INDOORS : Winter windowsills become temporary nurseries during these short days. The waxing gibbous moon’s energy favors leafy houseplants – refresh potbound specimens of spider plants, pothos and peace lilies by top-dressing with 2cm of fresh compost. Mist tropical foliage plants twice weekly with room-temperature water to counter dry heating air. / Microgreens thrive now – sow mustard, cress and mizuna in shallow trays (2cm depth) with moistened seed compost for nutrient-dense harvests in just 10-14 days. Check cuttings taken in autumn; those with developed root systems can graduate to individual 10cm pots.
VEGETABLE PATCH : Frost-hardened soil benefits from thoughtful preparation now. Take advantage of the descending moon to spread well-rotted manure (3-5cm layer) over beds destined for leafy crops like spinach, chard and kale. Cover with cardboard or landscape fabric to prevent nutrient leaching from winter rains. / Early varieties of lettuce like ‘Winter Gem’ and ‘Arctic King’ can be sown in cold frames or under cloches, maintaining 15cm spacing between seeds. Chicory and endive appreciate this lunar phase too – their bitter leaves develop more complex flavors when grown under these conditions.
ORCHARD : Dormant fruit trees stand sentinel against winter skies. The descending moon makes this an excellent time to apply dormant oil sprays to apple, pear and plum trees (15ml per liter of water), thoroughly coating branches to smother overwintering pests. / Prune red and white currant bushes now, removing one-third of older wood at the base to encourage new productive growth. Blackcurrants benefit from a different approach – cut back fruited stems to ground level while leaving this year’s strong shoots intact.