I regularly grow in pure compost, and find the results most satisfactory. I have lots of things to compare with since I grow quite a few of the same plants in straight compost, a soilless peat-lite mixture, amended garden soil, and straight garden soil. I would grow more in pure compost if I could make enough. Many of my fruiting vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers grow better in the pure compost than in any of the other mixtures. Most of my compost is from a large (over 200 cubic foot) worm bin. I leave the remaining worms in the compost when I use it to grow, and seldom have problems with them.

Renais

renais, if you are growing in vermicompost, this isn't the same as 'regular' compost.

Not even close.

There are folks growing in 'regular' compost who report good results, but I also see a lot of people ask questions concerning poor plant performance and then indicate they are growing in pure compost.

Not sure why, just what I have observed.

It is one of those things you probably just need to try this year and see how it does. Since compost isn't fully decomposed you can expect to have to add 20-50% of the original volume as it reduces in volume over the growing season. As it decomposes you can expect the medium to become much less aerated and results may decline when this happens (or may not).

About 5 years ago I made the mistake of digging 6" down and removing native soil, filling it up to 3" above grade with compost and framing it in. Today that bed is 3" below ground level and has to be redone.

I am growing in raised beds in straight compost. I have to compost like crazy because of the shrinkage. Also, I found out that grass is trying to come up in some places from when I composted it and I'm covering the surface with paper, old clothes, etc. After a few years, the shrinkage slows down., but I find I still have shrinkage. I wonder if some of that is due to dirt molecules turning into plant molecules and being removed by me. I just don't know.

I never removed the soil underneath, just smothered it with a ton of paper.

I also grow in straight compost, and don't have problems. Though I lean towards buildingshallow beds now, my first bed is up to 2' deep and is now below grade in spots (its on a hill) but I don't care much, the soil is still good and I can still reach in to plant. I do need to top it off later this summer during the "baking times" when it will be fallow before the fall planting.

Any high-organic mix is going to have to have the organics replaced with frequency. That is why there are all the mentions of toping beds off with compost before replanting and top-dressing during the growing season - compost breaks down rapidly and has to be replaced.

Now, if someone plants in unfinshed compost, they will have worse performance. I've seen that quite a bit, cases where someone put in a bunch of dried but uncomposted manure and had problems until the second season (by which time things had broken down).

TOMATOES WILL GROW IN COTTON BURR COMPOST....I HAVE MIXED IN ABOUT 10 TO 15 PERCENT BIOCHAR, MADE NEED MORE, DO NOT KNOW YET...THIS STEP HOLDS WATER AND HELPS AERATE COMPOST....JUST AN EXPERIMENT, BUT THE TOMATO, BEEFSTEAK SURE IS GROWING AND LOOKS HEALTHY....NEXT TIME PLAN TO USE MYCORRHIZA FUNGI TO BE 100 PERCENT SURE IT IS PRESENT IN COMPOST...JUST A SPOONFUL IN PLANTING HOLE AT TRANSPLANT TIME IS ALL IT TAKES TO GROW A PLANTER FULL OF ROOTS...