INDOORS : A good moment to think ahead — with September just around the corner, windowsill and greenhouse space becomes precious. Pot up young spinach seedlings (‘Matador’, ‘Bloomsdale Long Standing’) into 15 cm containers filled with a loam-based compost, spacing three plants per pot; they’ll thrive under glass once outdoor temperatures dip / Start hardwood cuttings of lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) by trimming 10 cm stems just below a node, stripping lower leaves and inserting them into a 50/50 mix of perlite and coir — rooting takes 3–4 weeks in a warm spot / Check stored tender bulbs (begonia tubers, caladium) for any signs of rot; dust affected areas with sulphur powder and allow to air-dry on a mesh shelf before returning to storage.
VEGETABLE PATCH : The ascending Waning Gibbous moon keeps sap flowing strongly toward aerial parts, making leafy crops the priority again today. Sow pak choi (‘Joi Choi’, ‘Canton White’) and mustard greens (‘Red Giant’, ‘Golden Streaks’) directly in rows 25 cm apart, pressing seeds 1 cm deep into moist, well-raked soil — germination is rapid in late-summer warmth and both crops tolerate light autumn frosts / Direct-sow a short band of corn salad (Valerianella locusta) and winter purslane (Claytonia perfoliata) now; these hardy salad plants establish quickly and will keep producing long after the first cold snaps arrive / Thin out overcrowded rows of autumn turnips (‘Milan Purple Top’, ‘Snowball’) to 15 cm spacing, using the thinnings as tender salad greens — thinning at this stage improves airflow and reduces the risk of clubroot in heavier soils / Mediterranean tip: under a polytunnel or cold frame, sow a second wave of basil (‘Genovese’) in a tray to extend the harvest well into October.