ORCHARD : Frost still lingers on the bark, but a fruit day with a waning gibbous moon is a solid window for planting bare-root trees. Set out apple trees, pear trees, quince trees, or cherry trees: dig a wide, shallow hole, spread the roots naturally, backfill with excavated soil mixed with a shovelful of well-rotted compost, firm with your heel and stake securely / Blackcurrant cuttings taken now root reliably — select pencil-thick shoots of 20 cm, cut cleanly just below a bud, and push them two-thirds deep into gritty compost in a sheltered spot / Raspberry canes planted at 50 cm apart will establish quietly before spring growth surges. On heavy soils, raise the row slightly to aid drainage.
LANDSCAPING : Camellia and rhododendron appreciate a 6–8 cm mulch of bark chips or pine needles around their base today — kept clear of the stem, it feeds the ericaceous soil and buffers late frosts. Roses planted bare-root now, settled into enriched soil, will reward you with real vigour come May.