How to Make DIY Ollas
Transform simple unglazed terracotta plant pots into DIY ollas. Use 6" or 8" pots, a saucer that will fit over the top as a lid, and your choice of material to fill the drainage hole. Situated near crops, these slow-release waterers will help reduce water usage and time spent watering the garden.
Servings 1 Olla
Cost $5
Equipment
- spade to dig the olla into the ground
Ingredients
- unglazed terracotta plant pot 2 quart (2L) capacity or larger
- plant pot saucer plastic is best, but terracotta works
- mounting putty or a champagne cork, concrete, or another material to fill the plant pot's drainage hole
Instructions
- Choose a terracotta plant pot that can hold at least two quarts of water. A larger sized olla can last much longer between refillings. Smaller ollas can be more effective for smaller spaces and raised beds, though. Also, ensure the pot is unglazed – no paint or glaze on any part of it. Otherwise, it will not work as a DIY olla.
- Most plant pots have a drainage hole at the bottom. Fill this hole so that water cannot leak through. I've tried various materials, and my favorite solutions are non-toxic mounting putty and a champagne cork. You could remove either and use the pot used for plants again if you want to. Duct tape works, too, as does moldable putty which hardens. A more permanent solution is to fill the bottom of the pot with concrete*. I made one like this seven years ago, and it works a treat!
- Next, bury the pot in the soil within about 6-12" of where you plan on growing a plant. Ensure that the neck of the pot is above the soil surface.
- Fill the DIY olla with water and cover it with a lid. I used terracotta plant saucers in the past, but I've found that plastic ones work much better.
- Plant your crops within range of the olla and keep them watered from the surface until they're established. Keep the olla topped up that entire time so that the plant senses the water source and can grow roots towards it.
- Top up the olla so that it never fully empties. The frequency of filling times varies based on the size of the olla, time of the year, number of plants planted around it, and other factors.
Video
Notes
* To make a permanent olla, fill the bottom of a terracotta pot with about an inch of concrete. In my experience, the concrete hasn't affected the pH of the soil.