VEGETABLE PATCH : Before the sign change this morning, a brief root window still favours leek care — firm up any loosened plants and add compost along the row to feed roots heading into cooler weeks.
LANDSCAPING : Autumn light is softening, and a flower day opens up beautifully after the sign change. Tuck tulip bulbs in now, 15 cm deep and 10 cm apart — their chilling period starts the moment soil temperature drops below 10 °C. Follow with hyacinth at 12 cm deep and crocus at 8 cm, spacing them in informal drifts for a natural look come spring. Pansy transplants go in at 20 cm spacing, rows 20 cm apart; press each rootball in firmly so autumn rain doesn’t rock them loose. A generous handful of compost worked into each planting pocket gives bulbs and annuals a quiet head start.
INDOORS : Cyclamen thrive in cool rooms right through to March — set the tuber at the surface in free-draining compost and keep it in bright, indirect light. Primrose from pots add a warm splash of colour on a windowsill and need almost no fuss: water at the base to avoid crown rot.
ORCHARD : The Last Quarter arrives early afternoon, a calm moment to assess rather than rush. Check quince tree and plum tree for any crossing branches worth noting for winter pruning, and spread a 5–7 cm compost mulch around cherry tree and pear tree bases, keeping it clear of the bark.