From Fiction to Fertilisers: How My Research Roots Turned into a Polycrub Passion

There is a strange, beautiful alchemy that happens when the world of storytelling spills over into real life. For me, that transition happened somewhere between the pages of The Burning Tree and Safe Haven. While researching the grit, resilience, and self-sufficiency required for my characters, I found myself increasingly drawn to the dirt under my own fingernails.

The single biggest influence behind my decision to install a Polycrub—a rugged, Shetland-designed hybrid of a greenhouse and a polytunnel—was the deep dive into the survivalist wisdom of my novels. What started as "book work" blossomed into a full-blown obsession with sustainable gardening.

The Art of the "Busman’s Holiday"

People often ask if the Polycrub is my escape from writing. In truth, it’s a bit of a busman’s holiday. I spend my work hours dreaming up environments where characters must live off the land, and I spend my "off" hours actually doing it. It’s a cycle of research and practice that feeds both my soul and my soil. And honestly? What a great holiday it is.

Tapping into Nature’s Pantry: My Secret Growing Hacks

Lately, the Polycrub has become a laboratory for organic experiments. I’ve moved away from store-bought chemicals and started looking at what most people consider "waste" as liquid gold. Here are a few hacks I’ve picked up:

• Nettle Tea Fertiliser: This afternoon’s project! Stinging nettles are powerhouses of nitrogen, magnesium, and iron. By steeping them in water, I’m creating a potent "tea" that gives my leafy greens the kickstart they need.
• Seaweed Tea: Living near the coast, I spent last year harvesting seaweed. It’s a fantastic source of trace minerals and growth hormones that help plants withstand stress.
• The "Bury and Forget" Method: Over the last few months, I’ve been burying banana peels (for a potassium boost) and onion skins (which provide sulphur and act as a mild pest deterrent) directly next to my plants. It’s slow-release nutrition at its finest.
• Coffee Ground Composting: My morning caffeine fix now doubles as a nitrogen source for the compost heap. It improves soil structure and keeps those hard-working worms very happy.

Why Bother with the "Hacks"?

The benefits go beyond just saving a few pounds at the garden centre. Using these natural inputs creates a closed-loop system. It reduces my carbon footprint, ensures that no nasty synthetic chemicals end up on my dinner plate, and fosters a soil microbiome that is incredibly resilient.

More importantly, there is a profound sense of satisfaction in knowing that the research for my books didn’t just stay on the shelf. It’s alive, it’s green, and it’s growing right there in the Polycrub. Whether I'm plotting a new chapter or brewing a fresh batch of nettle tea, I’m reminded that the best stories—and the best gardens—are the ones we tend to with a bit of patience and a lot of heart.