14 December

VEGETABLE PATCH : Before 23h37 (UTC), the ascending Waxing Crescent keeps energy flowing downward into root systems — a steady, reliable stretch for underground work. Lift the last remaining Jerusalem artichokes (Helianthus tuberosus) and black radishes (Raphanus sativus niger) still in the ground; their skins toughen beautifully after a few cold nights, making them easier to store / Sow Hamburg parsley (Petroselinum crispum var. tuberosum) and winter-forcing chicory (Cichorium intybus) in deep modules (at least 12 cm), using a gritty compost mix to encourage straight, unforked roots — spacing seeds 3 cm apart before thinning to one per cell / Check on stored swede (Brassica napus) and daikon radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus): wipe off any surface moisture with a dry cloth and re-bed in slightly damp sand if needed to prevent shrivelling / In Mediterranean-climate gardens, direct-sow scorzonera (Scorzonera hispanica) into open ground now; the mild winters there give these slow growers a real head start.

LANDSCAPING : Around 13h00 (UTC), the ascending node crosses — a brief unsettled window in the lunar calendar that traditionally calls for a pause in planting and transplanting. Turn your attention instead to structural tidying: clear dead stems from ornamental grasses (Miscanthus sinensis, Pennisetum alopecuroides), leaving a modest 15 cm stub to protect the crown from frost and give overwintering insects a foothold / Mulch the base of tender perennials — agapanthus (Agapanthus africanus) and kniphofia (Kniphofia uvaria) — with a 8–10 cm layer of bark chips or straw, keeping the material slightly away from the crown to prevent rotting / After 23h37 (UTC), the day shifts to flower energy: a good moment to plan spring bulb succession by sketching out where tulips (Tulipa ‘Apeldoorn’), alliums (Allium hollandicum) and camassias (Camassia leichtlinii) will go once the ground allows planting again.


Written by Jardiner Malin | La rédaction vous propose des conseils d'experts, une approche respectueuse de la nature, de beaux jardins et un potager fait de bons petits légumes cultivés au fil des saisons.