GREAT GREEN SYSTEMS Green-Cone Food Waste Digester Instruction Manual
- June 9, 2024
- GREAT GREEN SYSTEMS
Table of Contents
Green-Cone Food Waste Digester
Instruction Manual
Green-Cone Food Waste Digester
CONGRATULATIONS ON BUYING YOUR GREEN CONE
The following instructions will guide you in assembling your Green Cone and
installing it in a sunny spot in your garden.
Please remember to keep this guide handy throughout the year so that you can
check on any queries that may arise during the changing seasons.
STAGE ONE.
The assembly of your Green Cone
It takes just four simple steps to assemble the Green Cone and all you’ll need
to hand is a Crosshead & Flathead screwdriver. Everything is included within
the pack and it should take no more than 15 minutes to assemble.
HARDWARE KIT: Lid, green outer cone, black inner cone, basket Now It’s
Time To Assemble:
Step 1. You will need to locate the 2 studs, hinge plate and cone lid.
Then put the ribbed side of the plate on the inside of the lid and fasten into
place via the pre-drilled holes.
Step 2. After gathering the 2(8×5/8) screws and twistlock, attach it to the
main body of the Cone through the marked holes.
Step 3. Now take the lid, backplate and 3(10×5/8) self-tapping screws and use
them to attach the top of the unit to the main Cone body. No pre-drilled holes
are required for this step, just remember to screw from the outside, in.
Step 4. You are now ready to connect the 3 main components of the Green Cone:
green outer cone, black inner cone and basket. Initially place the green outer
cone over the black inner cone, lining up the screw holes with the notches on
the inner cone. Now sit both these sections on the basket and use the
remaining 6(10×5/8) selftapping screws
to fasten securely into place. STAGE TWO.
The installation of your Green Cone
The Green Cone needs a sunny spot that drains well. The water produced by the
Cone must be able to drain freely away, otherwise the Cone will become
anaerobic (without oxygen) and will cease to work. The base of the basket must
not be below the water table or in an area where water gathers. If you have a
naturally damp garden, you can create additional drainage by placing gravel
stones and broken pots underneath the unit.
Step 1. First take a good look around your garden. As well as choosing a good
spot for sun and drainage, you will also want your Cone to be easy to get to
in colder, darker months. Step 2. With your perfect spot chosen, it’s time to
dig a foundation hole 70cm wide by 54cm deep, for the unit.
Step 3. Before placing the Green Cone in the hole, mix some of the dug out
soil with a little compost and gravel. This will be used to pack in the unit
and to aid with filtration of the nutrient-rich water into the surrounding
ground.
Step 4. First of all put some of the mix back into the hole then lower in the
Cone. You want the basket to sit 3cm (1”) below ground level. With the unit in
place—ensuring
the bottom lip of the outer cone is below ground level— backfill the remaining
gaps with the rest of your soil, compost and gravel mix.
Please note: After heavy rain, the soil level may drop around the unit. Check
every few weeks and top up with soil should you need to, always ensuring the
green lip is under the ground. It is worth noting that the base of the basket
should never fall below the water table.
Your Green Cone is now ready to use
With your Green Cone built and installed, you are now ready to get started
turning your food waste into nutrient-rich water that your garden plants and
vegetables will benefit from daily.
Let the Kitchen Caddy be your daily guide to food waste digestion
The Green Cone is supplied with a kitchen caddy for you to fill with food
waste before taking it to empty into the Cone. Please note that bags or
liners, even those which are compostable or biodegradable, should never be
placed in the Cone as this will hinder the digestion process.
The caddy also acts as a useful measure of when to add waste to the digester.
DURING MARCH TO SEPTEMBER: You can empty one full caddy into the Green
Cone every 1-2 days.
DURING OCTOBER TO FEBRUARY: You can empty one full caddy into the Green
Cone every 2-3 days.
What Can You Put In Your Kitchen Caddy And Green Cone?
