ORCHARD : A descending moon and a node late in the afternoon call for gentle, ground-level work today. Wrap up any mulching around apple trees, pear trees, and quince trees — a 5–8 cm layer of well-rotted compost or bark chips laid in a wide ring around the base feeds the soil slowly and helps buffer root temperature through the remaining cold weeks. Keep the mulch a hand’s width clear of the trunk to avoid rot / Currant bushes and blackcurrant plants benefit from a top-dressing of compost now: spread a thin layer around the drip line and leave it to the worms. If you have not yet checked the ties and stakes on young trees, walk the rows and re-secure anything loosened by winter wind.
LANDSCAPING : Before the afternoon node, take time to assess your ornamental beds with a clear eye. Hellebores with blackened or damaged leaves can be tidied: remove the old foliage cleanly at the base, which opens up the crown and lets the developing flower stems catch the light / Camellia and rhododendron in pots deserve a check — make sure drainage holes are clear and that standing water has not pooled in the saucer. On heavy soils, lift the pots slightly onto feet to prevent waterlogging / Winter jasmine that has finished its first flush can be gently tied in now: new shoots directed along their support will build next season’s flowering framework. Snowdrop clumps emerging through leaf litter are a good sign — clear the debris around them by hand to give them room.