ORCHARD : Waxing gibbous moon on a fruit day — pick plums as they reach full colour and give slightly under gentle thumb pressure; lay them in a single layer in a cool, airy spot. Check fig trees for ripe fruits: a slight droop of the neck and a bead of nectar at the tip are the signs to trust. Gather any windfalls promptly — left on the ground they invite wasps and disease.
VEGETABLE PATCH : A fruit day rewards effort in the kitchen garden too. Pick sweet peppers when they feel firm and their skin is glossy — regular harvesting keeps the plant setting new fruits. Aubergines are ready when the skin holds a deep shine; cut cleanly with secateurs, leaving a short stalk. Melons signal ripeness with a faint crack around the stem and a warm, musky scent rising from the blossom end. Harvest squash before the skin can be dented with a fingernail; leave 5 cm of stalk attached to extend shelf life.
LANDSCAPING : Wisteria is producing its second flush of long shoots — shorten them now to five or six leaves to build the flowering spurs for next spring. Deadhead roses and dahlias to extend the display through August.