VEGETABLE PATCH : A leaf day suits leafy crops perfectly. Lettuce seedlings can go out now at 25 cm apart in rows 30 cm wide; water in well and shade lightly if the afternoon sun is fierce. Cabbage transplants settle beautifully at this stage: space them 50 cm in the row, rows 60 cm apart, and firm the soil around each stem. Mint divisions planted now establish quickly — remember to sink a barrier around the roots to keep it from spreading.
LANDSCAPING : Run your eye along the hedges — any new growth outpacing the rest can be trimmed back cleanly today. Hydrangeas benefit from a generous compost top-dressing spread to the drip line, keeping moisture locked in through the coming heat. Clematis growing against a wall will appreciate a thick mulch at the base — cool roots encourage strong top growth.
ORCHARD : Raspberry canes that have finished fruiting can be cut right down to the base, leaving the new green canes to take over. Spread a 5 cm layer of compost around fig trees and lemon trees, keeping it clear of the trunk, to feed the soil through the warmest weeks ahead.