Compost Thermometer by Terry Gordon
This is my method of checking the temperature of my compost. I have a digital non-contact thermometer which you can buy from automotive shops like Repco for around $90.00. I made a probe using a piece of aluminium about 4 inches by 2 inches which is attached to about one metre of old broom handle by two screws. A piece of aluminium from an old cooking pot is good, thick, won’t rust and a good conductor of heat. I leave the probe pushed into the pile, a different spot each time to ensure good contact between the aluminium and the compost and whenever I wish to check the temperature, it’s simply a matter of pulling out the probe and measuring the temperature of the aluminium. This method would most likely be frowned upon in scientific circles, but it’s cheap and it works and you can easily make several probes if you need them. Also you can use the thermometer to check the temperature of your plants. Hope you find this helpful.