Gardening legend Alan Titchmarsh is urging Brits to get planting before spring, saying winter is the perfect time to give trees a head start. The 76-year-old, whose career has spanned more than five decades and includes presenting Gardeners’ World and working at Kew Gardens, says bare-root and container trees should be planted “as soon as you possibly can before spring”.
This will allow roots to establish before warmer weather. “Winter is a great time to plant trees, anytime between November and March, particularly if it’s a bare root tree that has been dug up to be replanted,” Alan said.
“Container trees you can plant at any time of year, but getting it done now gives it a chance to settle in and grow away in the spring.”
He cautioned gardeners against planting in frozen or waterlogged soil, but added that a surface frost that melts during the day is acceptable.
Alan also dismissed the common advice to plant in square holes, saying circular holes work just as well. “The roots of the tree can’t tell if the hole is circular or square,” he explained.
“Just dig a decent-sized hole about 20 to 30cm bigger all round than the root ball.”
Alan also advised checking the depth of the hole using a spade or gardening fork and ensuring the tree is planted at the same level as it was in the pot.
Finally, he revealed his “magic ingredient” for healthy trees: mycorrhizal fungi. “We’ve learnt so much about how trees live at their roots with mycorrhizal fungi.
They’re associated with a great network of fungi below ground, and all plants use good fungi and bacteria to grow well,” he said.
Alan recommends sprinkling the fungi around where the roots will make contact.
With spring just around the corner, Titchmarsh’s advice offers gardeners a simple, effective way to ensure their trees flourish when the warmer months arrive.
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