La Olla or Oya
automatic watering without the use of carbon energy
What is an Olla?
The Olla (plural Ollas), also known as the Oya, is an earthenware jar to be buried 3/4 of the way into the soil to maintain a good level of moisture in the soil. It's an ancestral irrigation technique with multiple benefits, including water savings, ease of use and time savings.
As Ollas are porous, water gradually diffuses into your soil by capillary action when it becomes too dry. So your plants can pump water into your substrate when they need it. Ollas help maintain a stable moisture level, rather than alternating between periods when the soil is too wet, then too dry.
Fonctionne en pots géotextiles, en jardinières, en permaculture dans les bandes de cultures, au pieds des arbres, arbustes...
The advantages of an Olla
Continuous irrigation
Better than conventional watering, the Olla keeps your soil moist.
Irrigate less often
All you have to do is fill up when your Olla is empty.
Water saving
The water in the Olla is available to your plants, so avoid wasting it during watering.
How to use an Olla?
Plant the Olla in the ground up to the marker
Fill the Olla with rainwater or tap water
Check water level once a week
How is an Olla made?
An Olla, or Oya, is an earthenware pot. Like most pottery, an Olla is assembled by hand from a wheel and clay. The composition of the clay to be fired is a very important element, as an Olla, to be effective, must be watertight to keep water in reserve, but must have the right level of porosity to hydrate your soil properly. This is one of the reasons why it's so much more effective to use a specially designed olla than to bury a clay pot in the ground. This works, but the porosity of the pot is often not sufficient.
Ollas for garden, market garden, vegetable garden
We have all the sizes to suit your plants.
Les différentes Ollas, Oyas Terralba
Ollas, Oyas Terralba
Le système Low Tech millénaire par excellence!
Système d'arrosage automatique en céramique micro-poreuse permettant de prolonger l'apport d'eau et de nutriments ; grâce à la porosité de la céramique du contenant l'eau se diffuse lentement sous terre, au plus près des racines. Idéal pour pots et jardinières géotextiles de préférence et/ou à disposer directement dans le sol de vos potagers au plus près de vos plantes les plus gourmandes en eau.
Système ancestral vieux de 4.000 ans, permet une économie d'eau de 60% environ en évitant l'évaporation avec un apport en eau 2 à 3 fois moins fréquent qu'un arrosage normal.
2 types de Ollas, Oyas :
- Les formats "bouteilles" adaptés pour les bandes cultures permacoles, les arbustes et arbres.
- Les formats "triangles" adaptés pour les pots, géotextiles notamments, les bacs de cultures, les jardinières...
Why does the Olla save me water?
During conventional watering, with a sprinkler or jet, not all the water is used by your plants. In fact, your plants can't take up all the water you supply at the time of watering. A lot of water will run off the bottom of your pots or fall too low into the soil for the roots to catch. La Olla maintains a water reservoir at root level. So they can capture all the water when they need it, while avoiding losses?
Which Ollas should I choose for my garden?
It all depends on the plants around your Olla. For small plants.
Which Ollas should I choose for my vegetable garden?
Again, this depends on the size of your plants, and in particular your roots.
Which Ollas should I choose for my pots?
For your garden pots, whether decorative or productive.
Which Ollas to choose for trees?
Trees have big roots. The only question you need to ask yourself is whether the roots of your trees will break the Olla into your soil or not. If you have a small tree, a 5mm thick Olla will suffice. If not, opt for a thicker Olla. They diffuse water more slowly, but being thicker, they'll irrigate your trees very well, while remaining solid once the roots have positioned themselves around them.
