ORCHARD : The waxing crescent moon is gaining light, and the morning hours bring a fruit day — a fine window for bare-root planting before the sign change around midday. Set in an apple tree or pear tree now: dig a hole wide enough to spread roots without folding, backfill with loose soil, firm well and water in generously / A quince tree or hazel planted before midday will benefit from the same energy — space hazel at least 3 m from its neighbour / If you have currant bushes or blackcurrants waiting in their bags, get them in the ground 1.2 m apart while conditions are kind.
LANDSCAPING : Winter jasmine is likely in full flower right now — hold off pruning until the blooms fade, but do tie in any wayward stems to keep the plant tidy / Check camellias and rhododendrons for frost damage on the buds; a layer of mulch around the base insulates roots and will slowly feed the soil as temperatures fluctuate / Hellebores are starting to show their nodding heads — remove any old, spotted leaves at the base to improve air circulation and let the flowers shine through.
VEGETABLE PATCH : After the sign change around midday, the day shifts to a root day — a quieter energy that suits careful soil work. Check corn salad under cover and harvest outer leaves cleanly with a sharp knife to keep plants productive / If you have strawberry runners still to position, firm them gently at soil level, crown just above the surface, 30 cm apart — they will anchor quietly through the rest of winter.