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Until now, the humble plant pot has stood the test of time.

First used by the ancient Egyptians to nurture their seedlings, the basic pot has been hardly altered in millennia.

But British innovators claim to have improved on that universal design - and their container is being enthusiastically used by some of the country's leading horticulturists.

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The Air-Pot (pictured) is a plastic container, made from recycled bottles, and perforated with holes. Each undulating surface is shaped like an egg carton. As the roots grow, they travel towards the holes and when they reach fresh air, the tips are naturally pruned as they dry out

The Air-Pot is based on the simple idea that plant roots need aeration, a concept that can radically improve the health of flowers and boost yield of fruit and vegetables.

The plastic containers, which are made from recycled bottles, are perforated with dozens of holes and each undulating surface is shaped like an egg carton.

In a traditional plant pot, the roots circle round and round the container, which can lead to the plant becoming 'pot bound'.

But the undulating surface of an Air-Pot directs the roots towards the holes.

When the roots reach fresh air the tips are naturally pruned as they dry out, encouraging fresh, vigorous and bushy growth elsewhere in the root system, increasing the plant's uptake of water and nutrients.

The design has been used by professional nurseries and gardens such as the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and Edinburgh for a decade.

But now the Scottish company which invented the Air-Pot, Caledonian Tree Company, is setting out to market the concept for amateur gardeners for the first time.

Overview of the Air-Pot system explaining how it works

When the roots reach fresh air, the tips are naturally pruned as they dry out, encouraging fresh, vigorous and bushy growth elsewhere in the root system. This increases the plant's uptake of water and nutrients and results in larger plants and produce. A carrot grown in an Air-Pot is pictured 

Julyan Rawlings, marketing director at the firm, said: 'Roots aren't designed to be contained, and in a normal plant container they will just circle round and round, they essentially become deformed.

'In the Air-Pot the holes mean the roots are air-pruned, eliminating root circling. That encourages root growth, meaning healthier plants.

'Until now this has mainly been used for trees, but it works equally well with chillies, peppers, tomatoes, melons, potatoes - pretty much any plant you can think of.'

Air-Pots are available at a number of online retailers, starting at £1.10 for a one-litre pot, and the company is planning to ramp up its marketing for gardeners next Spring.

A cross-section of a tree growing in an Air-Pot. Sizes range from one litre up to 500 litres. The full range is only available to commercial growers, at a minimum order of £1,000 ($1,680). Online retailers sell the one-litre pot for £1.10 ($1.85)

The design has been used by professional nurseries and gardens such as the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and Edinburgh for a decade. But now the Scottish firm behind the design is setting out to market the concept for amateur gardeners for the first time

Tony Kirkham, head of arboretum at Kew Gardens, said: 'We have been using these to grow most of our trees for some years now and they are excellent.

'They really are the best invention since the flowerpot all those centuries ago.

'The root system is the engine of the tree. If you buy a car you have a look under the bonnet to see what the engine is like and it's exactly the same with a tree.

'If a plant has a poor root system you are off to a bad start and it will never establish.

'The root system needs oxygen as much as it needs moisture or nutrients and the Air-Pot provides that.' 

The firm said that, until now, the pots have mainly been used for trees, (pictured) but added they work equally well with chillies, peppers, tomatoes, melons, potatoes