VEGETABLE PATCH : The vernal equinox arrives today, and the ascending Waxing Crescent moon pairs beautifully with a leaf day — a solid stretch for leafy crops that need a strong start. Direct-sow spinach (‘Medania’, ‘Giant Noble’) in shallow drills 1 cm deep, rows spaced 25 cm apart; thin later to 10 cm between plants so each one can spread without competing / Transplant young kale (‘Cavolo Nero’, ‘Red Russian’) and pak choi into prepared beds, setting them 35–40 cm apart and firming soil gently around the base — a well-settled rootball now means far less wilting through spring temperature swings / Sow rocket and corn salad (mâche) directly in place, broadcast-style over raked soil, then rake lightly to cover; both germinate fast in cool conditions and will be ready to harvest in under six weeks / In heavier soils, incorporate a 5 cm layer of fine compost before sowing to improve drainage and give young roots a looser medium to explore.
INDOORS : Yesterday’s seedlings under cover deserve a follow-up today — check on any trays started over the past few days and move on to the next wave. Sow celery (‘Victoria’, ‘Golden Self-Blanching’) and celeriac (‘Monarch’, ‘Prinz’) on the surface of moist, fine-grade seed compost; press down lightly without covering — these seeds need light to germinate, a detail easily overlooked / Prick out young leek (‘Musselburgh’, ‘Bleu de Solaise’) seedlings into deep root-trainers or 7 cm pots, burying stems to just below the first leaf to encourage a long white shank / Pot on any overcrowded basil or parsley trays into individual 9 cm pots filled with peat-free compost, watering in with a fine rose to settle without compacting / Keep trays at 16–18 °C; fluctuating temperatures at this stage can stall germination and weaken early growth significantly.