VEGETABLE PATCH : A descending waning moon holds steady on a root day until this evening — the soil feels right for hands-on work among the rows. Lift jerusalem artichoke tubers now for storage, shaking off loose earth and keeping them cool and dark in a box of slightly damp sand. Celeriac benefits from a light hilling-up around its swollen base to protect it from upcoming frosts; if you have any growing under cover, this is a good moment to add a 5–8 cm layer of straw mulch between the rows. Leeks planted out earlier in autumn can be earthed up by 10 cm to blanch the stems and improve tenderness — work with a draw hoe along each row. On heavier soils, open a trench beside swede rows to improve drainage before the ground hardens.
LANDSCAPING : Before the sign shifts this evening, the descending moon suits structural planting rather than delicate work. Set bare-root roses into well-prepared ground now: dig a generous hole, mix a double handful of compost into the base, and position the bud union 3–5 cm below soil level in colder areas. Tulip bulbs still unplanted can go in at 15 cm deep, spaced 10 cm apart — firm the soil after planting to eliminate air pockets. After the sign change this evening, a flower day briefly opens: water any recently planted cyclamen or hellebore, and check that their mulch has not been disturbed by wind.
ORCHARD : Bare-root quince trees and hazel are worth planting before the ground freezes — dig the hole twice the width of the root ball, add compost at the base, and water in generously even in cool weather. Check stored pears and apples, removing anything soft before it affects its neighbours.