The olla watering system is really really old. In fact, humans have been burying clay pots as a system of irrigation for as much as 10,000 years based on archeological findings.

If done right, it can be one of the simplest and most effective irrigation methods available. However, we have found it only works best with more mature plants, not seeds. Our drip irrigation combined with hand-watering is going to be the more effective method for getting your seeds to germinate. Once the plant has grown, the ollas will work really well.

1. Bury an olla up to its neck in the soil

2. Fill it up with water

3. Plant roots will grow towards the areas of soil that are moistened as water seeps through the porous material of the clay.

It all starts with the soil! Most of what happens in the garden happens underground out of sight and all to often, out of mind. The soil blend you use must be rich with nutrients and vitamins essential for your crops to have the immune system they will need to grow strong and healthy. Also, the better quality soil, the better pest resilience your crops will have.

Our soil blend is designed to foster the fungal, biotic, microbial, and insect life that makes the magic happen.

Layers:

• Weed Barrier: Cardboard or  Weed liner that permits water to drain through it.
• Mulch – Sustainable layer that promotes drainage while slowly decomposing in order to promote fungal and microbial life while adding carbon to the soil.
• Compost – Where the mulch is headed nutrient-rich soil full of life. This is the lowest part of your garden that roots will grow into. This adds nitrogen and phosphorous to the soil!
• Perlite/ Vermiculite – A water and nutrient retaining substrate made of volcanic rock and adds calcium and magnesium to the soil.
• Coir Potting Mix – Coir is a peat moss alternative made from coconut husks that are shredded and add organic material to the soil. A permeable barrier to fluff up the thick compost for seedlings to penetrate the surface layers with ease.
• Pine Straw/ Straw – A thin layer of pine straw that shades plant roots from the sun radiation and prevents erosion by diffusing rainfall gently into the soil below. Plus, it looks nice!

Something that might not be intuitive to new gardeners is that you should never pull out weeds or an old plant by the roots. Why you ask? Because of all that work we put into building good soil!

When most of the critters and fungi that live in healthy soil are exposed to sunlight through activities like tilling or pulling weeds, they are killed by the UV light. While this might not seem like a problem, it takes time for soil life communities to heal, so each time the soil is disturbed that timer is reset.

Won’t the roots that I’m leaving in the ground cause problems for my new plants?

As a matter of fact, as the old roots start to dissolve and return their nutrients to the soil, they’ll leave passageways that absorb water more efficiently and keep soil texture fluffy and loose.

What about weeds or root vegetables?

Ok, so there are some exceptions. Sometimes you have to dig something out or pull something out, but the best practice is just to disturb the soil as little as possible.

What else should I know about soil health?

Boy oh boy – what isn’t there to know!? The good news is, we’ve done most of the homework for you. Your raised bed will only require a “refill” of compost and pine straw each season in order to keep the top layer mulched, moist, and fertile. We provide this service too, with rates based on the square footage of your garden.

If you want to know even more about this gardening philosophy, you can read about it here.

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When most of the critters and fungi that live in healthy soil are exposed to sunlight through activities like tilling or pulling weeds, they are killed by the UV light. While this might not seem like a problem, it takes time for soil life communities to heal, so each time the soil is disturbed that timer is reset.

Won’t the roots that I’m leaving in the ground cause problems for my new plants?

As a matter of fact, as the old roots start to dissolve and return their nutrients to the soil, they’ll leave passageways that absorb water more efficiently and keep soil texture fluffy and loose.

What about weeds or root vegetables?

Ok, so there are some exceptions. Sometimes you have to dig something out or pull something out, but the best practice is just to disturb the soil as little as possible.

What else should I know about soil health?

Boy oh boy – what isn’t there to know!? The good news is, we’ve done most of the homework for you. Your raised bed will only require a “refill” of compost and pine straw each season in order to keep the top layer mulched, moist, and fertile. We provide this service too, with rates based on the square footage of your garden.

If you want to know even more about this gardening philosophy, you can read about it here.