VEGETABLE PATCH : Roots are the focus today — the ascending Waxing Crescent is nudging energy downward into the soil, which suits deep-rooting crops beautifully. Sow parsnip (Pastinaca sativa ‘Hollow Crown’, ‘Tender and True’) directly in place into a fine, stone-free seedbed, 1 cm deep in rows 30 cm apart — parsnips resent transplanting, so direct sowing now gives them the best start / Sow scorzonera (Scorzonera hispanica) and salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) in drills 25 cm apart at 1–2 cm depth; thin later to 10 cm spacings — these underrated roots are worth a try if you have free ground / Hoe between established rows of beetroot (Beta vulgaris ‘Chioggia’, ‘Detroit 2’) and Hamburg parsley (Petroselinum crispum var. tuberosum) with a short-handled hoe, disturbing only the top 2–3 cm to avoid slicing developing roots / Top-dress celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum ‘Monarch’) with a handful of pelleted poultry manure per plant, then water in well — consistent feeding at this stage builds the swollen base you’re after / In Mediterranean or sandy soils, work in a 5 cm layer of well-rotted compost before sowing to improve moisture retention around developing roots.
INDOORS : Check module trays of Hamburg parsley and early turnip (Brassica rapa ‘Tokyo Cross’, ‘Snowball’) started last week — if roots are visible at the base of the modules, pot on into 9 cm individual pots before root-binding sets them back / Sow Hamburg parsley under cover in deep root trainers (at least 10 cm) to allow the tap root to develop without restriction, covering seeds with 1 cm of fine compost mixed with a little sharp sand for drainage / Keep trays at 15–18 °C; germination of root crops slows noticeably below 12 °C, so a heated propagator pays dividends this time of year.