VEGETABLE PATCH : A root day calls for attention to what’s happening below the surface. Thin parsnip rows now, leaving 10 cm between plants in rows 30 cm apart — the roots need room to fatten up through summer. Turnip seedlings can be thinned to 10 cm apart in rows 25 cm wide; removing the weakest plants now makes a real difference to bulb size come autumn. Shallots that have lifted after rain deserve a gentle firming back to soil level. Add a light dressing of compost between rows to feed the soil without disturbing roots.
ORCHARD : Fig trees and lemon trees appreciate a good compost top-dressing spread to the drip line, kept clear of the trunk by a hand’s width. A 5 cm mulch layer around the base of hazel or walnut trees will conserve soil moisture through the warmest weeks.
LANDSCAPING : Lavender planted in free-draining soil is thriving in June heat — if any plants have finished their first flush, a light trim will keep them tidy without cutting into old wood. Hydrangeas benefit from a moist, mulched root zone; top up the mulch layer to 5 cm if it has thinned out.