Question
Hi I have a supply of well rotted horse manure, the farmer tells me it caught fire some months ago. What is left is a mixture of ash, partly cooked manure and at the bottom of the five foot pile, is lovely wet sliceable black manure. Is this good for my allotment which has 12" of hardish soil on clay/chalk and flint. When I have used composted weeds and kitchen waste the soil improves to a fin tilth. my allotment is 45' x 35' Please and thanks _ John

Answer
Ashes are very alkaline, so if you have acid soil it would be ok.  I would sift it first by using 1/2 inch hardware cloth over a wheelbarrow....just rub it around over the wire and any lumps can be added back to the bottom of a new bin. You should not have a bunch of "wet sliceable black manure, that means it has not been composted yet and will be too hot for putting into the garden, it is not finished yet.  

For information how to make better compost visit our website: http://www.avant-gardening.com/composting.html  Horse manure is very salty, and horses do not digest weeds, so you might have weed seeds....it is ok for about three years, then I would switch to goat, cow, rabbit or sheep manure.  Cold manures are the best: sheep, goat, rabbit, llama, alpaca, etc because they can be put right into the soil and do not have to be composted first.

Also note on our website how to build sustainable soil....  http://www.avant-gardening.com/ogardening.htm  This will help you deal with your rather difficult soil issues....