Blindsided by Jerry

Jerry Coleby-Williams (Image from Gardening Australia Website)

I love Gardening Australia on the ABC. I rarely manage to catch it live, but I never miss the replays on iView. I love the passion of the presenters and how shamelessly real [read dorky] they are.

This is not Better Homes and Gardens. Let’s face it – Sophie has a speech impediment and Leonie Norrington dresses on national TV like she’s actually gardening. Either that or attending a blue light disco in the late ’80s (I’m not sure which).

They’re delightful, all of them.

I’m in awe too of their knowledge, and the sheer information they seem to hold in their heads. It seems that they can encounter any possible plant and immediately conjure up it’s botanical name from the depths of their consciousness. How is this possible? It’s all gobbiltygook to me.

So last night I settled myself down in front of the computer to watch Saturday’s program. I must confess I mostly skip past the “pretty native garden” segments, and cut straight to the interesting bits (Like Tino).

Jerry Coleby-Williams then hit me with a bombshell. He started pulling out his garlic. Virus-riddled he said.

It looked just like mine.

So apparently, my garlic is a goner. Just like that. It has the Garlic Yellow Streak Virus, and I should just pull it out. All 150 of them.

My reading today has suggested that the yellow streaks through my garlic leaves are indeed a sign of a potyvirus. It’s not going to poison anyone, but the yield will be low so I probably shouldn’t bother. It is also spread by aphids and thrips, so now I’m convinced that this companion planting thing is a sham. Garlic and Roses – supposedly dream bedfellows.

Rubbish.

Bring back Peter Cundall. He would have let me down gently.