ORCHARD : A fruit day under the waning crescent — the sap is moving quietly and the wood is receptive. Reach for your grafting knife: this is a fine window to graft apple tree and pear tree scions onto rootstocks, using a cleft or whip-and-tongue technique / Grapevine pruning can still be completed now; cut back to two or three buds on each spur, keeping the framework open and airy / Check stored apples and quinces — any showing soft spots should come out before they contaminate neighbours.
VEGETABLE PATCH : The cold frame smells alive this morning — a sign the season is stirring. Sow tomato seeds under cover, 0.5 cm deep with seeds 3 cm apart; keep the propagator at 18–20 °C / Sweet pepper and aubergine both appreciate an early indoor start: sow 0.5 cm deep, seeds 3 cm apart, in a warm bright spot — they need a long growing season to deliver well.