Composting and My New Green Thumb

If you’ve ever grown a succulent, you know that they don’t require much water. Many years ago, I killed a succulent because I didn’t give it enough water. Since then, I’ve proclaimed that I am one of those people who doesn’t have a green thumb.

But early 2025 I decided to try growing vegetables from seed – I had some problems, did some research, and decided I’d give it one more try.

Last October I attended the Worm Composting class led by ORS Board Member, Nancy Schafer. I took my worm bin and red wigglers home and followed Nancy’s instructions on how to make magic worm poop, aka “black gold”.

I must have done something right because this Spring those worms had produced a LOT of worm castings (if you need some, let me know).

I also took advantage of some free mulch from The Exchange to replace and supplement old soil I had in some wine barrel planters on my deck. I ended up sifting the mulch and mixed the finer material with some potting soil and worm castings. The larger, chunky pieces of mulch I spread around my apple trees to give them a little nutrients.

My seeds did well and now I have a thriving deck garden with peas, tomatoes, basil, squash, cilantro, dill, peppermint, thyme, radish, and more! And if I can do it, seriously…anyone can. But make sure you take advantage of the educational information and resources The Exchange offers. Nancy teaches 2-4 composting classes per year focused on home or worm composting.

If you’re curious about the mulch, feel free to bring a 5 gallon bucket (and a shovel) and take home a free sample. Just let the scale house cashier know on your way down! For larger loads, mulch is available for purchase ($35/yard) during regular business hours (Thursday-Monday from 10am-4pm). Come in the morning for quickest service and be prepared for a wait if they are busy. They will load your truck (no deliveries). For large loads you can call ahead at 360 376 4089 x 1.

Happy gardening! And let me know if you’d like some worm poop!

by Heather Wallace