ORCHARD : The Full Moon reached its peak at 04h11 (UTC) this morning — energy is still surging through woody stems and swelling fruit, making this one of the finest harvest days of autumn. Gather the last quince (Cydonia oblonga) and medlar (Mespilus germanica) from the branches; medlars benefit from a touch of frost before picking, so check for that characteristic softening at the base / Harvest late-ripening apple varieties such as ‘Blenheim Orange’ and ‘Egremont Russet’, handling each fruit gently to avoid bruising — even a small knock shortens shelf life considerably / Wrap sound fruits individually in newspaper and lay them in single layers on slatted wooden trays in a cool, dark, frost-free store (ideally 3–5 °C); check weekly and remove any showing soft spots before they affect neighbours / In mild regions, this is also a good moment to collect ripe persimmon (Diospyros kaki) — the skin should yield slightly to thumb pressure without splitting.
FRUITS : The ascending moon draws sap upward, favouring soft-fruit canes and climbing plants that are still holding on to their last harvest. Strip the remaining autumn raspberries (Rubus idaeus ‘Autumn Bliss’, ‘Joan J’) from the canes before the next frost blackens them — flavour is concentrated and intense at this stage / Check fig trees (Ficus carica) for any embryo figs larger than a pea: remove them now so the plant channels energy into root hardening rather than unviable fruitlets that will only rot over winter / On sandy or free-draining soils, water newly planted currant bushes (Ribes nigrum, Ribes rubrum) thoroughly — 5 litres per plant — to prevent root desiccation before the ground cools fully.
LANDSCAPING : A Full Moon night often reveals the garden in unexpected ways — notice which shrubs still carry colour and use that observation to guide your planting plans for next year. Cut back the fruiting stems of ornamental crab apples (Malus ‘Evereste’, ‘Red Sentinel’) only if birds have stripped them clean; if berries remain, leave the branches intact as winter wildlife food / Collect seed from Rosa rugosa hips: slice open, rinse the seeds in cold water, and stratify them in damp sand in a labelled bag in the fridge for 12 weeks before spring sowing / If you have climbing roses on a south-facing wall, tie in any long whippy shoots now to prevent wind damage, using soft twine looped in a figure-of-eight.