Whether you often forget to water your garden or feel too "lazy" to go outside during the blistering heat, one TikToker has a solution: a DIY olla.
The scoop
Yen (@firsttrueleaves) shared the hack on TikTok. They explained in the caption that it helps "this lazy, time poor gardener" provide their plants with a steady water supply.
@firsttrueleaves These Ollas are saving this lazy, time poor gardener from the extreme weather conditions by providing a steady water supply. All I need to do is keep them filled. Great for any backyard gardener.
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The video ran through a list of supplies you'll need to make your own olla: two terracotta pots, waterproof silicone, and some bottle caps. Then, the gardener demonstrated how to assemble the contraption.
Yen started by applying a layer of silicone to the rims of two pots and pressing them together. Then, they added some silicone to the drainage hole and attached a bottle cap.
The TikToker waited 24 hours for the silicone to dry and then filled an olla with water to check for leaks. Yen showed the ollas in their garden beds, where only one pot was visible, and covered the holes with rocks.
In the caption, they added, "All I need to do is keep them filled. Great for any backyard gardener."
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How it's helping
As Yen explained, one of the most significant benefits of using an olla to water your garden is that it helps you save time. Instead of watering your plants by hand every day, you can let the olla handle it. All you have to do is fill it up every week or two, depending on the weather and temperature.
According to the University of California, ollas have helped gardeners worldwide save time, water, and energy for over 4,000 years. The use of porous materials, like clay or terracotta, helps the ollas work by allowing water to seep into the soil.
This simple hack makes it easier than ever to grow your own food. Having a garden can reduce the pollution associated with mass-produced fruits and vegetables and save you money in the process.
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Less than 30 minutes 🌵 The university added that ollas can increase root growth and nutrient uptake, leading to healthier (and tastier) plants. Plus, keeping the surface soil drier may deter weeds and unwanted insects.
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Ollas are less expensive than other irrigation systems and need less maintenance, helping you save even more, per Epic Gardening. And the way the water slowly seeps out of the container as needed helps save resources. Everything about ollas is good for your wallet and the planet.
What everyone's saying
Watering hacks are becoming increasingly popular for gardeners and plant parents everywhere. For example, one person made a similar system to the olla using a plastic water bottle. Another set up a DIY vertical drip irrigation system.
Plenty of people in the comments were intrigued by Yen's DIY olla as well.
"What a great little hack," wrote one.
"This is brilliant!" said another. "Thank you for sharing this."
A third person suggested, "A mini pot where the opening is on the top helps with filling."
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