Solar Cone, Inc. Green Johanna with Winter Jacket

Add-Ons

Solar Cone, Inc. BiOWiSH Compost Boost, 3-Pack

SolarCone, Inc.
Green Johanna™ Hot Composter
PLUS Winter Jacket

"Hot" composter for all your kitchen and garden waste! Includes Green Johanna™, Winter Jacket, Assembly Hardware, Aerating Stick, Assembly and Use Instructions

The Green Johanna™compost bin is different from a standard compost bin because it is designed to be rodent proof and is well insulated. This means that the composting process is quicker than in a standard compost bin and you can put in all types of food waste, including cooked food, bones, fish and meat, which should not be added to a standard compost bin. The Green Johanna is made of a durable plastic that resists attack from the elements including extremes of temperature and is expected to last 10 years or more. It comes with a 5 year warranty.

Dimensions: 36 inches across at the base, the lid is 21 inches wide and its overall height is 38 inches.

Can I use this composter during the wintertime?
Yes, with the Green Johanna you can get a winter jacket that protects against the cold and the wind - it's guaranteed to work to -13°F! It is recommended that the winter jacket be used when the temperature drops below approximately 40°F.

How much waste can it take?
It is designed for a household with up to five people together with the compostable waste produced from an average garden. As this this is extremely variable, if you believe you are filling it too quickly you may consider a second Green Johanna. Since a garden produces less waste in winter some of the material in summer can be kept to layer in with food waste during winter. The Green Johanna will divert approximately 260 pounds of food waste per person per year from the landfills!

What items can I put in my Green Johanna?
From the kitchen: Fruit, vegetables, dairy products, fish, shellfish, meat, bones, coffee grounds with filter, teabags, eggshells, bread, sauce, soup, egg cartons and many others.

From the garden: Grass*, leaves**, twigs and branches. Even WEEDS can be put in the Green Johanna! And because temperatures are so high, weeds will never grow from the unit!

*Avoid large amounts of grass as this can prevent oxygen getting through and slow or stop the process entirely.
**Since oak leaves contain a high level of tannic acid, it takes a long time for them to be turned into compost. In order to speed up the process you should first put them in a sealed (vacuum if possible) plastic bag for a month or two.

NEVER deposit glass, plastic, rubber, paint, chemicals or fabrics in the Green Johanna. Dog and cat waste should not be put into the Green Johanna as it may be toxic and you would not want to spread this on the garden!

Placing your Green Johanna
Put your Green Johanna in an area that is easy to get to all year round. This will make it easy for you to add new materials. To help the composting process, choose a location for your Green Johanna that is out of excessive sunlight and is sheltered from the wind.

Ideally, your Green Johanna should be placed on the ground (either bare soil or grass), not on concrete, asphalt or patio slabs. This will make it easier for worms and other creatures, which help break down your garden and kitchen waste, to enter the Green Johanna.

NOTE: When using your Green Johanna for the first time, you should place a layer, about 6 inches deep, of brown materials (such as crumpled cardboard or branches and twigs) at the bottom of your bin. This layer will help air to circulate at the bottom of the compost bin as more materials are added. Good air circulation speeds up the composting process!

• Remove compost through the hatches.
• You can lift the Green Johanna from around your compost, cover the compost with a plastic sheet and leave it until all the materials have broken down.
• You can empty the contents of the Green Johanna into a standard compost bin and leave it until all materials have broken down.
• If using two Green Johanna units, you can start to use the second unit once the first unit is full. By the time the second unit is full, the compost in your first bin should be ready to use.

Please make sure that you return any materials that still look like food to your Green Johanna and leave them to break down for a few more months.

How it Works...

The Green Johanna is a unique, closed, hot composting system manufactured in Sweden. This patented unit provides good ventilation and is easy to empty yet does not allow pests to access the contents. The Green Johanna is available with an insulating jacket which allows successful composting throughout the year.

How do I use the stirring stick?

The stick is made of wood with two metal wings at one end. The wings will fold when you push the stick into the material and unfold when you pull it upagain. Oxygenate the compost with the stick every time you throw something in and blend the new material with the old. Do not use the stirring stick deeper than 4-6 inches - only the top layer should be aerated.

Using the Winter Jacket

The winter jacket helps to speed up the composting process in wintertime when the composting process slows down due to low air temperature. The jacket should be fitted when the average temperature falls below 40°F and removed when the temperature is consistently above 50°F.

It is important to remember to remove the jacket when the temperature rises. This is because if the compost becomes too hot the creatures which make compost can die, halting the composting process.