Olla Watering: The Ancient Trick for Lazy (and Smart) Gardeners

Jun 1

Written by Sara Atkins-Rauwald
Marketing and Communications Manager

If you’re tired of constantly dragging the hose around or forgetting to water your garden altogether, olla watering might just be the game-changer you need. Pronounced “oy-yah,” this simple yet ingenious irrigation method dates back over 2,000 years and is still going strong for a good reason: it works.
Read more and see how we did the install in our garden below - and see what we did to help pollinators in our area!

Here’s the gist. You take a porous clay pot—an olla—and bury it in the soil near your plants, leaving just the top exposed. Fill it with water, and the unglazed clay will slowly release moisture into the surrounding soil. The magic lies in its simplicity: water only seeps out when the soil is dry, providing just the right amount of hydration directly to the roots.

Something the internet fails to tell you is that terra cotta pots have drainage holes, meaning water will run like a river the moment you fill the pot. Seems reasonable, but this quickly becomes something to correct for this technique to work properly. How did we overcome? I used wax paper and hot glue, making circles slightly bigger than the drainage hole and gluing it down on the inside of the pot.

What’s in it for you? A lot. For starters, olla watering conserves water—up to 70% compared to traditional watering methods. Since water is delivered underground, evaporation is minimal, and you won’t be feeding weeds that typically thrive on surface moisture. That means less maintenance and fewer garden pests.

It’s especially great for raised beds, container gardens, and hot, dry climates where water is precious. But honestly, it’s a win in just about any garden. Plants love the steady, deep watering, and you’ll love how little effort it takes to keep them happy. Bonus tip: buy the dish that fits your pot and use it to not only reduce evaporation, but also to provide a bird and pollinator drinking station! Simply place the dish over your filled pot, add some rocks to provide ‘standing room’, and top off with water!