Gardeners urged to warm to new planting in autumn

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) said autumn was a prime time for planting, because it gives plants a chance to establish roots when soils are warm and wet and in plenty of time for spring and summer when they will be in full growth.

Once established, plants are better able to cope with dry, warm conditions in summer and are less likely to fail, ensuring gardeners get value for the money they have spent on them.

Gardeners can also save money buying bare root plants at this time of year, as they often cost far less than those sold in containers. But the once-common tradition of autumn planting has been lost in recent decades, with just 12 per cent of people thinking it is the best time to put in new plants, according to a survey of 1,000 people conducted by the RHS.

Just six per cent of those quizzed bought plants in autumn, compared to almost seven out of 10 who bought their plants in spring or summer. More than three quarters thought spring was the best time for new planting.

The RHS puts the shift down to changes in horticultural practices, with plants now grown in pots for sale throughout the year rather than the traditional method of growing them in the ground and lifting them for sale in autumn.