ORCHARD : Until this morning the day carried a leaf character — but from mid-morning onward the moon moves into fruit territory, and that’s where your attention should settle. Take advantage of the waning crescent’s quiet energy to carry out fruiting pruning on apple and pear trees: remove crossing branches, open up the crown to light, and cut back laterals to two or three buds above the main framework / Grapevines are waiting for their winter prune — work along each rod, cutting back to one or two buds; the sap is still low, so wounds heal cleanly without weeping / Quince trees benefit from a light tidy now: shorten any whippy growth from last season and clear congested spurs. In heavier soils, mulch the base with 5 cm of compost to protect roots from late cold snaps.
VEGETABLE PATCH : A fruit day suits fruiting crops perfectly under cover. Sow tomatoes in trays or modules, 0.5 cm deep with seeds 3 cm apart — a heated propagator set to 20°C speeds things along considerably / Chili peppers and aubergines are worth starting now too: same depth, same spacing, same warmth requirement; the earlier you sow, the longer your harvest window. In a Mediterranean climate, a cold greenhouse is sufficient, but further north a heated bench makes all the difference.
LANDSCAPING : Camellia buds are swelling visibly this week — a top-dressing of ericaceous compost around the base (keeping it clear of the stem) will feed the roots gently without disturbing the plant / Winter jasmine that has finished flowering can be pruned back now: cut flowered shoots to a strong pair of buds and tie in any new green stems to their support.