A compost thermometer is an essential tool for successful hot composting and worm farming, whether in a home garden or commercial setup.
It provides a clear indication of microbial activity inside your compost pile, helping you determine when to turn it and whether your carbon-to-nitrogen balance is working correctly. Temperature readings quickly show if your mix contains too many “greens” (too hot), too many “browns” (too cold), or insufficient moisture (low microbial activity).
Without temperature monitoring, composting becomes guesswork—this tool allows you to refine your process and consistently produce high-quality compost over time.
Made from stainless steel with a long probe designed to reach deep into compost piles and soil.
Length: 50 cm
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A compost thermometer is one of the most important tools for understanding what is happening inside your compost pile. Compost is a living system driven by microbial activity, and temperature is one of the clearest indicators of how well those microbes are working.
The higher the temperature, the faster organic material breaks down—but it must be balanced. If a pile becomes too hot, valuable nutrients such as nitrogen can be lost. If it is too cool, decomposition slows significantly. Excessive heat can also indicate imbalances or the risk of anaerobic conditions developing. By monitoring temperature, you can fine-tune moisture levels, carbon-to-nitrogen ratios, and turning schedules to improve compost quality over time.
Using a compost thermometer removes guesswork and turns composting into a more precise, skill-based process. Over time, this leads to richer, more stable compost and healthier plants in the garden.
This thermometer is supplied with a colour-coded temperature guide leaflet to help interpret readings. This is sent via email after purchase—please check for an email with the subject line: [KoruKai Herb Farm] Files available for your order
BioKai – Health from the Ground Up is a sister company of KoruKai Herb Farm, created to support education and resources around biological farming, regenerative gardening, and soil health. Learn more at www.biokai.co.nz
Features
Easy-to-read large dial
Temperature range: 0–100°C
Colour-coded temperature zones from 20–74°C
50cm stainless steel probe for deep readings
Accuracy: ±1°C
A practical, reliable tool for gardeners who want to understand and improve the biology of their soil and compost systems.
For best results, we recommend not leaving the thermometer inserted in the compost heap overnight. Instead, store it in a garden shed, garage, or covered porch to help prevent damage and avoid fogging of the dial over time.
To accurately monitor your compost, measure the core temperature of a thermal compost heap or windrow using your BioKai Compost Thermometer. For best accuracy, take multiple readings throughout the pile rather than relying on a single point.
As a guide:
Take 2–3 readings per 1m³ compost heap
Take 3–6 readings along a windrow
Temperature is measured from the tip of the probe and typically takes 30 seconds to 1 minute to stabilise. Taking several readings per pile ensures a more accurate understanding of microbial activity and overall compost performance.
View the video below to learn more
It can also be used to measure the temperature of soil in spring, helping you decide the best time to plant out your first crops and seedlings when soil conditions are warm enough for strong germination and healthy growth.
Why we make hot/thermal compost at KoruKai Herb Farm
At KoruKai Herb Farm, we use hot (thermal) composting because it creates a fast, efficient, and biologically rich system for building soil health and growing resilient plants. When managed correctly, hot composting delivers a wide range of benefits:
Kills weed seeds and unwanted plant seeds
Kills pathogens found in manure and plant material
Reduces plant diseases and harmful organisms
Creates the ideal balance of carbon and nitrogen to feed the soil food web
Improves soil structure by supporting aggregate formation, making soil crumbly and easier to work
Supplies plant-available nutrients in a stable, slow-release form
Improves the soil’s ability to hold nutrients and water, reducing leaching
Enhances drainage in heavy clay soils
Increases water-holding capacity in sandy soils
Improves soil aeration and oxygen availability for plant roots
Increases microbial diversity and overall soil life activity
Darkens soil, helping it warm up earlier in spring
Produces stronger plants with increased resistance to pests and disease
Builds a complex and balanced soil food web
Thermal composting is a cornerstone of regenerative growing systems, turning organic waste into a powerful soil-building resource that supports long-term garden health and productivity.
We welcome WHOLESALE inquiries!
Ingredients: 1 stainless steel compost thermometer, 50cm long
Really easy to use and so helpful when learning how to make hot compost. Found myself taking measurements more than once a day in the hot phase as it was fun to see what was happening... Thanks guys.
Charleson Dec 22, 2022
Great service
Thank you for the very quick delivery. I ordered the thermometer one day and it was here the next, ready for wrapping as a Christmas gift. So thanks again for such fabulous service and attention to detail with the communication. Outstanding.
2 out of 2 people found this review useful.
