Clay pot irrigation has been used for generations as an efficient way to water your garden, household plants, young trees and bushes, and anything that grows in soil. Ollas save up to 70% in water used, compared to topical watering, and save you time since you only have to fill them 1-2 times a week. That reduces your water usage and costly water bill. If you live in an area where water usage is limited, then this is the perfect solution for managing and saving you precious water.

If you live in area where rain falls in high levels quickly, a partially empty olla will accept some of the ground water through the porous walls of the olla, and temporarily lower the water table around the olla. This decreases the splitting of the tomatoes, melons, etc. by up to 80%.

How to Use: Bury the olla neck deep, leaving 2"-3" above ground. Fill with water and put the lid on. Mulch if possible. It's best to keep soil and mulch out of the olla.

Helpful Hints:

Ollas are great next to saplings. Leave the olla by the sapling for 1-2 years until the sapling has a good root base. Dig up the olla and reuse it somewhere else.

If you live in a climate where the ground freezes, it is possible to leave the olla in the ground, if NO water is in the olla 2 weeks before the first frost. If you live in an area that has a hard rain and immediate hard freeze, it would be safer to store your olla in a dry place until spring. These ollas have been winter tested in southern Canada for over 4 years, and performed well in the ground, but it is best to use your own judgement about whether or not to leave it in the ground through winter, since the climate in North America varies greatly.

Seeds and young plants will need to be watered the traditional way (topically) until their roots have developed enough to get water from the OLLA.