Blast from the past

Many years ago, about the time when trams stopped outside Grey's Department Store in Bull Street, I used to be a gardening correspondent with more than a quarter century stint on The Birmingham Post

I mention this fascinating fact after seeing a friend planting up containers and trying to squeeze compost between the new plants attempting to avoid damaging either the roots or shoots.

One method often recommended, which protects the root ball at least, is is to leave the new plants in their pots, place them in the container and pack compost around them. Then when the container is filled to the right level you can lift out the plants in their pots, knock them out and pop the plants back into the pot shaped holes left in the compost.

Personally I prefer to use empty pots of the same size whenever I can which avoids risking any damage to the plants at all. Pack the compost in around the required number of pots - it doesn't matter if you fill the pots as well - and when the container is full lift out the empty pots and pop the plants into the holes where they should fit like a glove with no damage at all.