What is an Olla and why do you need them?

The definition of an olla is a low fired, clay ceramic vessel used to save a gardener time, energy and water.  Potted planters watered this way do not put stress on water sources and help potted plants to live long healthy lives.  A clay olla watering jar is considered an inexpensive way to maximize the output of your garden while minimizing overwatering, runoff and water loss.

When watering your garden containers, it is sometimes difficult to get enough water to the roots of the plants only without the water flowing out the bottom drain hole and on to the porch or patio surface.  With the olla planted in the center of the flowerpot, the water will seep out the sides of the porous clay directly into the area where the roots are located.  Many times, the roots will be drawn to this source of water and wrap themselves around the olla bottle.  Water irrigation for garden planters becomes super-efficient and has little runoff or evaporation.

Bury a watering clay olla in the center of your garden container, leaving 2” above the opening of the bottom so dirt and mulch don’t fall inside.  Gently tap soil around the olla making sure there are no air pockets.  Fill with water.  Plan on checking the water levels of the ollas on a regular schedule until you have worked with them for a bit to understand how much and how often you should refill them.

Small size watering ollas are good for porch and patio pots.  Usually, space would be about 2 feet long like a window box planter or wide like a round garden pot or garden bowl.  The medium size is best when you have large planters where you need to water around 3 feet.  The large size is better for potted trees, large shrubs or the largest planters you have.  You can always use multiple ollas in each pot or window box.

FYI:  When leaving for a short vacation, Ollas are the perfect solution for your flowers to stay healthy and watered while you are gone.  With the slow release of water, they should be good for up to 10 days or so.