With this simple trick, you can keep your plants watered even when you’re out and about. Dating back thousands of years, this ancient gardening hack regulates moisture and irrigates your garden.
The scoop
GardenerLady In Stripes (@ladyinstripes) shared how she uses ollas, a terracotta pot, to water her plants.
She first digs a hole in her gardening beds to create an opening for the olla; then she places the olla into the soil. To secure the olla, she pushes the soil back around the sides before filling it with water.
@ladyinstripes The story of Silverlocks (me!) and the three ollas! Unglazed terra cotta ollas slowly disperse water into the soil around them as it dries out. Helps regulate soil moisture, keeps garden irrigated on hot days. #olla #irrigation #gardentok #watering @Back to the Roots #backtotheroots #growonegiveone ♬ original sound – LadyInStripes
Once your olla is filled with water, be sure to place a terracotta lid on top. When the olla is empty, refill it with water to let it continue working its magic, with her noting, “It’s just right.”
“Unglazed terracotta ollas slowly disperse water into the soil around them as it dries out,” says the Lady In Stripes. “Helps regulate soil moisture, keeps garden irrigated on hot days.”
How it’s helping
Using ollas to irrigate your garden is a cost-effective way to care for your garden while avoiding synthetic gardening tools.
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Ollas date back to ancient civilizations and have been used across the globe in the Middle East, the Americas, and Asia. They were first believed to be used in ancient China 4,000 years ago, according to Thirsty Earth.
Since ollas are porous, the water gradually seeps through the pot, watering the surrounding soil as needed. As a result, they’re a low-maintenance way to minimize gardening work and conserve water.
Gardening on a consistent basis supports both your mental and physical health. Plus, by growing your own food, you ensure your produce is organic and reduce the demand for mass-produced, globally shipped produce.
What everyone’s saying
TikTokers were grateful to discover the hack and eager to give it a try in their own gardens.
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“Good to know!” responded one user. “I’ll have to try it.”
“Love this!” added another TikToker.
“I always wondered if those worked!” wrote one user.
“Feeling the ollas is something my family will do since nobody wants to stand in the heat and water!” replied the Lady In Stripes.
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