Alan Titchmarsh says gardeners must do one easy task before planting new flowers

Spring is a time when many of us return to our gardens to get to work ahead of summer, and Alan Titchmarsh has shared one task every gardener must do

Mia O’Hare Showbiz Reporter

11:32, 04 Apr 2026

Woman teaching a child how to garden. Tending flowers, herbs and vegetables.

Gardeners have been urged to not make the mistake(Image: JasonDoiy via Getty Images)

Renowned gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh has revealed a straightforward task that gardeners should carry out before planting new flowers or shrubs this spring. He is known for offering advice that has proved invaluable to garden enthusiasts throughout the country.

Spring is the season when many of us venture back into our outdoor spaces to prepare for the summer months ahead. Bulbs and flowers are beginning to emerge, and foliage is returning to the trees.

Many gardeners have flower beds that can display stunning blooms and bring a splash of colour to the garden.

These beds can serve as a striking centrepiece, with many gardeners favouring annual plants that complete their life cycle within a single growing season.

With the new year now upon us, these beds will inevitably be bare. However, rather than rushing out to purchase replacement plants, Alan stresses the importance of tending to the soil first.

Cette photographie présente une fourche planté dans de la terre, en préparation du jardin pour le printemps.

Use a garden fork to get the roots out(Image: Capelle.r via Getty Images)

Once you’ve removed the unwanted plants from your beds, Alan urges gardeners to dig out the remaining roots.

He said: “You will find that in spite of having got all your individual clumps up, the ground itself, will be riddled with roots.”, reports the Express.

Alan advised: “Now these need to come out.” In his Gardening Alan Titchmarsh video, Alan used a garden fork to work through his bed, explaining that it should be used like a sieve to “prise out” the roots.

He added: “It’s not vital that they all come out because they are not going to reshoot. But just to clean it up.”

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After removing the majority of roots from the garden bed, Alan applied soil improver across the top.

“Don’t just give it a little sprinkling,” Alan advised. “Be generous.”

The gardening expert suggested that a single bag would do for one garden bed, and recommended breaking up and spreading any large clumps of soil evenly.

One follower had already put Alan’s advice into practice, commenting: “I did this a couple of weeks ago. Very satisfying and makes the beds/borders ping.”