VEGETABLE PATCH : The descending moon keeps energy pulled firmly underground — a second productive stretch for root crops, and one worth making the most of. Direct-sow black radish (Raphanus sativus ‘Black Spanish Round’) and salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) into fine, deeply worked drills about 1.5 cm deep, spacing seeds 8 cm apart in rows 25 cm wide; firm the soil gently after sowing to ensure good seed-to-soil contact / Side-dress rows of celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum) with a balanced organic fertiliser at roughly 30 g per metre of row, working it lightly into the surface — celeriac is a hungry feeder and appreciates this mid-season boost to build its swollen base / Earth up leeks (Allium porrum) by drawing soil around the stems to a depth of 5–8 cm, blanching the shank and improving tenderness; repeat every two to three weeks as plants grow / On heavy soils, check that drainage channels between rows of Hamburg parsley (Petroselinum crispum var. tuberosum) and swede (Brassica napus) remain clear — waterlogged roots split and lose quality fast in summer downpours.
ORCHARD : A quieter moment in the orchard, but a useful one. Walk the rows of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) beds and peg down the strongest runners into small pots of compost sunk flush with the soil — rooted within four to six weeks, these young plants will form your new bed for autumn planting / Check the base of young quince (Cydonia oblonga) and medlar (Mespilus germanica) trees for sucker growth; remove suckers cleanly at ground level with a sharp knife rather than pulling, which can stimulate regrowth / On gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa) bushes, shorten this season’s lateral shoots back to five leaves to open up the canopy and reduce the risk of powdery mildew building up in the warm, still air.