VEGETABLE PATCH : Morning dew on the leaves — a root day under a waxing moon, and the soil is calling. Plant onion sets 10 cm apart in rows 25 cm wide, pressing each one firmly so the tip just shows above the surface. Radish thinned to 3 cm in the row once established will swell more evenly — run your fingers along the row and remove the weakest plants now. If you have swede seedlings ready, thin them now to 25 cm in the row, rows 40 cm, so each root has real room to develop. A draw hoe worked between potato rows already in the ground will hill up the stems and protect emerging shoots from any late chill. On heavy soils, work in a little compost before planting to keep drainage sharp and roots growing straight.
ORCHARD : Fruit trees benefit from a generous mulch of well-rotted compost spread around the base now — keep it 10 cm clear of the trunk to avoid rot, and layer it 5–8 cm deep to retain moisture through the coming dry spells. Fig trees planted in a warm, sheltered spot this spring will appreciate a light watering-in with a full can at the base.
LANDSCAPING : In the evening, the day shifts to a flower day — a good moment to prepare the bed for chrysanthemum plants from pots; pinch the growing tips to encourage bushy, branching stems through summer. Lavender planted now in well-drained soil and full sun will anchor quickly and reward you with fragrant stems by midsummer.