VEGETABLE PATCH : Damp soil, cool air, and a steady leaf day — good conditions for transplanting leafy crops. Move spinach seedlings to their final positions, 8 cm apart in rows 30 cm wide; press the soil firmly around each rootball so autumn rain can’t rock them loose. Kale transplants go in at 50 cm in the row, rows 60 cm apart. Swiss chard planted now at 35 cm spacing in rows 40 cm will establish before the first frosts. Work in a handful of compost before planting on heavier soils to open up the texture and feed roots gently.
LANDSCAPING : A leaf day also suits foliage shrubs and hedging. Trim box now with clean shears — growth has slowed enough that a tidy cut will hold its shape until spring. Rhododendron and camellia benefit from a fresh layer of ericaceous mulch around the root zone; 5 to 7 cm of bark chips will insulate roots and retain moisture through the drier autumn weeks.