VEGETABLE PATCH : A pure root day under the waning crescent — the soil is calling for bulbs and tubers. Plant shallot bulbs at soil level, 15 cm apart in rows spaced 25 cm, pressing each one firm without sinking too deep. Turnips and swede still in the ground can be lifted now and stored in wooden crates in cool, dark conditions. Chinese artichoke tubers are ready to harvest from this month onward — use a fork and work carefully along the row to avoid snapping them.
LANDSCAPING : Bare-root season is quietly opening. Rose bushes and hellebores benefit from planting now while the soil still holds a little warmth; work in a spadeful of compost and spread the roots wide before backfilling. Rhododendrons and camellias appreciate a permanent mulch of bark or pine needles laid 8–10 cm thick around the base — it regulates moisture through the cold months ahead.
ORCHARD : Quince trees and hazel both establish well in autumn. Space hazel at least 3 m from neighbouring plants and remove any suckers cleanly at the base. Walnut trees planted now will anchor quietly through winter — avoid hard pruning and let them settle on their own terms.