VEGETABLE PATCH : A fruit day stretches through most of today — put that energy to work transplanting courgette and cucumber seedlings started under cover. Set courgettes 80 cm apart in rows 100 cm wide, and cucumbers 60 cm apart in rows 100 cm; firm the soil gently around each stem and water in with a generous soaking. If you have melon or squash plants ready, they can go out under a cloche now — 80 cm apart for melons, 100 cm for squash. A handful of well-rotted compost worked into each planting hole gives roots an immediate boost and helps retain warmth in the soil.
ORCHARD : Raspberry canes planted this winter are starting to push new growth — check that each one is tied loosely to its support, with 50 cm between plants, and clear any weeds from the base. Grapevines will appreciate a top-dressing of compost now, spread in a ring around the base but kept clear of the trunk. If you have a fig tree in a warm, sheltered corner, a light feed of compost and a good watering will encourage the first flush of new leaves. Kiwi plants — remember one male to every five females — benefit from having last season’s ties checked and adjusted before vigorous spring growth makes the job fiddly.
LANDSCAPING : Roses coming into bud respond well to transplanting on a fruit day; if you need to move a container-grown rose, do it now, planting at the same depth as in its pot and watering thoroughly. Clematis planted today with its roots in shade and its crown reaching toward the light will establish steadily. In the evening, the day shifts toward a root character — a good reminder to hold off on further transplanting and instead mulch around newly planted shrubs to lock in the day’s warmth.