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Fans of Gardeners' World were treated to an early airing of the beloved BBC gardening programme on Thursday evening, brought forward due to Glastonbury Festival coverage, but were met with an unexpected twist: a rare gardening mishap from veteran presenter Monty Don.

The 69-year-old gardening expert took to his Longmeadow garden to demonstrate how to properly harvest elephant garlic, a plant he described as "actually a type of leek" with a "milder flavour and larger size" than traditional garlic. As always, Monty offered clear guidance to viewers, noting the importance of lifting the bulbs gently with a fork to preserve the roots and ensure longevity.

"It stores very well, it's easier to use, and it doesn't dominate in the way that garlic can do," he explained during the segment.

However, the tutorial took an unexpected turn when Monty unearthed several bulbs of standard garlic that had clearly failed. Pulling them from the soil, he revealed they had rotted, prompting a moment of visible disappointment.

"That's no good. Interesting," he said, inspecting one mushy bulb. Holding up another spoiled clove, he added, "Completely horrible. Look how that's rotted. The cloves are in there, but I don't think they would keep."

Monty admitted he was perplexed by the failure, as the garlic had been sourced from a reputable supplier and planted under tried-and-tested conditions.

"What I am asking myself is why this garlic, from a very reputable supplier, for the first time ever since I've grown garlic, is no good. It's rotting," he said. "It's difficult to see if there's a virus or a fungal problem. But the elephant garlic in the same bedding and in the same growing conditions is untouchable."

As a precaution, Monty announced he would give the affected garden bed a three-year break from planting to allow the soil to recover, standard advice when tackling possible fungal or viral issues.

Fans of the show quickly took to social media to express both concern and amusement at Monty's rare gardening misstep. On X (formerly Twitter), reactions ranged from sympathetic to cheeky.

"Oh a garlic fail for @TheMontyDon. Disaster! #GardenersWorld," one viewer lamented.

"Disappointing garlic," another chimed in plainly.
A third commented, "That was worrying about @TheMontyDon's garlic. #GardenersWorld."
And one viewer quipped, "Maybe a vampire is buried under that bed. #gardenersworld."

Despite the hiccup, Monty remained calm and inquisitive throughout the segment, treating the incident as a learning opportunity, characteristic of the presenter's measured and humble approach to gardening.

The garlic fail was an unexpected moment on a show famed for its gentle pace and reliable wisdom, but it served as a reminder that even seasoned green thumbs aren't immune to nature's unpredictability.