Ammonia in compost?

[kippers garden]

Today the council delivered 3 lorry loads of compost to our allotment for the general public ...the compost is made by the council using all the green waste taken to our local tip. 

While i was filling my barrow for my allotment i commented to a chap that it was 'good stuff''.  His reply was that it's not 'good stuff' as it's full of ammonia....i am very confused as i've found nothing about this on the internet and anyway, hasn't manure got lots of ammonia from cattle urine and that is good  to improve the soil?  Also, i thought it was good to add urine to our own compost bin?

Any help to enlighten me would be very appreciated.

[kippers garden]

[chriscross1966]

It would be a problem if it was at a level that is very obvious to smell, it'd scorch the plants, but otherwise you're right and he's just another one of those mental oldsters you get on plots, they're not all wise, some of them have just got away with being stupid for ages.....

[Duke Ellington]

It would be a problem if it was at a level that is very obvious to smell, it'd scorch the plants, but otherwise you're right and he's just another one of those mental oldsters you get on plots, they're not all wise, some of them have just got away with being stupid for ages.....

And I am sure there is at least one on every allotment site ;D

[grannyjanny]

Only one. Gosh you're lucky Duke ;D ;D ;D.

[Tee Gee]

they're not all wise, some of them have just got away with being stupid for ages.....

:-[ :-[ I have been found out!  :o

I think what he might be getting at is some people add sulphate of ammonia to act as a compost activator.

If Sulph of Amm has been used and the compost looks well decomposed then the Sulph of Amm will have more or less dispersed!
I would not expect a 'smell' if it is 'green waste' there should be no animal urine in it ???

I think from what you describe I would say it is likely to be OK ....so go for it!

but then again;

they're not all wise, some of them have just got away with being stupid for ages.....

;D ;D

[Mr Smith]

Dump the stuff on my lotty and if its that bad I'll use it next year, what would a farmer do if he wanted to go from bringing on beasts on his land to sowing sugar beet the following year, stop them from peeing, :)

[kippers garden]

Thanks for all your replies.. you have all made me laugh.  I have today spread it over a new patch i have taken on where the top soil is only a few inches deep so it will do it good.