Oyas and Ollas Made with 2 Clay Pots

Oya and ollas, what are they? Which one is right for your garden? Have you ever wondered how to use Oya-aka ollas or what the heck they are? Oyas or aka ollas are a technique of ancestral watering that is very effective.

The Oya makes it possible to feed and water plants directly at the level of the roots. The technique is fairly easy to understand. Not to mention, how environmentally it is in conserving water.

History of the Oya/Ollas

Proud of its 4000 years of existence, this technique of watering always makes wonders especially in the South of Europe where it remains very useful today. The term Olla comes from the Spanish meaning ‘pot’.

Olla is a microporous (unglazed) terracotta container, usually in the form of a jar. It has an opening in its upper part surmounted by a lid to make it accessible to add water.

The olla is buried at the foot of a plant and filled with water and closed. Only the neck of the jar will protrude slightly from the ground in order to replenish the olla with water.

Its porous constitution allows the water to escape gently and directly to the roots of the plants ensuring a targeted and very effective watering. The plant draws only what it really needs and no longer suffers from water stress.

Watering with Oyas in the Garden

The planet’s water resources are being counted, so this watering system offers an all-out solution to preserve the resource. It is a water-saving of 50 to 70% that is achieved using this system. Not to mention the energy you usually spend on watering, because the olla is only filled on average once a week!

The ollas allow to use up to 3 times less water than a conventional watering thanks to an optimized irrigation system that will benefit almost the plant (no loss, whether by evaporation or at the root level where the plant will capture the water molecules it needs). What delight the followers of responsible purchases!

Gardening with Oyas

This watering technique has many advantages:

• It allows significant water savings and reduces the watering work to a minimum
• It ensures diffusion of the water in depth; the soil is not wet on the surface, the ‘weeds’ do not germinate, which reduces the work of weeding
• The roots draw the amount of water needed for their needs
• Plants are less exposed to diseases spread by drops of water on the foliage

How Do Oya’s Work?

Oyas/Ollas use a natural property of clay that is to be microporous. This means that it can pass water molecules, especially when it is in contact with a body that will attract this water by capillarity as is the case of the earth or the roots of plants. The water will spread slowly and only when the earth and the plant need it.

If the plant is dry, it will seek out the moisture and pull water from the olla. Once the area is nicely wet, the water will not be needed, therefore, it will remain in the olla until needed.

Is it Really Economical to Use an Oya?

Yes, that’s good news! Ecological AND economic, no need to choose between your wallet and the safeguard of natural resources! With Ollas you can save up to 75% water compared to conventional watering.

Will Oyas Attract Mosquitoes?

This can surely happen, therefore you will need to provide your Oya with a lid to avoid insect pests! Another reason to ensure the Oya has a lid is to keep bees, toads, and butterflies from drowning. Keeping a tight lid also ensures that less evaporation will occur.

Can I Use Fertilizers with Oya’s/Ollas?

Yes, and it is even highly recommended for optimal watering and really smart! But do not forget to clean your Ollas with a water jet at least once a year to prevent the pores of the clay from getting clogged.

Is Watering With the Oya’s/Ollas Really Good for the Plants?

Yes, because the plant absorbs just what it needs, without the risk of water stress (too much or not enough water) thanks to constant watering and without excess.

In addition, the land being irrigated continuously, fauna and microflora of the soil will develop, which will create a space favorable to the development of plants.

Finally, the ollas, will not unnecessarily water the top layer of the soil thus avoiding the development of weeds.

How to Choose an Oya?

The small Oya/ollas to plant or burying are ideal for flower pots or trays or boxes. Medium and large burying models are better suited to the open ground. You can also use medium ollas in planters and bins.

Just think about optimizing the diameter of your olla according to the size of the tray and the space needed for the plant to be comfortable!

In the ground, you can use the ollas to bury for your seedlings but it will be necessary to think of water in more directly the seedlings because a single olla will not be sufficient for the germination on the surface.

Finally, you can use the ollas to bury the largest for the launch of trees and shrubs. After some time the roots will eventually damage the olla but the tree will be autonomous in the water!

How Deep to Bury an Oya?

