VEGETABLE PATCH : The day after the New Moon, the descending moon keeps its pull firmly below ground — root crops are the natural focus right now. Direct-sow black radishes (Raphanus sativus ‘Noir Long de Paris’) in rows 25 cm apart, pressing seeds 1.5 cm deep into well-loosened, stone-free soil / Plant out leek seedlings (Allium porrum ‘Bleu de Solaise’, ‘Saint-Victor’) in dibbed holes 15 cm deep and 15 cm apart — drop each plant in, water to settle the soil without backfilling, and let the trench do the blanching work / Sow winter-hardy spinach (Spinacia oleracea ‘Géant d’Hiver’) under a cold frame or fleece tunnel, spacing seeds 8 cm apart in rows 20 cm wide — the cool soil encourages strong germination without bolting / Lift any remaining Jerusalem artichokes (Helianthus tuberosus) that weren’t harvested earlier; store tubers in barely damp sand in a frost-free shed, keeping a few in the ground for a continuous winter supply / On sandy soils, mound a little extra earth around the base of overwintering kale (Brassica oleracea ‘Nero di Toscana’) to anchor roots against autumn winds.
ORCHARD : A quiet, grounded energy suits tree maintenance rather than active harvest today. Rake fallen leaves away from the base of apple (Malus domestica), pear (Pyrus communis) and quince (Cydonia oblonga) trees — decomposing leaf litter harbours scab and canker spores that overwinter in the soil / Spread a 5–7 cm mulch of composted bark or straw around the root zone of fig (Ficus carica) and medlar (Mespilus germanica) trees, keeping it 10 cm clear of the trunk to prevent collar rot — this insulates shallow roots ahead of the first frosts / Check stored quinces and late pears on slatted shelves: discard any showing soft spots and ensure good air circulation between fruits to slow mould spread / In Mediterranean-climate gardens, this window suits planting new bare-root pomegranate (Punica granatum) shrubs — dig a hole 40 cm wide and 40 cm deep, enrich with compost and settle well with a generous watering.