ORCHARD : Apogee day — the moon sits at its farthest point from Earth, which gardeners traditionally treat as a pause. Skip active work and focus on tasks that keep your orchard in good shape. Walk among your apple, pear, quince and cherry trees and check ties and stakes: loosen anything cutting into bark before winter winds test them. Spread a generous layer of well-rotted compost or bark mulch around the base of each tree, keeping it a hand’s width clear of the trunk to prevent collar rot. Inspect stored fruit while you’re at it — remove any showing soft spots before they infect their neighbours.
LANDSCAPING : A fruit day under the waxing crescent calls for attention to woody fruiting shrubs and ornamental plants. Currant bushes and blackcurrants benefit from a fresh mulch of straw or wood chips now, locking in soil warmth for root development through the cold weeks ahead. Raspberry canes that have finished their season can be tidied — cut back spent wood cleanly at the base with sharp secateurs, then clear the debris away to reduce overwintering pests. Roses, wisteria and clematis all deserve a check of their supports today; a loose tie now can mean a snapped stem by January. In heavier soils, work a little grit into the mulch layer around lavender and heather to keep water draining freely from the crown.
INDOORS : Move your lemon tree and oleander under frost-free cover if you haven’t already — night temperatures are dropping and both resent even a light frost. Water sparingly from now on and place them in the brightest spot available.