BioKai - Health from the Ground up is a sister company of KoruKai Herb Farm with the intention to provide resources and education about biological farming and gardening. Check out our website for more info: www.biokai.co.nz (parts are still under construction).

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. The higher the heat, the faster your materials will break down. But you don’t want it too hot to loose nitrogen and other nutrients. You also don't want your pile to go anaerobic with excessive heat.
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). This will help you make a better compost the next time and will make you a better gardener.
Without a thermometer you are merely guessing and you cannot improve this valuable skill as a home or commercial gardener.

FEATURES
·      Easy to read large dial
·      Temperature range 0-100 °C
·      Colour coded temperature zones from 20-74 °C
·      50cm long stainless steel probe
·      Accuracy + 1 °C




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 to avoid damage. We generally leave it sticking in the compost for 1-2 weeks so we can quickly get an idea of the temperature in the core of the pile when walking past an active pile. This tells us if we need to turn it. We make sure that it is under the composTex cover to protect from the weather.


Measuring and monitor the center temperature of a thermal compost heap or windrow with our BioKai Compost Thermometers. Take 2-3 readings per m3 heap and 3-6 readings for a windrow.

Temperature is read from the tip and takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Take a few measurements per pile to get a more accurate reading.

View the video below to learn more



Thermometer comes with a thorough leaflet to explain the colour-coded temperature ranges.



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 and other seeds from plants we don't want everywhere
  • Kills pathogens found in manure and plant matter
  • Kills plant diseases
  • Perfect ratio of carbon and nitrogen material to feed the soil food web and grow healthy plants
  • Improves soil structure: aggregates formation, stick soil particles together to make soil crumbly and easier to work with
  • Supplies nutrients ready for plants to take up, it is also charged so that nutrients and water can be held in the soil and don’t get washed out
  • 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.
ARTICLE: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF THERMAL COMPOSTING


WHOLESALE INQUIRIES WELCOME!

Data sheet

Ingredients
1 stainless steel compost thermometer
Grade 
Charles 22/12/2022

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.

  • 1 out of 1 people found this review useful.
Grade 
Kat Jenkins 13/10/2022

Excellent

Fabulous tool for monitoring your compost temperature - an activity which becomes a little addictive! Highly recommended for dedicated composters!

  • 1 out of 1 people found this review useful.
Grade 
Russell 25/05/2022

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. Thanks. Blessings.

  • 1 out of 1 people found this review useful.
Grade 
Leanne 09/05/2022

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 ?

Grade 
Karen 01/05/2022

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.

Grade 
Renee 30/04/2022

Happy composting

It’s a ‚must have‘ item to have for a successful composting system but unfortunately it’s not water tight.

Grade 
Luke 30/04/2022

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.

Grade 
Anna-Marie Kingsley 29/04/2022

Compost thermometer

Arrived very promptly after ordering, well packaged and works just great.

Grade 
Emma 28/04/2022

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

  • 1 out of 1 people found this review useful.
Grade 
John McFadgen 28/04/2022

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.

Grade 
Mike Stewart-Jacks 28/04/2022

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.

Grade 
Angela Fitchett 28/04/2022

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!

Grade 
Richard U 28/04/2022

Great product and value

Thanks for this. Works really well and does the job!

Grade 
Mark Bevin 28/04/2022

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

Grade 
Bevan 27/04/2022

Compost thermometer

Definitely a must have when doing hot composting.

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