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Ah!!!! Thank you Charles for this boost of encouragement.
(Since you wondered, here is one of the things people (like me) will read when they google the question: http://www.the-compost-gardener.com/can-you-plant-a-vegetable-garden-in-pure-compost.html
Some quotes: “…When you are planting seeds, pull the compost away and plant the seeds into the soil. Don’t cover with the compost – just leave it to the sides. With transplants do the same. Pull the compost away, loosen up the soil and plant your plants into the soil. Again, leave the compost a couple of inches away from the stems.”
and: “…The thing to remember is that the ideal soil only needs about 5% organic matter. The rest of the soil is made up of 45% minerals, that’s the ground up parent material, 25% is water and 25% air. That 5% is magic. It”s where the biology that makes soil function lives.”
Etc, etc. You can see variation on this theme all over the place – which is what makes it confusing.
We just planted (what seems like) a million onion starts into pure compost. I will let you know how it goes!
I am a little worried about the weeds waiting to leap into action coming from the compost. But we’ll deal with that when we have to!
Thank you so much for your confirmation – and your time.