Yes:
Fish, red meat and poultry, all bones, bread, fruit and peelings, vegetables
and peelings, dairy produce, cooked scraps, crushed eggshells, teabags and
animal excrement. No:
Bags or liners of any kind, bulk amounts of oil and fat, shells of nuts and
seafood, metal, wood, plastic, glass, paper, straw, grass cuttings, hedge
clippings, disinfectant and bleaches, sanitary towels, medical waste and all
chemicals. Keeping the Green Cone running smoothly
The Green Cone is a very low-maintenance food waste digester and just requires
an occasional check. This mainly involves keeping the ground level around the
Cone above the green lip of the unit and checking that the waste inside the
basket is composting well during colder and darker months. If you find that
the digestion process has started to slow down during autumn and winter,
additional use of accelerator powder is recommended.
Using the accelerator powder with your Green Cone
Accelerator powder is a mixture of natural bacteria on a cereal base that
ensures a healthy population of safe bacteria to boost the digestion process.
In order to keep the Green Cone working efficiently, it’s a good idea to add a
sprinkle of accelerator powder to your kitchen caddy every few days before
emptying it into the Cone. Aim to use about one sachet of accelerator powder
per month. During colder months you may need to use a little more accelerator
powder.
How The Green Cone Works
Sunlight
Provides energy source forthe digestion process.Over 90% of the waste material
in your Green Cone will be absorbed as water by the soil. Never over fill the
Green Cone, there should only ever be food waste in the digestion chamber,
no food waste should be in the solar cone.
The most common questions asked by Green Cone users
Q. Is There A Limit To The Amount Of Food Waste I Can Put In The Green Cone?****
– A. You can dispose of up to one kilogram of waste per day in a well- positioned and fully working Green Cone. As long as the unit has a healthy population of bacteria and a consistent ambient temperature, it can dispose of the food waste created by the average family of four per day.
Q. As Well As Food Waste, Can I Put Garden Waste In The Unit Too?****
– A. No, grass cuttings and garden waste will stop the Cone from working properly. For garden waste, you should consider the Green Johanna composter..
Q. Can I Put My Pet’s Excrement In The Green Cone?****
– A. Yes, in moderation, if you are not using the residue on a vegetable patch and the Cone is not sited close to water sources. Pet excrement must be thrown into the Green Cone directly, never in a bag. Bags of any sort, even compostable or biodegradable, will prevent the Green Cone from working properly. Avoid adding cat litter as this may contain antibacterial agents and its quantity could quickly overwhelm the Cone.
Q. Do I need to mix or stir the Contents?****
– A. No, The Green Cone is designed to break down waste naturally without assistance.
Q. Will My Green Cone Work Every Day Of The Year?****
– A. Yes, although it may slow down a little on darker, colder days. But a little accelerator powder will keep it working as usual no matter what the weather.
Q. Does The Cone Need Any Chemical Activators?****
– A. No, any artificial additives will affect the way the Cone’s natural bacteria works to break down the food waste.
Q. Will My Green Cone Ever Need To Be Emptied?****
– A. With a well working and wellmaintained Cone you may need to empty and clean it once every few years. Very little waste residue will be produced. Should the residue build up to ground level and not decrease, the Cone can be removed to access the basket and the residue dug into any suitable area of ground.
Q. How Do I Clean The Kitchen Caddy?****
– A. Simply hand wash it in warm soapy water. Do not put in the dishwasher.
Q. Will The Green Cone Attract Flies And Vermin?****
– A. The Green Cone is a sealed unit and when properly installed, with the top of the black basket and bottom lip of the green outer cone below ground level and the lid shut securely, emits no smell; any smells are filtered out by the surrounding soil. This means there is no obvious attraction for flies and vermin. However, the eggs of fruit flies are already in the skins of many fruits and might hatch out in the Cone. Should this happen, a small squirt of organic fly spray will resolve the issue. It is important that the caddy is always kept well covered in the kitchen to prevent house flies laying eggs in the food waste, which would then be transferred to the Cone, putting flies into the system. Again, a squirt of organic fly spray will clear up the issue without hindering the eco-system in the unit.
Obviously, it is important not to spill food near the Green Cone.
Useful Additions For Your Green Cone
The 23 Litre External Food Waste Caddy
If you have a larger family, you may wish to consider our external food waste
caddy. It is designed to store more food waste away from the kitchen.
Additional Accelerator Powder
(Available in packs of 3, 6 & 12)
These are designed to ensure a healthy and active bacterial population in your
Green Cone food waste digester.
0800 731 2572
[email protected]
www.greatgreensystems.com