VEGETABLE PATCH : New moon energy settling into a root day — a fine moment to act on what’s been waiting in the shed. Lift the last beetroot and celeriac before heavy frosts firm the ground; brush off the soil, cut the foliage to 3 cm and nestle the roots in crates of slightly damp sand — they’ll keep firm and sweet through winter. Black radish and swede can stay in the ground a little longer, but check for slug damage now and harvest any that are cracking. Onion sets planted today will anchor quietly before the cold really bites: push them 3 cm deep, 10 cm apart in rows 25 cm wide.
LANDSCAPING : Verify that your tulip and daffodil bulbs are still sitting in a cool, dry spot — if not planted yet, today’s root day is well suited. Tulips go 15 cm deep, spaced 10 cm apart; daffodils also at 15 cm, in clusters for a natural look. Crocus bulbs can fill gaps at 8 cm deep. On heavier soils, drop a pinch of coarse grit beneath each bulb to guard against winter waterlogging. Cyclamen tubers prefer a shaded corner: press them just at the soil surface, not buried.
ORCHARD : Prepare planting holes now for bare-root arrivals next month — quince, hazel, and walnut trees all benefit from a hole dug a few weeks ahead, allowing the soil to settle. Fork in a generous bucket of well-rotted compost, then cover loosely. On sandy soils, add a little clay-rich topsoil to improve moisture retention around young roots.