Before the change (morning), fruit day :
ORCHARD : Catch the first hours of the day while the moon still moves through a fruit phase — a fine window to harvest raspberries before the heat builds. A gentle twist and ripe berries drop into your hand; work quickly and set aside any that are soft for immediate use. Check the fig tree for any split fruit and remove it promptly to keep fungal pressure low. Kiwi shoots that have extended beyond their support can be pinched back now to concentrate energy into the developing fruits.
After the change, root day :
VEGETABLE PATCH : Once the shift arrives, the soil calls for root work. Sow carrots directly where they will grow — draw a shallow furrow 1 cm deep, drop seeds every 2 cm, and cover lightly; rows should sit 25 cm apart. Beetroot follows the same logic: 2 cm deep, seeds 5 cm apart in rows 30 cm wide. Black radish is worth adding to the mix this week — sow 1 cm deep, seeds 3 cm apart, rows 30 cm. Water each row gently at the base with a fine rose to settle the soil without crusting.
LANDSCAPING : A root day suits hedge maintenance well. Lay a generous mulch of wood chips — 7 to 10 cm thick — around the base of established hedges, keeping it clear of the stems; this insulates roots through summer heat and suppresses weeds with no effort at all. Lavender clipped lightly after its first flush of flowering will reward you with a second wave of scent before autumn.