Ollas are clay or terracotta pots which are buried and all that is on the surface is a hole that is covered and can be uncovered to water. These pots are a form of subsurface irrigation so you bring water directly to the roots of the plants while not disturbing the top of the soil.

This method has been used for thousands of years and while the western culture does not seem to be promoting these bots and we have been conditioned to water from above like rain, when you think about it, this method of growing makes total sense! India, Brazil, and Iran, are some of the countries that actively use this method of watering.

I was looking at the traditional ollas, and to me, as an experiment I could not justify paying $75 for one olla.

This is what a traditional olla looks like:

Dripping Springs OLLAS Clay Watering Pot Large 2 Gallon Unglazed Terra Cotta

The unglazed clay pots are porous, and the water seeps through the pores of the pot into the soil. The plants seek water with their roots so the soil will draw the roots to the damp soil and your plant will take just the right amount of water that it needs,

So I made my own!

Two prototypes…

Type 1
Type 2

All that is needed is:

  • Unsealed, unglazed terra cotta pots made in Italy
  • Wine corks, you may need to test several to find one to fit the hole.
  • A lid or tray a size bigger than the pot it needs to fit over the wide part. (For type 1)
  • Marine grade adhesive (for type 2)

As you can see, they are super easy to make and I will be posting how long these pots hold their water and how the plants are doing.

Now I do meed to let you know that i added some sphagnum peat to the soil to hold more water as we have sandy soil here though I will experiment with one area to not enhance the soil and see what happens.

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