VEGETABLE PATCH : A steady leaf day — the garden calls for leafy sowings and careful harvests. Under cover, try chicory: seeds 1 cm deep, 3 cm apart in rows 35 cm wide; thin later to 30 cm. Rocket goes in at 0.5 cm deep, seeds 2 cm apart in rows 20 cm. Parsley sown at 1 cm deep, seeds 2 cm apart in rows 25 cm, will reward patience through winter. Harvest lettuce and chives in the morning while leaves are crisp — they keep better cut before the midday warmth. A foliar spray of horsetail decoction on established cabbage and brussels sprout helps reinforce cell walls ahead of cold nights; apply mid-afternoon.
LANDSCAPING : Damp autumn soil suits bulb planting well. Tuck crocus corms 8 cm deep and daffodil bulbs 15 cm deep into borders, spacing daffodils 10 cm apart for a generous spring drift. Hellebores appreciate a top-dress of leaf mould around their crowns without disturbing the roots.