Frequently Asked Questions

Dirt Hugger is an organics recycling and compost manufacturing company serving the Columbia River Gorge and Pacific Northwest. We transform yard debris, food waste, orchard waste, wood waste, and other organic materials into high-quality organic compost and soil products for gardens, farms, landscapes, and commercial projects.

Yes! We produce organic compost and are listed as an OMRI Organic Compost facility. We can ensure our organic product by monitoring the temperature of our compost throughout our process ensuring that it kills any synthetic chemicals that may be present in our feedstock. We also limit our incoming feedstock to organic material.

Compost is a a biologically stable soil amendment that can be used to build soil health and provide nutrients to plants.

Adding compost to your soil will

• Increases water retention

• Promote plant growth and nutrition

• Prevents soil erosion

Our process takes 45 days from incoming feedstock to our final product.

Accepted Items: 

• Wood (Carbon): Yard Debris, Brush, Wood, Sawdust, Wood Chips

• Food (Nitrogen): Food Scraps - including meat, dairy, food processor waste, fruit 

• Liquid Feedstocks: FOGs (Fats Oils Grease), Beer yeast, fruit juice, milk

What materials do you NOT accept?

• Compostable Products 

• Painted/Treated Wood, Stumps, logs over 16” in diameter or over 6’ long

• Trash - Glass, metal, plastic

Our incoming feedstock includes yard debris and food waste from throughout the Gorge area, Vancouver and East Portland.

ORGANIC COMPOST

We recommend applying 1-3” of compost and mixing it 6-8” deep into existing soil. This will improve your soil structure, increase water retention and enhance your nutrients.

50/50 Blend

Our own engineered topsoil that has our compost incorporated with local soil. This creates a perfect combination for your landscaping needs.

** Please note that we do NOT recommend this product for any contained space (i.e. garden beds or pots)

READY TO GROW

The name implies it all! You can plant directly into this mix of compost, soil, aged bark, pumice and Stutzman’s Chicken Manure

**Note: This is not suitable for indoor plants.

House Party

This is a light blend of compost, pumice, and peat moss, perfect for your house plants!

Smart Start

A light, nutrient-rich propagation mix optimized for seed starting and early root development. Contains organic compost, peat moss and perlite.

A high-performance proprietary potting blend formulated to support vigorous growth and advanced nutrient support.

Best planted for large outdoor containers or heavy-feeding plants.