ORCHARD : The descending moon in its Last Quarter waning phase brings a steady, grounding energy — well-suited to fruit tree care before winter truly takes hold. A descending lunar node crossed at 03h00 (UTC) today, so keep work calm and restorative rather than expansive: focus on mulching and protection rather than pruning or planting / Spread a 10 cm layer of well-rotted compost around the base of cherry (Prunus avium), plum (Prunus domestica) and damson trees, keeping a 20 cm gap around the trunk collar to avoid moisture build-up and crown rot / Check the bark of young pear (Pyrus communis) and crab apple (Malus sylvestris) trees for signs of canker or lichen; scrub lightly with a stiff brush and apply a diluted copper-based wash if lesions are visible / In milder Mediterranean climates, this is also a reasonable window to heel in bare-root fig (Ficus carica) cuttings in a sheltered corner, covering roots with 15 cm of sandy soil.
VEGETABLE PATCH : Scan your brassica beds — purple sprouting broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica), kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) and Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera) can suffer from pigeons and wind rock at this stage. Firm the soil around the base of each plant with your boot and net if birds are active / Lift the last celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum) before hard frosts arrive; trim roots and foliage to 2 cm, then store in slightly damp sand in a cool, frost-free shed — they keep well into February this way / On heavy soils, avoid working wet ground; instead, lay cardboard over empty beds and top with 8 cm of leaf mould to protect soil structure over winter.
INDOORS : A quiet day to tend what’s growing under cover. Check overwintering chilli plants (Capsicum annuum) and dwarf citrus (Citrus × microcarpa) on bright windowsills — water sparingly, only when the top 3 cm of compost feels dry, as root rot is the main risk in low-light months / Sow a small tray of winter purslane (Claytonia perfoliata) under glass at 10–13 °C; scatter seeds thinly, cover with 3 mm of fine compost and expect germination in 7–10 days — a reliable cut-and-come-again green for the cold months ahead.