[casper]

I have been working hard digging over my allotment, I saw that some nice looking black stuff had been delivered and decided to work some through my beds, Mmmm problem is dont know what it is!! Now it was dark, darker than shop bought compost but it smelt like cold tar, I kinda thought whatever it was it would add nutrients to my poor neglected soil. What could it be??

[Trillium]

No idea but if possible, ask someone first. It might be something you don't really want on your veg.

[sunshineband]

Possible decent well rotted manure --- but you do need to find out before you dig any more in that it is not something horrid

[arugula]

Leaf mould?

[Trillium]

I wouldn't think so with a smell like tar. I'd expect something more 'earthy'. Always better to ask first than regret later.

[Dopey113]

You can get slag from tar!! looks a bit like fine soil (and it smells like tar!!  )

[casper]

I have only added it to a couple of beds, so will ask tomorrow, I did smell nice though. 

[Dopey113]

If you like the smell of it you can buy soap "coal tar" its yellow, used to use it as a kid... and yea it smells nice, like a newly laid road 

[casper]

Haha I like the smell of jeyes fluid too, dont know if I would bathe in it though, yep I remember the yellow stuff, my old nan, a bar of the yellow stuff and a crusty flannel, need I say more 

[Swing Swang]

Still use the yellow stuff - and great stuff it is too - however I think that we're now being sold a fake as the coal tar is listed as a 'fragrance' rather than as an active ingredient.

[Janeymiddlewife]

We get crushed up road chippings to fill in holes in the tracks, it's not that is it?

[greenhead]

It sounds like the black stuff you get from council tips sold as soil improver - its good stuff I get 3ton or more from the plant that 'makes' it every year, it works wonders on clay soil breaking it down in two seasons.  Its very cheap if you know somebody who has a tipping trailer and a landrover.  I pay £20 for 3ton delivered to my plot.

[casper]

Thanks greenhead, that sounds right, we have a green recycling at my local tip, we have clay soil on our plots too, so that could well be the case, it was nice like black soil but with the tar smell,

[viettaclark]

I received a ton of "soil improver" instead of mushroom compost (their mistake) and it was exactly as you described with a tarry smell.
I got to keep it for free and threw it around liberally. Lovely stuff!!!!

[Nobbie]

Any chance it might be soot? I know some people use weathered soot for some purposes, might explain the cold tar smell?