ORCHARD : Full Moon energy peaks today — a fine moment to harvest fruit intended for storage. Pick quince carefully, cradling each one to avoid bruising the skin; store them in a cool, airy spot away from apples, whose ethylene gas will spoil the quince flavour. Pear and apple picked now at full maturity keep well if wrapped individually and laid in a single layer in crates. Check walnut and chestnut harvested over recent weeks: discard any showing mould before it spreads.
VEGETABLE PATCH : Broad beans sown now under a cloche get a head start on spring — push seeds 5 cm deep, 10 cm apart, in rows 40 cm wide. Peas can go in alongside: 3 cm deep, seeds 3 cm apart, rows 40 cm. Both crops germinate slowly in cool soil but reward early sowing with earlier harvests. If you have a cold frame, tuck them in there for a gentler start.
LANDSCAPING : Autumn bulbs are still waiting to go in. Tulip bulbs planted 15 cm deep, 10 cm apart, settle in well while the soil retains some warmth. Hyacinth goes in at 12 cm deep; daffodil at 15 cm. A light handful of coarse grit beneath each bulb improves drainage on heavier soils and reduces the risk of rot over winter. Crocus corms, if not yet in, go 8 cm deep — they will thank you come February.