2The perfect home
Your Green Cone needs to be set up in an easily accessible spot with maximum sunlight and good drainage.
The Green Cone is solar-powered. It’s doubled-walled cones circulate hot air, speeding up decomposition. For best results set your cone up in a spot that gets maximum sunlight.
The Green Cone will thrive in fertile, well-drained soil. Avoid areas of solid rock, clay, or anywhere near a water table or flood-prone areas.
If in doubt add a bucket of water to the hole to test drainage. If the water doesn’t drain into the soil within 15 minutes, find a spot with better drainage.
To get started dig a hole 80cm wide x 60cm deep in well-drained soil. If your soil is chalk or clay based, dig deeper and wider to about 90cm wide x 70cm deep. New to digging holes? Check out this article.
Make sure the top of the basket and the bottom lip of the outer cone are below ground level and always fully covered with soil. This is critical to good composting and to minimise smells that could attract vermin.
If you have clay or chalk-based soil, or are short on yard space, try using a raised bed. Dig a 30cm deep hole, fill it with small stones, place the cone on top of the stones at ground level and create a rockery around the basket. Leave a 15cm gap around the cone and backfill with soil or use wooden slats.
If adding pet poo, locate the Green Cone away from water sources, edible plants and trees, including nuts and citrus, just in case.
Tips
If you don’t have the right tools for digging, find your nearest tool library online and borrow some basic digging equipment. You can also use services like Airtasker, Hire a Hubby or the Grey Army if you need help digging the hole.
You can improve drainage in heavy clay soil with a mixed layer of gravel and compost around the digestion basket.
Did you know?
Many of the microorganisms that naturally break down organic material live in the top 4 inches of soil. The underground digestion basket allows them to come and go freely.
