Olla Houseplant Irrigation System

Introducing Ollas by Pepin

These terracotta ollas are the perfect care item for any moisture loving plant or “fussy plant” that needs goldilocks level maintenance. Ollas are sustainable, eco-consciously manufactured, and aesthetically pleasing.

(excerpt from buildwitheise.com)

(written by Tanner Sagouspe)

What Are Ollas?

The word olla (pronounced "oy-yah") derives from the Spanish word for a clay pot, though these ollas are typically for cooking. When used for crop irrigation, ollas are made of unglazed clay or terracotta and traditionally have an elongated, tapered neck.

Who invented Ollas?

While there is some debate on whether ollas originated in Northern Africa or China, burying clay pots for pitcher irrigation first appeared in ancient Chinese texts. It appeared in the world's first agricultural science textbook, the Fan Sheng-Chih Shu, over 2,000 years ago. Despite the simplicity of the design, ollas are still used today in various countries, including India, Iran, Brazil, and Burkina Faso.

How Do Garden Ollas Work?

Pitcher irrigation with ollas works by burying the unglazed clay or terracotta containers in the ground up to the neck. Doing this keeps the water protected from the sun, reducing evaporation and allowing it to seep out into the soil around the roots, where the plants need it most. As water oozes through the subsurface clay pot, it allows for a slow, even liquid release via soil moisture tension. Once the soil is thoroughly saturated, this same process prevents excess liquid from oversaturating the ground. Eventually, the adjacent plant roots will grow around the olla and pull water as they need it.