ORCHARD : Perigee falls today, so this is a moment for careful maintenance rather than intervention. Walk the orchard with a sharp eye: check apple, pear, quince and walnut trees for damaged or crossing branches, noting what to address at the winter pruning. Harvest any ripe fruit still on the branch for immediate use — windfall apples or late pears bruise quickly and will not keep. Clear fallen fruit from the ground to limit fungal and pest pressure over winter. If you have a fig tree or cherry tree, rake around the base and add a 5 cm layer of compost, keeping it clear of the trunk itself.
LANDSCAPING : Dahlias have likely given their last blooms in colder spots — lift tubers once the foliage blackens after the first frost, let them dry under cover for a few days, then store in a cool, frost-free place in barely damp compost. Chrysanthemums still in full colour deserve a light tidy: remove spent stems and mulch the crown with straw. Roses benefit from a check today too: tie in any long whippy stems that could rock in autumn winds, and clear fallen leaves from the base to reduce black spot carry-over.
INDOORS : Lemon trees and oleanders in pots should be assessed now — before night temperatures drop below 8 °C, move them progressively under frost-free cover. Water sparingly and stop feeding entirely; the plants need to slow down gently. Check bamboo containers for root congestion while you are at it.