Alan Titchmarsh warns one winter gardening task could 'take a toll on marriage'

Alan and Alison Titchmarsh are due to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary next year (Image: Getty)

Gardeners' World legend Alan Titchmarsh has revealed that one of his winter gardening tasks could have a major impact on his marriage.

Writing in a recent edition of Gardeners' World magazine, the veteran horticulturist claimed that one of his usual post-Christmas habits could land him on the wrong side of his wife, Alison.

Alan wrote: "I have avoided sowing my onions on Boxing Day (a keen exhibitor's habit), not because I am fearful of the toll on my marriage that such dedication would inflict, but because I prefer to grow onions from sets, and they can wait until March."

Alan explained how one gardening habit could land him on the wrong side of his wife (Image: Getty)

It seems as though Alan has learnt his lesson from previous years when it comes to sowing onions on Boxing Day as he told Classic FM in 2015 that he was firmly in favour of the festive ritual.

He said: "Do you know what you're meant to do on Boxing Day? You're meant to sow your prize-winning onions. So off you pop, if you can find somewhere open, and they will be on Boxing Day. Buy a packet of onion seeds and sow them to win prizes during the summer."

The esteemed gardener added: "'There'd be divorce in the house if you go out and sow your onions', but that is what you're meant to do, this is the traditional sowing day for them."

Despite fearing that he could get on the wrong side of his wife this Christmas, the former Garderners' World presenter, who is due to celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary with his wife Alison next year, recently recalled the first time that they met.

He told Gyles Brandreth's Rosebud podcast: "I remember coming back on a train journey from back home down to London.

"I thought: 'I think I'll always be with her.' It wasn't the big bells and whistles and all that. It was just kind of: 'I really rather like being with you.' And 50 years on, 50 years next year."

And he even revealed that he has his wife to thank for being so tolerant of him, as he added: "She's very tolerant. We have a little cushion in our bathroom which hangs on a window thing. It says 'behind every successful man lies an exhausted woman'."

Alan appears on James Martin's Saturday Morning today (Saturday, November 23) from 9.30am.

Catch Alan on Love Your Weekend on ITV tomorrow (Sunday, November 24) at 9.30am.