ORCHARD : A descendant node falls in the early hours today, making this a day to step back and let the garden breathe. Turn your attention instead to the fruit trees already in place — check the ties on recently settled apple, pear and quince trees, loosening any that are beginning to bite into bark as trunks thicken. Inspect mulch around cherry, plum and walnut trees: top up with a 7–10 cm layer of wood chip or composted bark, keeping it clear of the trunk itself to avoid collar rot.
LANDSCAPING : Wisteria, grapevine and kiwi all benefit from a winter tidy at this stage — remove dead or crossing stems carefully without cutting into the main framework, and check that wall fixings are holding firm before hard frosts arrive. Currant bushes and blackcurrants can have their base mulched now with well-rotted compost, feeding the soil slowly through the cold months. Rhododendrons and camellias appreciate a generous collar of ericaceous leaf mould; tuck it in around the root zone without smothering the crown.
INDOORS : Lemon tree and oleander overwintering under cover? Check that ventilation is adequate — a slightly cool, bright spot suits them far better than a warm, stuffy corner. Water sparingly and resist the urge to feed until days lengthen again in late winter. A neighbour of mine once lost a beautiful lemon tree to overwatering in December, and the lesson stuck.
VEGETABLE PATCH : Leeks still standing in the ground are perfectly happy — harvest what you need for the kitchen today, twisting gently at the base rather than yanking, to avoid disturbing neighbouring roots. Tidy the bed edges and note in your garden journal which rows performed best this season.