Garden Smarter, Not Harder with Melissa King
Follow Melissa King’s Top 6 Tips for having healthy plants and a bumper crop in the veggie patch!
Critter Count: How Healthy Is Your Soil?
Healthy plants start with happy soil! When your soil’s thriving, your plants are less likely to fall victim to pesky pests or diseases. So, if you want bigger, better harvests, start from the ground up, literally.
Wondering how healthy your soil really is? Here’s a fun test: dig a hole about 15cm deep and count the critters you spot. Earthworms, beetles, centipedes—these little guys are your soil’s cheer squad. The more you see, the healthier your soil!
Want an easy way to supercharge your soil? Add Scotts Organic Soil Improver! It’s loaded with 100% natural goodness and extra nutrients to help you grow fruit and veggies up to twice as big.
Learn more about boosting your soil here.
Outsmart Pests & Power Up Pollinators
Keep those pesky pests in check, naturally! Plant plenty of strong-scented herbs like basil, coriander, and fennel. Bonus points for adding flowering favourites like lavender, which attract helpful predators that snack on the bad guys.
And don’t forget your pollinators! Bees and butterflies are the VIPs of your veggie patch—cucumbers, zucchinis, and pumpkins depend on them to thrive. Want a bigger, better harvest? Roll out the welcome mat with pollinator-friendly blooms.
Blue beauties like catmint and salvia will have bees buzzing in no time. Forget-me-nots and nasturtiums? Total bee magnets! Sprinkle in fragrant herbs like thyme, basil, borage, and sage for extra pollinator power.
Learn why pollinators matter and how to attract them here.
Beat the Weeds Before They Win
Weeds are sneaky little thieves—they steal water and nutrients from your veggies and can take over fast, especially in hot, humid weather. The trick? Get ahead of them early!
Lay down a generous layer of mulch to lock in moisture and keep those weeds in check all season long.
Prefer the hands-on approach? If you’re pulling weeds by hand, make sure you get the whole root, leave even a little behind and they’ll be back for round two!
Rotate for Rewards
Smart crop rotation = happier, healthier plants!
Switch things up each season by rotating your crops so related plants don’t grow in the same spot two years in a row. Why? Because it’s a game-changer for your garden.
Crop rotation helps stop diseases from building up, keeps soil fertility in check, and balances nutrients so your veggies get exactly what they need to thrive.
Water Smarter, Grow Better
Skip the daily sprinkle—water deeply but less often. This encourages roots to dive down into the cool soil, building a strong, drought-tolerant root system.
Want to make every drop count? Apply a soil wetting agent! It helps water soak in, improves retention, and reduces runoff—so your plants get the hydration they deserve
Plant for Maximum Payoff
Want a veggie patch that really delivers? Go for high-yield champions like zucchinis, climbing beans, capsicums, and cherry tomatoes. These varieties make the most of your growing space and keep the harvest coming.
But why stop at “good” when you can go great? Feed your plants with Scotts Organic Plant Food Concentrate Tomato, Veg & Herb. Packed with organic goodness, it helps your veggies grow up to twice as big—so you can enjoy bumper crops without extra effort.
