LANDSCAPING : Early this morning the moon shifted from a flower day to a leaf day — a good cue to refocus attention on foliage plants and leafy structure / Hellebore clumps that have finished flowering can be tidied now: cut away any tatty or spotted leaves at the base to let new growth breathe and reduce disease pressure / Camellia and rhododendron benefit from a generous mulch of composted bark laid 5–8 cm deep around the root zone, kept clear of the stem — this locks in moisture and buffers the acid soil they love / Hydrangea: remove last season’s spent flower heads with clean secateurs, cutting just above a healthy pair of buds; leave the woody framework intact to protect emerging shoots from late frost
VEGETABLE PATCH : The rest of the day settles firmly into leaf energy — worth making the most of it under cover if temperatures are still low / Spinach transplants go into a cold frame or tunnel, spacing plants 8 cm apart in rows 30 cm wide; firm the soil around each root and water in with a fine rose / Corn salad is remarkably cold-hardy — set plants 5 cm apart in rows 20 cm, and they will shrug off light frost without complaint / Leek seedlings ready at pencil thickness can be planted out 12 cm apart in rows 30 cm, dropping each into a 15 cm dibber hole and watering in without backfilling / Kale transplants go in 50 cm apart, rows 60 cm — in heavier soils, mix in a handful of compost per planting hole to keep drainage sharp
ORCHARD : A quiet leaf day is a fine moment to add a top-dressing of compost around cherry tree, plum tree and quince tree roots — spread a 5 cm layer out to the drip line, avoiding direct contact with the trunk / Kiwi vines can be checked and any remaining unpruned laterals shortened back to two or three buds while the plant is still fully dormant