VEGETABLE PATCH : The ground may be cold underfoot, but root energy is running strong today under the ascending Waxing Crescent — a genuinely useful alignment for underground crops. Thin out any overcrowded rows of winter radishes (Raphanus sativus) and turnips (Brassica rapa) sown under cover, spacing survivors to at least 8–10 cm apart so roots can swell without competition / Sow scorzonera (Scorzonera hispanica) and salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) seeds in deep trays of sandy compost (15–20 cm depth) for forcing under glass — these slow starters benefit from an early indoor run / Check stored beetroot (Beta vulgaris) and kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes): remove any showing soft spots, then dust healthy tubers lightly with dry sand before returning them to their crates. Ascending sap encourages nutrient uptake in roots, making this a sound moment to water container-grown chicory (Cichorium intybus) forcing pots with a diluted seaweed solution (5 ml per litre) to coax pale, tender chicons / In Mediterranean-climate gardens, direct-sow short-rooted carrot varieties (Daucus carota ‘Chantenay Red Cored’) into open beds now, covering with a thin fleece to retain soil warmth.
INDOORS : A quiet morning indoors is worth spending on your seed catalogue rather than leaving it for January’s rush. Sort through saved dahlia (Dahlia spp.) tubers in storage: firm, plump tubers are keepers — any that feel hollow or show grey mould should go straight to the compost. Check stored Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) tubers in the same pass, wiping off excess moisture with a dry cloth before repacking in slightly damp coir / Draw up a rotation plan for next season’s root beds, noting where parsnips and celeriac grew this year to avoid repeating alliums or umbellifers in the same spot — a simple sketch now saves real confusion come March.