INDOORS : That particular stillness of a late November morning indoors — when the light is low and the heating kicks in — is actually a signal to check on your overwintering leafy plants. The ascending Waxing Gibbous moon, now at 88% illumination, pushes sap upward with real force, benefiting foliage growth even under artificial conditions. Water potted chives (Allium schoenoprasum), parsley (Petroselinum crispum) and sorrel (Rumex acetosa) moderately — around 0.2–0.3 litres per pot — letting the compost dry slightly between sessions to prevent root rot / Pinch back any leggy stems on indoor rocket (Eruca vesicaria) and cut-and-come-again mizuna (Brassica rapa var. japonica) to 5 cm above the base, encouraging fresh, dense regrowth over the coming weeks / Check for whitefly on the undersides of leaves; a fine mist of diluted neem oil (5 ml per litre of water) applied in the morning gives good control without harming the plant.
VEGETABLE PATCH : Under cover or cold frame, this ascending moon phase continues to favour leafy crops — different territory from the lamb’s lettuce and purslane sown earlier this week. Sow mustard greens (Brassica juncea ‘Red Giant’) and claytonia (Miner’s lettuce, Claytonia perfoliata) in trays filled with fine seed compost, pressing seeds to 0.5 cm depth and spacing rows 12 cm apart; germination is reliable between 5–8 °C / Transplant young kale seedlings (Brassica oleracea ‘Nero di Toscana’) raised under glass, setting them 35 cm apart in nitrogen-rich soil amended with a handful of well-rotted manure per planting hole — kale’s deep roots benefit from the upward sap pull of an ascending moon, anchoring more firmly within 48 hours / In heavier clay soils, raise beds by 5–8 cm with a mix of sharp sand and compost before transplanting to avoid waterlogging through December.
LANDSCAPING : Run your gloved hand along the stems of ornamental grasses — if they feel hollow and papery, they are ready for a light tidy. Cut back Miscanthus sinensis and Pennisetum alopecuroides to 15–20 cm from the base using sharp shears, leaving the clumps intact to protect crowns from frost / Rake up any remaining fallen leaves from around hellebore crowns (Helleborus niger, H. foetidus) and apply a 5 cm layer of leaf mould as insulating mulch — this also feeds the soil biology slowly through winter / In Mediterranean climates, a gentle top-dressing of balanced granular fertiliser (20 g per m²) around evergreen shrubs like Viburnum tinus and Pittosporum tobira will support quiet root growth through the mild season ahead.