VEGETABLE PATCH : A steady root day — good energy for tucking in alliums. Plant garlic cloves 3 cm deep, tip up, spaced 12 cm apart; firm the soil gently so no air pocket forms at the base / Shallots go in at soil level, 15 cm apart in rows 25 cm apart — push each bulb just enough that the tip sits proud of the surface / Jerusalem artichoke tubers can go in now too, 10 cm deep and 50 cm apart; they need very little fuss and will reward you with a generous autumn harvest.
ORCHARD : A quince tree or hazel set in now, roots spread naturally in the hole, will anchor itself well before spring growth begins / Currant bush and blackcurrant planted 1.2 m apart benefit from an 8–10 cm collar of compost mulch to lock in moisture and suppress early weeds / Clear debris from around grapevine stems — good hygiene now reduces disease pressure later.
LANDSCAPING : Hydrangea stems from last season still stand firm in the cold — remove spent flowerheads cleanly just above the first healthy pair of buds, leaving the main framework intact / Winter jasmine that has finished its display can be pruned back and new stems tied in to the support, keeping the plant productive for next winter.