VEGETABLE PATCH : A root day with a waxing gibbous moon — underground crops are in their element. Tuck in some turnip seeds 1 cm deep, 3 cm apart in rows 25 cm wide; they germinate quickly even as temperatures cool. Beetroot goes in at 2 cm deep, 5 cm apart in rows 30 cm — a little coarse grit worked into the surface prevents capping on heavy soils. Salsify is an underrated autumn choice: sow at 2 cm deep, seeds 3 cm apart, rows 30 cm. Water with a fine rose to settle the seedbed without washing seeds sideways.
LANDSCAPING : Garlic planted now gets a head start before winter. Push cloves 3 cm deep, tip upward, 12 cm apart — avoid any spot where alliums grew in the past two seasons. Shallot bulbs can go in at the same time: set them at soil level, 15 cm apart in rows 25 cm, pressing each one firmly so frost can’t heave them out. A thin layer of leaf-mould mulch over the row moderates temperature swings through the coldest months.