Click on the “+” to expand the section to learn more about our Events and Outreach.
- Outreach and Community Events
Our programs will be tabling at the following Thurston County Farmers Markets and Community Events in 2024. Bring your gardening, composting, and recycling questions.
Additional events and outreach will be added as they are confirmed.
Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28 – Nisqually Valley Spring Expo, Yelm High School
WSU Master Gardener and Master Recycler Composter Programs of Thurston County volunteers will be on hand to help answer your gardening, composting, and recycling questions. We will also have activities for the kids.
Saturday April 13, starting at 7 a.m. – Lacey Fred Meyer Fuchsia Saturday (700 Sleater Kinney Rd SE, Lacey, WA 98503)
WSU Master Gardener volunteers will be lending their gardening skills for the annual Fuchsia Saturday event. We will also have a Q&A booth set up inside to answer gardening, composting, and waste reduction questions. The Q&A booth will be staffed by WSU Master Gardener and Master Recycler Composter volunteers.
March 20, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. – ASHHO Cultural Community Center Resource Day, Hidden Creek Community Church
WSU Master Gardener and Master Recycler Composter Programs of Thurston County volunteers will be on hand to help answer your gardening, composting, and recycling questions. We will also have activities for the kids.
March 9, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Lacey Cultural Celebration, St. Martin’s University
WSU Master Gardener and Master Recycler Composter Programs of Thurston County volunteers will be on hand to help answer your gardening, composting, and recycling questions. We will also have activities for the kids.
March 2, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Thurston County Conservation District Native Plant Festival & Sale, Thurston County Fairgrounds
The WSU Master Gardener and Master Recycler Composter Programs of Thurston County will have 3 booths set up at the Festival.
- Q&A Clinic booth: volunteers will be answering gardening, composting, and recycling questions
- Planting Demonstration booth: WSU Master Gardener volunteers will show you how to properly plant your new native plants and what not to do.
- Kids’ Activity booth: WSU Master Gardener volunteers will have interactive activities for the kids, including seed planting, coloring pages, and chalk art.
Outreach booth at Olympia Farmers Market 
Outreach booth at the Capital Mall
- Gardening and Composting Workshops
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Free Composting Workshops
Click here for more information about our free Composting Workshops
NOTE: Provided seating is limited for workshops hosted at Closed Loop Park Demonstration Garden. To guarantee a seat, please bring your own folding chair.
Free Gardening Workshops
Love to Garden: a Workshop Series at the Tumwater Timberland Regional Library
Presented by the WSU Master Gardener and Master Recycler Composter Programs of Thurston County and Timberland Regional Library
All workshops in the series are held at the Tumwater Library, located at 7023 New Market St. SW, Tumwater WA 98501
These workshops are free and open to the public. No advance registration needed but space is limited at the Tumwater Library.
Thursday, March 21, 2024 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Soil: The Mother of All Life
Learn about soil and what to do to encourage plant growth.
Thursday, April 18, 2024 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
A Look at a WSU Master Gardener Vegetable Garden
WSU Master Gardener Toni will share what she does to make her vegetable garden grow.
Thursday, May 16, 2024 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Food and Yard Waste Composting
Learn how to compost including what materials you need, what shouldn’t go in your pile, the decomposition process, and how to tell when it is finished.
Thursday, September 19, 2024 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Fall Clean-Up Bingo
We’ll use our fall clean-up bingo card to review the garden tasks
to get done before winter.
Thursday, October 17, 2024 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Slugs 101— Friend or Foe?
Learn what you need to do in the fall to get slugs to work for you, not against you, in your garden next spring.
- Demonstration Garden Events
Visit our Demonstration Garden webpage for more information about the three Demonstration Gardens in Thurston County.
Directions to Demonstration Gardens – Visit our Demonstration Garden webpage for directions and further details about the gardens.
Free events at Closed Loop Park
Saturday April 20, 2024, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. – Dahlia Care and Spring Division (Meet at the Gazebo)
The general public is invited to join the WSU Thurston County Master Gardener Program for a presentation on dahlia care and spring division at Closed Loop Park Demonstration Garden. The training will involve being outside the entire time so please dress accordingly. We will be standing/sitting while discussing dahlias, including planting, care and spring division of dahlia tubers. The level of activity is light. The surfaces will be paved, gravel, and grass. No need to bring any tools.
The discussion will focus on the basics of dahlia division and care. The following will be covered.
- Dahlia basics
- Tuber division
- Planting and Care considerations
Saturday May 18 11 a.m. to noon – “Unlocking the Possibilities – Growing Peonies from Seed” (Meet at the Gazebo)
Presenter: Steve Smith, President of the Pacific Northwest Peony Society
The presentation will be outside, so please dress accordingly. We will be standing/sitting while hearing about general care of Peonies and their propagation by seed. The level of activity will be light. The surfaces will be paved, gravel and grass.
The presentation will focus on propagation by seed and general care of peonies. The following will be covered:
- Seed sources and proper seed collection techniques
- How to remove dormancy and germination inhibitors in peony seeds
- Caring for seedlings until your first bloom
Events at Dirt Works Demonstration Garden
Directions to Demonstration Gardens – Visit our Demonstration Garden webpage for directions and further details about the gardens.
Children’s Garden @ Dirt Works Demonstration Garden
More information on the Children’s Garden page.
Dirt Works Open Gardens
Open Gardens are a time to take a stroll in beautiful surroundings, chat with WSU Master Gardener and Master Recycler Composting volunteers, and learn more about gardening and composting. Mark your calendars for the following Open Garden events.
Directions to the Demonstration Gardens are provided on the Demonstration Garden webpage.
Events at Olympia Farmers Market Demonstration Garden – coming soon!
The Olympia Farmers Market Demonstration Garden is open to the public every day of the year.
Directions to Demonstration Gardens – Visit our Demonstration Garden webpage for directions and further details about the gardens.
Entrance at Closed Loop Park 
Gazebo and peonies at Closed Loop Park 
MG volunteers planting vegetables at Dirt Works 
slug on zucchini 
zucchini leaf 
Dirt Works entrance 
Compost bins at Dirt Works 
Bench and daisies at Olympia Farmers Market Garden
- Master Gardener Foundation of Thurston County Events
Please visit the MGFTC website for the most up-to-date information about their events, including the Plant Sale Nursery and Fall Fundraiser.
WSU Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local WSU Extension office. Persons will disabilities who require alternative means for communication or program information or reasonable accommodation need to contact Cori Carlton at 3054 Carpenter Rd. SE, Olympia WA 98503, 360-867-2162, at least two weeks prior to the event.