The ITV gardening expert has been sharing some handy tips to make your garden flourish by spring.Christopher Sharp and Eilidh Farquhar Trainee Trends, Showbiz and Lifestyle Writer
15:56, 11 Jan 2026
Alan Titchmarsh has warned gardeners to not be ‘impatient’ with one winter task.(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
While many people choose to ignore their garden during the winter due to freezing temperatures and soggy conditions, it is actually one of the best times to get your outdoor space primed for the upcoming spring. However, gardeners are being warned to not become “impatient” as they could make critical mistakes.
According to renowned gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh, this is especially important if you have decided to take on bare-root planting. This task occurs when a tree or shrub is dug up from the ground in winter and moved to be replanted in a different position without soil around the roots.
This practice was said to be incredibly common in the 20th century, with many trees being dug up in autumn to be replanted elsewhere. However, while this task can be beneficial in the long run, the gardening expert warns that it is easy to make crucial mistakes, reports the Express.
Writing in Country Life, the ITV presenter shared that some gardeners can let their impatience trap them into the “pitfalls” of the practice. He explained: “Too often gardeners are impatient: they want a tree that looks mature as soon as possible and, consequently, they will buy as large a specimen as they can afford.
“However, it stands to reason that the larger the tree, the more sustenance it needs to draw up from its roots. If the root system has been reduced in size — as it must be when a tree is transplanted from open ground — then a large tree with many branches to support will struggle to establish itself and may take many years to get over the shock.”
For those considering bare-root planting, the Gardeners’ World website has revealed that the best time to take on the task is between November and March. This is because the winter season allows the plant to “establish well”.
Bare-root planting is best done during the winter months as it allows the plants to establish well ahead of spring.(Image: Getty Images)
It states: “Planting them in the dormant season means that they should establish well – while the top growth may be brown and twiggy, the roots are busy establishing beneath.”
The website has also suggested which trees can be successfully bare-rooted over autumn and winter. This includes hawthorn, ornamental, birch, fruit and beech trees.
Sharing more expertised, Alan shared that young trees will be more “resilient” during this time, allowing them to flourish by the time spring arrives.
In a video on the Gardeners’ website, he said: “They are in a way sleeping and if we don’t wake them up too much…they don’t mind being moved at that time of year, even when they’re dug up.”
Earlier this year Alan opened up about how years of gardening had impacted his health. Back in 2018, the 76-year-old underwent surgery on his knees after sustaining damage from many years bending down in the garden.
During the operation, Alan had damaged tissue and cartilage removed to improve the use of his knees. In a new health update he revealed it has “all cleared out and they feel so much better”.
He went on to add: “I’ve got bad knees as a result of a lot of kneeling over the years from gardening, and it has got a bit frayed in there, but I am a spring chicken again now.”
During a recent episode of Love Your New Year’s Day with Alan Titchmarsh, the presenter opened up about how age can impact your lifestyle.
He said: “Your age. You can’t fight that but at the same time, just being realistic as well as being adventurous in what you do, it’s a combination of the two.”
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