VEGETABLE PATCH : Last Quarter passed quietly this morning — a fine moment to focus on leaves. Sow lettuce in a shaded corner of the bed, 0.5 cm deep with seeds 2 cm apart; germination is faster when the soil stays above 18 °C, so water lightly and cover with a fine net if the afternoon sun is fierce. Sow rocket just beside it at the same depth, same spacing — two rows 20 cm apart gives you a tidy block to harvest from. Sow chicory 1 cm deep, seeds 3 cm apart, for a late-summer supply. Thin any earlier parsley rows to 10 cm apart; crowded stems invite mildew and reduce the essential oil content in the leaves. Harvest salad leaves, basil and herbs this morning while they are still cool and turgid — they will keep noticeably longer.
LANDSCAPING : Wisteria put on a surge of long, whippy shoots through June — pinch each new lateral back to five or six leaves now to concentrate energy into next year’s flowering spurs. Foliar spray lavender and hydrangea with a diluted horsetail decoction (one part concentrate to nine parts water, applied as a fine mist) to strengthen cell walls against summer fungal pressure. Pick aromatic lavender stems as the lower buds start to show colour, cutting just above the woody base.
ORCHARD : A leaf day suits foliar care on fruit trees. Spray apple trees and the grapevine with nettle tea — dilute one part concentrate to nine parts water — to boost nitrogen uptake and overall vigour. If you have a kiwi vine, pinch back the fruiting laterals to five leaves beyond the last fruit to keep the canopy manageable and improve air circulation.