VIBES Award
Despite the driech weather coming in, our spirits are high at Polycrub because last month we won the VIBES Scottish Environment Business Awards - Outstanding Achievement Award, being one of only four winners in Scotland. We are mighty proud of this, and we hope it reinforces the importance of enabling individuals and communities the ability to grow local produce in challenging climates! You can read more about this here.
Time for a Clean
The growing season is quieting down for this year. Although, the darker and colder days are certainly with us here in Shetland – there still jobs that can be done undercover in the Polycrub!
We think this is a great time to tidy and clean the Polycrub before the real frosts come in. We recommend cleaning the Polycrub once or twice a year with warm water, soap, and sponge. Using pressure washers or other abrasive methods can cause damage to the joining strips and UV protection of the sheets, so it is best to stick to old fashioned elbow grease. You should also clean any empty pots and canes so they aren't harbouring any pests or moulds that would impact their use for next year.
It’s important to also make sure the ground is clear, and any holes are filled in so rodents like mice or rats can’t make their way inside and make claim to your Polycrub!
Compost Set up
There’s plenty of leftover green compostable material at this time of year and after tidying up your Polycrub there’s great opportunity to bolster your personal compost supply. We think this is a good time to think about how we store compost to keep it warm, protected and in the best condition for the next growing season. You can go to your local garden centre to buy a new compost bin, but we think it’s best to reuse or upcycle timber or pallets to build a compost bin of your own.
You can simply screw four pallets together to create the container, but its better to add posts between the pallet slats to secure the structure into the ground, and to use shed roofing or wood board to create a roof. We recommend adding hinges to one side of the container so you can access the compost easily when it’s time to lay it down on next seasons beds. Carboard is a brilliant compostable material, and by lining the inside of the compost bin, you can keep the compost insulated through winter. If you use carboard make sure to remove any staples and plastic tape as these aren’t biodegradable.
