Before the change (midday), root day : The morning hours carry the quiet energy of a root day — a good stretch for working compost into beds that will later welcome spring plantings. Spread a 5 cm layer over bare soil and fork it in gently; the descending moon helps nutrients settle deep. If you have leeks still standing in the patch, lift a few now and store them upright in a bucket of damp sand in a cool shed — they’ll stay crisp for weeks.
LANDSCAPING : Bare-root roses can go in now while the soil is workable: dig a generous hole, spread the roots outward, and backfill so the bud union sits just at soil level, spacing plants 60–80 cm apart / Hellebores planted today in light shade and moist, humus-rich soil will reward you with blooms for decades — avoid moving them once settled / Pansies and primroses from pots can be tucked into beds or containers, 20 cm apart, for an immediate splash of colour through the coldest weeks.
ORCHARD : Pear trees and apple trees respond well to formative pruning on a flower day — remove crossing branches and any dead wood, working with clean, sharp secateurs to keep cuts smooth. Currant bushes and blackcurrants can be pruned back hard now, cutting stems to outward-facing buds to encourage an open, productive framework next season.