Gardener shares ancient method for keeping plants healthy and hydrated: 'This is a great idea'

One home gardener mixed it up and found gardening success in the ancient art of olla pot irrigation.

The scoop

The Reddit user posted about their first experience using the gardening method of olla irrigation. The word olla is Spanish for clay pot, and according to the University of California, "They have been around for over 4,000 years." The poster noted that the ollas "allow me to plant in small, remote corners of my property."

They used this method for their annuals, but you can plant all kinds of seeds or plants using olla irrigation. The OP planted lentils, peas, salad mix, turnip, yellow onion, luffa, rutabaga, red onion, broccoli, and more. 

The post contained two photos, one showing the length of their garden, where a row of clay pots can be seen sticking out of the soil. Most are face-up and filled with water, but a few are inverted, showing just a small drainage hole. Because of their porous nature, these pots will slowly leach water into the soil, minimizing the amount of watering needed. 

The bonus photo is a few of the poster's cute seedlings popping up through the soil alongside the ollas.

How it's helping

Olla irrigation is just one way to conserve water in your garden. It is also a great way to incorporate a variety of crops into a small area.

A University of Arizona study on olla irrigation found that "since olla irrigation provides a consistent amount of water to the soil, plants within proximity to the vessel will always have access to the correct amount of water regardless of external factors, without danger of over or under watering." They also noted that the olla irrigation tactic "may save between 60-70% of water when compared to the conventional watering can irrigation system."

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection offers several suggestions for residents to save water, noting that you can "use 30-50% less water with drip irrigation and micro-sprays compared to sprinklers."

Growing some of your own food in this way also has numerous health benefits and has been shown to increase your fiber intake and get you moving.

What everyone's saying

This method of watering plants stirred up quite a bit of discussion.

When do you plan to start gardening this year? I already have 🧑‍🌾 In the next couple of weeks 🗓️ As soon as the ground thaws 🥶 Probably never 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

One commenter asked if they'd had any issues with bugs or mosquitos. "Mosquitoes are not an issue this time of year," the OP responded, "but I'm definitely planning on lids next time I go by the store." 

Someone else wrote: "I like that. Well done. Thinking about it this side too, but desert here, so I might need some with closed tops." 

Another Redditor was interested in trying out the method, saying: "Have been scheming ways to incorporate this ancient way in my garden, but hadn't figured it out. This is really cool."

"This is a great idea for those spots that are hard to keep watered. Thanks for sharing," another commenter said.

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