This Ancient Watering Method Hydrates Your Garden With Just One Pot That Costs Almost Nothing

Adding to the advantage of the method, she said, “Plus, it eliminates water loss to the surface evaporation and it encourages plants to develop stronger root systems.” Wrapping up the video, she put the lid on to prevent the water from becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes. This may sound too simple a trick, but it’s actually an ancient watering method called “Olla,” pronounced “Oh ya,” and translated to “pot” in Spanish.

“An olla watering system is basically any type of unglazed clay pot that is buried beneath the soil with only a small amount sticking up above the surface and filled with water. You can tell that a pot is unglazed because it will be that classic terracotta red color with no shiny finish, glaze or paint,” Kream described in the video caption. In a process called “soil moisture tension,” the water leeches out of tiny holes or pores in the unglazed clay and is pulled through the soil to the roots of your thirsty plants, she said. Ollas work by equalizing the water in your soil bed so the plants aren’t overwatered or underwater.

Fascinated by the ancient hack, gardeners dribbled into the comments section. “Ollas! I love these watering methods, such a lifesaver in southeast New Mexico,” said @littledeerie. @rachiepantz commented, “This is genius!” @wup-di-doozy shared a variation of Kream’s method they used in their garden, “I glued the saucer to the top with food-grade silicone. Then turned it over and used the hole in the pot bottom.” The cue, in the end, is to observe whether your plants are going through recurring thirst or wringing-wetting episodes. And if they are, then toss away your sprinkler and pick up an olla to water them the right way.

You can follow Dagny Kream (@thecottagepeach) on TikTok for more interesting gardening hacks.

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