Can you plant in straight 'compost?'

This question arose the other day.........Simple answer - you can, but you shouldn't, and here is why.

• If it's not totally finished, it will continue to decay and will 'heat up' possibly burning the plant
• 'humus' (finished compost) can sometimes like peat material become impervious to water
• water can drain too freely, leaving plants to dry
• humus should be considered a vitamin pill for soil not the entire meal
• humus does not contain all the necessary minerals (13) the garden soil has
• good soil only contains 5% of organic matter (humus)
• humus is very lightweight, plants installed in just that, especially in pots, will tip over more easily in bad weather........less stability

I know it's tempting as it's so loose and fluffy, but it's not a good choice. If you are a container gardener, mix the humus with some bagged 'garden soil.' Be sure it is garden soil, not 'potting mix' which typically contains no soil and then you have the same issue! At the most.........I would use 25% humus with the bagged garden soil.

What if you already have? For pots, mix in some soil on the outer edges, and a few inches on the top. If the plant seems to be burning, yellow leaves, etc. you may need to transplant it. If so, keep it out of the sun for 2-3 days to adjust.  In a garden situation, scratch in real soil near the plant, being careful of the root systems.