VEGETABLE PATCH : With the ascending moon at nearly 99% illumination and Full Moon arriving tomorrow, root energy is at its seasonal peak — a rare window for deep, deliberate work in the kitchen garden. Lift mature salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) and Hamburg parsley (Petroselinum crispum var. tuberosum) with a long-handled fork, working at a 45° angle to avoid snapping the taproots; brush off excess soil and store in wooden crates layered with dry sand in a frost-free shed / Divide and replant crowns of horseradish (Armoracia rusticana), burying 15 cm root sections vertically at 30 cm spacing — divisions taken now establish well before spring growth begins / Check stored beetroot (Beta vulgaris) and kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes) for soft spots; remove any deteriorating specimens immediately to prevent rot spreading through the clamp / On sandy soils, mound a light layer of straw over overwintering Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) crowns to protect them from hard frost; on heavy clay, delay lifting until the ground softens slightly.
ORCHARD : Dormant fruit trees hold their secrets in winter — check the base of gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa) and blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) bushes for signs of vine weevil grub damage: a ring of wilting stems at ground level is the telltale sign / Mulch around the root zone of established quince (Cydonia oblonga) and medlar (Mespilus germanica) with a 7–8 cm layer of well-rotted compost, keeping it 10 cm clear of the trunk collar to prevent collar rot — this feeds the soil fauna and insulates roots against sharp overnight frosts / In Mediterranean gardens, this ascending moon phase suits lifting and dividing strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) runners into new beds, spacing plants 35 cm apart in rows 45 cm wide.
INDOORS : A quiet moment at the potting bench pays dividends later. Sow chicory (Cichorium intybus) for forcing in deep 15 cm pots filled with a 50/50 mix of loam and sharp sand, placing them in a dark cupboard at 12–15°C; roots develop steadily over 3–4 weeks without any light / Check overwintering dahlia (Dahlia spp.) tubers stored in barely damp vermiculite — firm, plump tubers are healthy; shrivelled ones benefit from a light misting of water, then resealing the container / Pot up a few crowns of chicory ‘Witloof’ for a succession of pale, tender chicons through January.