VEGETABLE PATCH : First Quarter arrives this evening, and the waxing moon is holding steady on a leaf day — a fine moment to focus on leafy crops under cover. Brussels sprout seeds sown now in module trays (1 cm deep, seeds 3 cm apart) will be ready to plant out at 60 cm spacing, rows 70 cm apart, once conditions improve / Leek is another excellent choice for a January tray sowing: press seeds 1 cm deep, 2 cm apart in modules, then plant out at 12 cm in the row, rows 30 cm apart once seedlings are pencil-thick / Corn salad can go into a tray or directly under a cloche right now, 1 cm deep with seeds 2 cm apart; thin to 5 cm in the row once the first true leaves appear, keeping rows 20 cm apart. In Mediterranean climates, outdoor sowing under a simple frame is already quite feasible.
INDOORS : A lemon tree spending winter indoors deserves a gentle foliar spray of diluted horsetail decoction — it reinforces the leaves against fungal issues that damp, low-light conditions can encourage / Cyclamen and primrose on a cool windowsill will benefit from harvesting any yellowing leaves at the base to keep air circulating freely around the plant.
LANDSCAPING : Snowdrops are beginning to push through — resist any urge to tidy around them; let the foliage do its work and feed the bulb for next year / Hellebores in a sheltered corner are quietly opening; clearing away old leaves around the base improves airflow and lets you actually see the flowers.