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A compost thermometer is used to check the temperature of a compost pile to make sure it is at the correct level of between ninty and one hundred forty degrees Farenheit. If the temperature is lower than that, proper digestion of the materials may not take place. Hotter than that and there is the possibilty that the beneficial microorganisms within it will be killed. A too hot pile also runs the danger of spontaneous combustion, as sometimes happens to farmers who bale hay which is too green.
A good compost thermometer should have a stem which is at least eighteen inches long. Make sure the plastic cover is secure, to prevent moisture buildup inside it which will make the temperature gauge hard to read.
When you have the compost pile constructed, the compost thermometer should be stuck in the middle of the pile. The compost should heat up fast, within a day or two it should have achieved the correct temperature. As the pile works, it will shrink. You may need to stick the compost thermometer back in a few days after starting the pile.
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