VEGETABLE PATCH : Radishes, turnips, beetroot — the root family is wide, and today’s descending moon keeps the focus firmly underground. Sow black radish (Raphanus sativus ‘Noir Long de Paris’) and daikon (Raphanus sativus ‘Minowase’) directly in rows 25 cm apart, seeds 1 cm deep and thinned to 15 cm; their long roots need loose, stone-free soil, so fork the bed to a full spade’s depth beforehand / Direct-sow kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes ‘Blaro’, ‘Superschmelz’) in drills 30 cm apart, thinning to 20 cm — the swollen stem sits just above ground but the feeding roots below benefit from a firm, well-prepared seedbed / Transplant celery root (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum) siblings of last week’s batch into a second bed if you have seedlings to spare, spacing 35 cm each way and watering in with 500 ml per plant to settle the roots without waterlogging / On sandy or Mediterranean soils, mix a handful of well-rotted compost into each planting hole to improve moisture retention around young root crops.
INDOORS : Seedlings raised under glass are starting to show their second true leaves — a good signal to act. Pot on celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum) and Hamburg parsley (Petroselinum crispum var. tuberosum) into 9 cm individual pots using a free-draining mix of 70% multipurpose compost and 30% perlite; this ratio encourages strong root development without the risk of waterlogging / Check the undersides of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and leek (Allium ampeloprasum ‘Bleu de Solaise’) seedlings for signs of fungus gnats — if the top centimetre of compost stays wet between waterings, allow it to dry slightly and reduce frequency / Give all root-crop seedlings a half-strength liquid feed of balanced fertiliser (NPK 5-5-5) diluted in 1 litre of water per tray; roots need phosphorus at this stage to build a strong anchor before going outdoors.
LANDSCAPING : A quiet corner of the garden often hides the most rewarding work. Lift and divide established clumps of ornamental grasses such as Stipa tenuissima and Pennisetum alopecuroides that have grown congested over winter — split with two back-to-back forks, replant the outer sections 40 cm apart and discard the woody centre / Weed between perennial beds with a narrow hoe, working shallowly at 2–3 cm to avoid disturbing bulb roots still active below; disturbing them now can set back next year’s display / Rake a 3 cm layer of leaf-mould mulch around hostas (Hosta ‘Halcyon’, ‘Sum and Substance’) and astilbes to lock in spring moisture — these shade lovers will reward you with lush foliage all summer.