Before the change (morning), leaf day :
VEGETABLE PATCH : A brief window this morning before the day shifts — worth using well. Cabbage seeds pressed 1 cm deep, 3 cm apart in module trays will germinate steadily under cover; plan to plant out at 50 cm in the row, rows 60 cm apart, once seedlings are robust. Strawberry runners potted up now in a cool greenhouse will root quietly and be ready to go out in late winter.
After the change, fruit day :
ORCHARD : The afternoon opens up nicely for fruit work under a waxing gibbous moon. Bare-root apple and pear trees can go in now — dig a generous hole, spread the roots well, firm the soil without compacting it, and stake against winter winds. Raspberry canes planted at 50 cm apart will establish through the cold weeks and push up strong new growth come spring. Currant bush and blackcurrant are equally at home going in now, spaced 1.2 m apart; winter planting gives their roots weeks to settle before the season accelerates.
VEGETABLE PATCH : Under cover, start tomato, chili pepper and aubergine seeds in a warm propagator — all three need 20–25 °C to germinate reliably. Sow 0.5 cm deep, seeds 3 cm apart in module trays. Aubergines benefit most from an early start: they need a long season to produce well, and every week gained now counts. In Mediterranean climates, a cold greenhouse is enough for tomatoes; further north, a heated propagator is worth every watt.