoor sowing without protection works well at this stage.
LANDSCAPING : A brief observation worth noting — foliage plants often look their sharpest after a cool spring night, and that freshness is a useful guide for planting decisions. Divide and replant hostas (‘Halcyon’, ‘Sum and Substance’, ‘Frances Williams’) now while shoots are just emerging: split clumps with two back-to-back forks, ensuring each division has at least 3 growing points, and replant at the same depth in enriched, moisture-retentive soil / Pot up ferns (Dryopteris erythrosora, Athyrium niponicum ‘Pictum’) into loam-based compost with added leaf mould; the descending moon favours root establishment, giving divisions a steadier start / If you have ornamental grasses that need refreshing, trim dead foliage back to 10 cm now before new growth obscures the base — this keeps clumps tidy and allows light to reach emerging shoots.