Site it wisely: Place your tumbler on level ground in a sunny or lightly shaded spot with good drainage and easy access year-round.

Start with browns: Add a 10–15 cm (4–6 in) layer of coarse carbon-rich material such as shredded cardboard, dry leaves, or straw to aid airflow and drainage.

Add greens: For every two buckets of kitchen or garden waste, mix in one bucket of browns. Chop larger pieces to speed up decomposition.

Tumble regularly: Rotate the drum 2–3 times every few days to keep oxygen circulating and materials well mixed.

Use Bokashi waste: Add fermented food waste from your Bokashi bin to boost microbial activity and speed up composting.

Monitor moisture: The mix should feel like a wrung-out sponge — add dry browns if too wet or a sprinkle of water if too dry.

Harvest: Compost is typically ready after 2–4 months, depending on temperature and material mix. Empty finished compost via the access door and restart with a new batch.

Wiggly Tip: Sprinkle a few handfuls of Complete Rot with each new layer of waste — it balances nitrogen, feeds beneficial microbes, and keeps your compost fresh and aerobic.

At Lower Blakemere Farm in Herefordshire, we use a range of composting systems — from tumblers to hot compost heaps — to recycle organic matter and enrich our soils.

Our Tumbler + Complete Rot Bundle mirrors that same regenerative cycle: waste becomes compost, compost feeds the soil, and the soil sustains life.

By composting at home, you’re cutting methane emissions, reducing food waste, and creating healthy, carbon-rich soil — all from your own back garden.

🔄 Aerobic Decomposition: Tumbling ensures constant oxygen flow, helping beneficial microbes thrive and break down waste efficiently without unpleasant odours.

🌡️ Even Heat Distribution: Regular rotation spreads warmth evenly through the mix, allowing compost to reach temperatures of 40–60 °C — hot enough to speed up decomposition and kill weed seeds.

⚖️ Balanced Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio: Aim for roughly 25–30 : 1 — combine carbon-rich browns (dry leaves, cardboard, straw) with nitrogen-rich greens (food scraps, grass clippings).

💧 Moisture Management: Keep materials as damp as a wrung-out sponge. Too wet? Add browns. Too dry? Add a splash of water or some fresh greens.

🦠 Microbial Activity: Every tumble reinvigorates the composting microbes by introducing oxygen and redistributing nutrients, ensuring rapid, uniform breakdown.

🌍 Climate Benefit: By composting in a sealed, aerated tumbler, you prevent methane emissions and turn household waste into nutrient-rich compost in as little as 8–12 weeks.

✅ Add Bokashi-fermented waste weekly for a microbial boost.

✅ Alternate layers of moist greens and dry browns to maintain airflow.

✅ Tumble every few days to keep decomposition active.

✅ Check internal heat monthly with a compost thermometer.

✅ Empty and restart your tumbler a couple of times a year — spring and autumn are ideal.

Wiggly Tip: During summer, sprinkle Lime Mix occasionally to keep pH neutral and deter flies.