VEGETABLE PATCH : First Quarter reaches its peak today — a fine moment to work with root crops. Draw shallow drills and sow turnip 1 cm deep, seeds 3 cm apart, rows 25 cm; thin later to 10 cm. Black radish deserves a try this season: sow 1 cm deep, seeds 3 cm apart, rows 30 cm, thinning to 15 cm once established. If you have a spare corner, salsify rewards patience — sow 2 cm deep, seeds 3 cm apart, rows 30 cm; its long, slender roots develop slowly but the flavour is worth every week. In heavier soils, loosen the bed to at least 30 cm with a fork before sowing to let roots push down without forking.
ORCHARD : Raspberry canes planted from November through to now will appreciate a light mulch of well-rotted compost around the base — keep it a hand’s width clear of the stems to avoid rot. Grapevines showing early bud swell can be watered in at the roots if the soil feels dry to a finger’s depth; avoid wetting the foliage at this stage. Currant bushes and blackcurrants will benefit from a gentle foliar spray of diluted seaweed solution to support the first flush of growth.
LANDSCAPING : A waxing moon and a root day make this a good window to tend structural plantings. Rhododendron and camellia both appreciate a top-dressing of ericaceous compost worked gently into the surface; avoid disturbing the shallow roots. If your lawn is still compacted from winter, a light scarify now — before growth really takes off — will help air and water reach the root zone more freely.