VEGETABLE PATCH : Damp soil, cool morning air — before the sign change this evening, the descending moon holds a root day through most of the day, making this a strong window for working the ground and settling plants in. Plant potato tubers 10 cm deep, 35 cm apart in rows 70 cm wide; if any have already been planted, now is a good moment to hill up the ridges. Radish can be thinned to 3 cm apart in rows 15 cm wide, freeing up space for the roots to fatten. Onion sets can go in at 10 cm apart, rows 25 cm — press each one just below the surface so the neck sits at soil level. On sandy beds, work in a little compost first to help retain moisture around the roots.
ORCHARD : Check the base of fruit trees — raspberry canes and currant bushes benefit from a fresh layer of compost worked lightly into the surface around the root zone, boosting soil biology without disturbing feeding roots. Salsify and black salsify transplants can be settled in at 10 cm apart, rows 30 cm, in a well-loosened bed; their long taproots reward a deeply forked, stone-free drill.
LANDSCAPING : After the sign change this evening, the day shifts to a flower day — a good cue to prepare beds for dahlia tubers, which can be planted 10 cm deep, 60 cm apart each way once night frosts are reliably past. Chrysanthemum plants from pots can be settled into borders, 40 cm apart, with a pinch of the leading shoot to encourage branching. Lavender planted now in well-drained, sunny spots will establish well before summer heat arrives.