BioKai Compost Thermometer

Stainless steel thermometer with long probe to measure the temperature of compost and soil.

Easy to read large dial

50cm long stainless steel probe

Accuracy +/- 1 °C

Temperature range 0-100 °C

Colour coded temperature zones from 20-74 °C

Waterproof and anti-fog dial

With 5 color coded temperature zones

AMBIENT (BLUE): 20-30 °C
LOW (YELLOW): 30-40 °C
MEDIUM (ORANGE): 40-55 °C
HOT (GREEN): 55-68 °C
TURN (RED): 68 – 74 °C

When purchasing a thermometer, you will get a leaflet explaining the 5 zones and helping you in your decision making if turning a pile is necessary or not. The leaflet also lists the three groups of composting materials.

Get a BioKai Compost Thermometer here for $29.90

A compost thermometer is a necessary piece of equipment for hot composting in a home garden setting and for commercial operators. It gives you an indication of the microbial activity, telling you when it needs to get turned and indicates if your carbon and nitrogen ratio of your compost materials were adequate. 
By measuring the temperature you will see if you have added too much green material (gone too hot) or not enough (too cold) and if your moisture level was adequate (not enough moisture, no microbial activity). The higher the heat, the faster your materials will break down. But you don’t want it to get too hot to loose nitrogen and other nutrients as gasses. You would also risk the pile going anaerobic and developing alcohol as a by-product. 
It’s a great learning tool, which will help you make better compost the next time and will make you a better gardener as a result.
Without a thermometer you are merely guessing and you cannot improve this valuable skill as a home or commercial gardener.

Please note: The BioKai thermometer is hermetically sealed to withstand the weather and prevent fogging. We still advise to not leave it sticking in the compost for long periods of time and to store it in a garden shed, garage or back porch between used to avoid damage. We generally leave it sticking in the compost heap for 1-2 weeks after construction. This gives us a quick idea of the temperature in the core of the pile when walking past the active pile. This tells us if we need to turn it, punch chimneys or perhaps add moisture.

Temperature is read from the tip and takes about 1 minute. Take a few measurements per pile to get a more accurate reading.

It can also be used to measure the temperature of soil in spring which helps you decide on the time to plant out your first crops/seedlings.

This is why we make hot/thermal compost at KoruKai Herb Farm

Kills weed seeds
Destroys pathogens
Creates better drainage in heavy soils
More water storage in sandy soils
Increases aeration and the oxygen availability for the roots
Increases activity and the number of soil microorganisms
Makes soil darker and so it warms up earlier in spring
Produces healthy plants that are more resistant to disease and pests
Creates a complex soil food web

Read more about it in the link below.

THE ART AND SCIENCE OF THERMAL COMPOSTING
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