Kat Jenkinson Oct 13, 2022
Excellent
Fabulous tool for monitoring your compost temperature - an activity which becomes a little addictive! Highly recommended for dedicated composters!
2 out of 2 people found this review useful.
Russellon May 25, 2022
Love it.
Thermometer arrived last week. Much used already in our various compost stacks. We are beginning our transition no-dig vege gardens- an exciting prospect. I have much to learn but having a thermometer gives us an ability to measure. Love it.<br />
Thanks. Blessings.
2 out of 2 people found this review useful.
Leanneon May 9, 2022
Great Wee Tool
I’m very happy with this product. It’s easy to use, easy to read (although the dial does sometimes fog up), came with useful basic information and accurately reveals what’s going on in the compost heap. Thrilling for a beginner to hot composting to see the needle steadily move to the green zone ?
1 out of 1 people found this review useful.
Karenon May 1, 2022
compost thermometer
This compost thermometer is accurate - I measured it against boiling water and ice water - and it's easy to use and to read. It's great that it's stainless steel so that it won't bend, and it will last.
1 out of 1 people found this review useful.
Renee on Apr 30, 2022
Happy composting
It’s a ‚must have‘ item to have for a successful composting system but unfortunately it’s not water tight.
Luke on Apr 30, 2022
Its getting hot in here
I havent tested the accuracy in boiling water, but its great to have control over my compost piles. Nice product and highly recommend.
Anna-Marie Kingsley on Apr 29, 2022
Compost thermometer
Arrived very promptly after ordering, well packaged and works just great.
Emmaon Apr 28, 2022
Good quality thermometer
Great sturdy thermometer, definitely essential for measuring temp in a compost pile as it’s plenty long enough to reach the centre
2 out of 2 people found this review useful.
John McFadgenon Apr 28, 2022
Good Value!
Bought 2 to use on my own garden and nearby Community House compost heaps. Good quality, well-priced with useful support info. I’ve composted for years but found these very instructive in confirming what is going on in heaps.
Mike Stewart-Jackson Apr 28, 2022
Composting temperature
The BioKai composting thermometer does all it's claimed to do although the glass dial does get a little steamed-up. Certainly helps understand what going on - I would have had no idea it was up to 68 degrees without it. Recommend it to all hot-composters.
Angela Fitchetton Apr 28, 2022
Essential tool
As a beginner learning about composting this thermometer was super useful. I could read what was happening inside a pile of compost and then turn, add green or brown material or water in response to the temperature as I experimented and learnt. Very easy to use, easy to read too. Arrived promptly. Highly recommend!
Richard Uon Apr 28, 2022
Great product and value
Thanks for this. Works really well and does the job!
Mark Bevin on Apr 28, 2022
Quick to use
Happy with this thermometer- easy to probe the heap and quick response. Received in flimsy package vulnerable to bending so perhaps consider taping to a stick of wood in future? THe red plastic tip-cap broke off fairly quickly but it seems to be superfluous
Bevanon Apr 27, 2022
Compost thermometer
Definitely a must have when doing hot composting.
Thank you for the reviews ! Your comment is submitted
We are not offering this workshop at the moment as we have put together an amazing online composting workshop, which is much more comprehensive than what we can teach in a day on the farm. The videos make you think you have actually been here and are so engaging that you won't miss a thing. You can also go back again and again to watch content and ask questions! We are here to help.
A deep dive into biological/regenerative farming and gardening for soil health, human health and environmental health. Over two days we cover the soil food web, nutrient cycling, plant and soil microbiome, making hot compost, managing a worm farm and liquid extracts.
Next Date: 2-day workshop, date to be confirmed Time: 9:30am - 4:30pm on both days Location: KoruKai Herb Farm, Pigeon Bay, Banks Peninsula This workshop includes a comprehensive workshop book to take home and a nourishing lunch on both days.
Join anytime and start learning how to make powerful, nutrient-rich compost with confidence.
This online workshop brings together over a decade of real-world experience making compost on both small urban sections and larger rural farms. You’ll learn our simple, effective no-turn hot composting method, refined over years of practical use.
We also cover how to make and use compost extract to further boost soil life and plant health.
A practical, experience-based course designed to help you build healthy soil wherever you are growing.
ComposTex Compost Cover (compost fleece) is a breathable, UV-resistant fabric designed to protect compost piles and windrows while still allowing oxygen flow for healthy decomposition. It sheds rain and snow melt while maintaining ideal aerobic conditions.
At KoruKai Herb Farm, we also use it for simple, low-tech worm farming systems directly on the ground.
