As you might imagine, writing for Compost Magazine, I make a lot of compost.
In fact, I currently have no less than ten compost setups—although some are experimental, and others were hastily assembled to deal with a trailer load of manure I received over the weekend.
(The mini-windrow below, for example, was created when I’d already filled every single compost bin… and still had material left.)
That said, there are a number of vegetable plants I never use compost with—and I still get fantastic results.
I wanted to share a few of them with you, not just because they don’t need compost (or in some cases, compost can actually have negative effects), but also because these are some of the most productive, reliable, and delicious plants I grow.
The Forgotten Plant That’s First Out of the Ground in Spring
The term hunger gap is often used to describe that time in early spring when winter veg is fading out and summer crops haven’t yet kicked in.
But when you grow Good King Henry, the hunger gap becomes far less of a worry.
This plant has a venerable history—it was introduced by the Romans and cultivated in monastery gardens for centuries as a kitchen staple.
I started with just a handful of plants, and they quickly spread into a small four-foot row that provides us with more than we can eat.
It needs virtually no maintenance—just the occasional hoe around the edges to keep it contained, and a strim or chop if it starts to get unruly.
Best of all, it has a long, generous season, appearing before the last frost and supplying us with fresh greens well into late autumn, sometimes even early winter.
The Perennial Kale Seed Sellers Don’t Want You to Know About
Perennial kales like Taunton Dean can be hard to get hold of—but they’re absolutely worth tracking down.
Mine have grown huge in the past, sometimes six feet wide, and provide us with kale almost year-round. I find they’re best from late autumn through to spring, as summer caterpillars do tend to have a go at them.
Fortunately, these plants are incredibly tough—once established, they can take a beating and bounce right back.
They usually live around five years, but they’re easy to propagate from cuttings, so you can keep your patch going indefinitely.
I like to take cuttings in autumn and grow them on a windowsill over winter—this gives them a pest-free head start.
My favourite way to eat them? In an Asian hot pot—they’re simply delicious.
Note: while they don’t need compost, they do love light. My latest cutting hasn’t done nearly as well after my neighbour planted a large shrub that now casts shade over the patch.
The Onion That Walks Around Your Garden
What if you never had to plant spring onions again—but could still enjoy a constant supply?
Egyptian walking onions are your answer.
Also known as tree onions or Japanese walking onions, these incredible plants shoot up, form bulbils at the top, then bend over and re-root—essentially walking around your garden.
I grow mine in a patch by the fence. I don’t add compost and only weed them now and again.
In my opinion, they’re even better than spring onions—the little bulbils taste amazing fried, with a sweet, delicate flavour.
The Perennial Plant That Tastes Like Lemon and Loves Poor Soil
Sorrel is another “sow-it-and-forget-it” plant.
I’ve got mine growing in a shady spot below the garden shed. In fact, I’d totally forgotten about it until yesterday, when we had fish planned for dinner.
I popped into the garden, spotted a few perfect leaves, and instantly elevated our meal.
It wasn’t always this smooth. I once read that sorrel pairs well with asparagus, so I planted it in a compost-rich asparagus bed—and it went absolutely wild.
After a couple of years of constantly hacking it back, I dug up a few plants and moved them to a patch of poor soil. They’ve been thriving there ever since—behaving themselves, but always offering enough leaves to add a zingy, lemony kick to our dishes.
(A quick word of caution: sorrel contains oxalic acid, so it’s best not to eat too much—but a little goes a long way when it comes to flavour.)
Why You Don’t Always Need Compost
I love growing annual vegetables, but there’s no doubt they’re hungry plants. They demand care, attention—and lots of compost.
Perennials, though, often have lower nutrient needs. Thanks to their deep, permanent roots, they’re more self-sufficient, finding what they need in the soil.
They also tend to have longer seasons and can produce a surprising amount of food in a relatively small space.
So while I’ll always advocate for compost as one of the best ways to improve your soil, it’s worth remembering: some plants will thrive without it—and some might even prefer it that way.