It will simply be necessary to prepare the site for the ollas to bury, by digging a hole slightly larger than the olla and covering it with soil leaving only the top of the diffuser to fill it. I like to fully submerge my olla in water before burying it.

Can I Go on Vacation Without Worrying About Watering My Plants?

Yes, that’s one of the advantages of this watering mode! However, depending on the temperature, the needs of the plant and the size of the ollas you have chosen, we advise you to fill it out or have it filled once a week.

If My Area Freezes, Will This Hurt My Oya?

Indeed, clay tends to absorb water; they may burst in case of strong frost. If you find that the temperatures are really low, we advise you not to fill the ollas but you may choose to leave them in the ground.

I have never left mine in the ground, I like to pull them up in the late fall and give them a good washing with unscented dish soap and a strong jet of water. I dry them in the sun and store them indoors with the lid on so critters won’t climb inside them. You can clean them with white vinegar if you see that too much limestone has settled on them.

Oya/Ollas Maintenance

The ollas are very rustic water diffusers and do not require important maintenance. Just be careful not to use too dirty or too calcareous water to avoid clogging the pores of the clay. You can also clean your ollas, without the need to dig them up with a simple stream of water.

Ollas Video Tutorial

How to Make an Oya/ollas

1. We purchased 2 terra cotta planters (size depends on where it is going -container, ground, or raised bed)
2. I highly recommend you find the pairs in the store and mark them AA, BB, etc. to ensure they will fit when you go to glue them (trust me on this one)
3. Fish tank silicone (see shop section below)
4. Small covering for the bottom hole (we got ours free from Ace Hardware-it was a scrap piece of Lexan)
5. Top hole covering-we purchased handles from Hobby Lobby at 50% off sale
6. Make sure to sand the hole in the bottom of the planter if it is rough or has burrs
7. Put the largest sides together
8. Place a pencil mark on the pots where they fit the best to line them up once the silicone is placed on one (they may need tweaking before starting the process (different brands do not always line up and some actually overhand a little)
9. Put a generous bead of silicone around the perimeter of the two
10. Cut a piece of Lexan at least 1/2 to 1 inch larger than the hole
11. Use a generous amount of silicone around the outside of the Lexan
12. Place a piece of waxed paper over the silicone Lexan covering and place bricks, block or something very heavy on top
13. Let this sit-undisturbed for at least 24 hours
14. After 48 hours, place on top of the garden bed and fill with water
15. If any leaks occur, dump out the water in the garden bed (no wasting water please)
16. Put another layer of silicone over the last layer, note where it was leaking in the garden
17. Repeat steps 9-11 above
18. When completely sealed, dig a hole larger than the Oya/olla
19. Fill the Oya with water to the top
20. Top with a lid to cover the hole

More Useful Garden Links

Interested in more gardening tips and tricks? Visit 12 Gardening Tips for Beginners to learn the basics needed to plant your own garden! Vertical Gardens for Small Spaces is also beneficial, and gives you the opportunity to plant a garden with minimal space needed!

Want to learn how to make your own natural soil for your new garden? Check out Making Compost Naturally into Gardening Soil. Don’t know what you can compost? Many Incredible Uses for Eggshells will help start some ideas!

In my own garden, I only like to use my Manure Tea Recipe in my Hügelkultur Raised Beds and my container gardening planters (which you can find in my Guide to Container Gardening post). I do like to switch out the manure tea every other week with my Fish Emulsion Fertilizer (read more about that).

Need some ideas on what to grow this year in your garden? 11 Great Plants to Regrow From Cutting is all you need!

Now that you’ve grown your garden, a couple of key factors to make your bounty last longer that would be beneficial would be Methods of Drying Herbs and Dehydrate Food Naturally Using a Dehydrator. These methods allow you to keep what you have grown all year round for your enjoyment!

In Conclusion to Making Ollas

I absolutely love my Oyas. and I can say with confidence that you would too! If you would like to read more about Oyas, visit Oyas Clay Pot Irrigation to learn how the irrigation system works.

I also made a post on how to install these in your raised beds or in your garden, so be sure to check out Using Ollas in Gardens and follow along with the video tutorial as well.

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