Available sizes (please choose below): 1.20m x 1.20m 1.20m x 2.40m 1.20m x 3.66m
For different sizes, large quantities or a whole 50m roll (3.66m width) please send an email to Kai at [email protected] for a quote. We can supply any length required.
We can do any length you require and the width will be 3.66 metres.
Heavy-duty TeaLAB extract bag made from 400 micron nylon mesh and climbing-grade binding, designed for making high-quality compost and vermicast extracts. Durable, reusable, and built to last.
A robust, reusable extraction tool designed for serious gardeners, growers, and soil biology enthusiasts.
Perfect for use in compost extract or tea brewers with included carabiner clip for easy suspension.
Available in two sizes:
Small (23 × 36 cm) – makes approx. 20L
Large (51 × 56 cm) – makes approx. 60–200L (or more in staged batches)
The TeaLAB Extract Bag is made out of 400 micron nylon mesh and climbing grade binding. Hand stitched in Seattle USA by a cut and sew shop that specializes in hard-core backpacking gear, needless to say, this bag is made to last.
This bag is great to make your own compost and vermicast extract. You can also suspend the bag in a compost tea brewer with the carabiner clip.
Sizes (please choose below):
Small Extract Bag: 23 cm x 36 cm to make 20 litres of compost extract or tea
Large Extract Bag: 51 cm x 56 cm to make 60-200 litres of compost extract or tea. For larger amounts like 1000 litres simply add fresh compost to the bag 3-5 times, dilute and add to your brewer.
Your worms are shipped on the date stated above. This gets also printed on your invoice.
Composting worms transform food and garden waste into rich compost and fertiliser to regenerate soil and bring back life force to the below ground livestock - the microbes. This turns on nutrient cycling, grows resilient and healthy plants and increases the water holding capacity of soil - a necessity with droughts and flooding that go hand in hand nowadays.
You will receive 250g of composting worms (approx. 1000 worms) or 500g (approx. 2000) with some moist bedding in a perforated bag. The worms come in all ages and sizes, breed and grow fast.
Worm Supplement, Fungal Enhancer and Worm Farm Conditioner
This blend provides essential nutrients, grit, calcium, carbon and trace elements to get your worm farm humming.
Our special blend contains lime, humates, seaweed and biochar to boost your worm farm’s productivity, enhance fungi, balance pH and provide a valuable carbon source to maximise nutrient retention.
Available in 500g and 1kg bags. Please choose below.
This amazing guide brings together what we have learnt, observed and experienced over the last 12 years of managing several worm farms to get amazing worm castings for our farm and vegetable gardens.
In this guide, with 70 pages, you will learn how to turn food scraps and farm waste into rich compost and fertiliser to regenerate soil and bring back life force to the below ground livestock - the microbes. This turns on nutrient cycling, grows resilient and healthy plants and increases the water holding capacity of soil - a necessity with droughts and flooding that go hand in hand nowadays.
Healthy soil is the backbone of health - be it environmental, animal, plant or human health. It's our foundation and the solution to a lot of our problems.
This cover crop seeds or green manure seeds mix has been blended to achieve maximum benefit. It can help with common challenges such as compaction, weed pressure, pests and diseases, low fertility, leaching and erosion.
Best sown between August/September and December/January, depending on your climate.
This diverse mix maintains living soil cover in areas that would otherwise be bare. This mix contains seeds from 8 plant families as well as legumes (nitrogen fixing plants), which has been proven in field trials to be very beneficial to build soil structure and to increase beneficial microbes in the soil.
ComposTex Compost Covers (also known as "compost fleece") is a completely breathable, non-woven fabric made of 100% UV-resistant polypropylene that sheds rainfall and snow melt from compost piles and covered windrows while oxygen perforates.
At KoruKai Herb Farm we even use it for a fast to install, low-tech worm farming system straight on the ground.
Available sizes (please choose your size below):
1.20m x 1.20m
1.20m x 2.40m
1.20m x 3.66m
For different sizes, large quantities or a whole 50m roll (3.66m width) please send an email to Kai at [email protected] for a quote.
We can do any length you require and the width will be 3.66 metres.
This cover crop seeds or green manure seeds mix has been blended to achieve maximum benefit. It can help with common challenges such as compaction, weed pressure, pests and diseases, low fertility, leaching and erosion.
Best sown between January/February and April/May, depending on your climate. This diverse mix maintains living soil cover in areas that would otherwise be bare over winter. This mix contains seeds from 5 plant families as well as legumes (nitrogen fixing plants), which has been proven in field trials to be very beneficial to build soil structure and to increase beneficial microbes in the soil.
