ORCHARD : That Waxing Gibbous moon, ascending and bright, draws sap toward the upper parts of the plant — exactly what you want on a fruit day. Check your late-season apple varieties (‘Egremont Russet’, ‘Bramley’s Seedling’, ‘Reinette du Canada’) for ripeness by pressing gently near the stalk: a slight give and a clean twist confirm they’re ready to pick / Harvest medlars and late quinces only if they feel firm and fully coloured — leave any that still show green patches for another week / Lay harvested fruits in single layers on slatted wooden trays in a cool, airy shed (8–12 °C), making sure no two fruits touch; this slows ethylene build-up and extends keeping time by several weeks / In Mediterranean gardens, pick late figs (‘Bourjassotte Noire’, ‘Violette de Bordeaux’) in the early morning when temperatures are cooler and the skin is less likely to split.
VEGETABLE PATCH : Climbing beans (‘Borlotti’, ‘Lazy Housewife’) left to dry on the vine are worth checking today — if the pods rattle and feel papery, pull the whole plant and hang it upside down under cover to finish drying for another week before shelling / Cut the last outdoor tomato trusses (‘San Marzano’, ‘Costoluto Genovese’) complete with a short length of stem and hang them in a dry, frost-free room; they’ll ripen slowly and stay flavourful far longer than fruits left on a cooling plant / Clear spent courgette and squash foliage from beds once harvested, then work in a 5 cm layer of well-rotted compost with a fork to rebuild organic matter before winter.
LANDSCAPING : Autumn-fruiting shrubs earn their place in the garden right now. Plant bare-root or pot-grown crab apple (‘John Downie’, ‘Red Sentinel’) and rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) in a hole twice the width of the rootball, backfilling with the original soil mixed with a handful of bone meal; stake firmly against autumn winds / Divide and replant ornamental grasses such as Miscanthus sinensis and Pennisetum alopecuroides that have grown too wide at the crown — split with two back-to-back forks and replant divisions 60–80 cm apart, watering in with 2 litres per plant to settle the roots.