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Ollita Sol (Garden Irrigation System)
Ollita Sol (Garden Irrigation System)
The Ollitas (pronounced: oyeetas) are Mexican hand made clay pots that allow water to seep through, letting plant roots capture the water before it disappears into the soil. Water is dispersed around the soil by capillary action translating into almost 100% of water absorbed directly by the plant roots.
Medium Ollita: $45 (irrigates up to 50 cms in diameter)
Large Ollita: $55 (irrigates up to 60 cms in diameter)
Benefits:
- 75% water savings
- Easy to use
- Watering only a couple of times per week
- For all herbs, vegetable and flower gardens
- No evaporation nor run-off
Product Impact: For every Ollita purchased, ZEA Hungry Goods donates one more to low income urban and rural agriculture projects across Mexico. One-for-one impact model.
Delivery in Metropolitan Melbourne (Australia) ONLY.
OLLITAS TIPS
1) Ollitas irrigate a particular DIAMETER around it of between 50 cms. (medium Ollita) to 60 cms. (large Ollita). That means 25 to 30 cms to EVERY SIDE of the Ollitas. Ensure you have soil not only on the sides but also BELOW the Ollitas when you dig it into the garden to avoid any lower level run-off.
2) Ollitas operate in a SIMILAR principle as wicking beds: capillary action. This means that the water contained by the Ollita not only waters the sides of the pot but travels (as far as the diameter mentioned in point 1). The better the soil in your garden, the better capillary action it has and the humidity can travel more efficiently through out the soil. The more sand or clay in your soil the more deficient the capillary action is and water can’t travel very well.
3) Ollitas irrigate DIRECTLY in the root zone (the 20 cms of topsoil). That means that 100% of the water you are putting in the Ollitas is going directly and straight into the roots. This means virtually zero runoff (unless you soil is super sandy!), zero evaporation and direct access to water by the roots.
4) Even if after 36/48 hours the Ollitas are “EMPTY”, all its water has gone directly to the root area of the plants (check the soil humidity more than the Ollitas level). Ollitas don’t have to be “FULL” of water all the time. Watering every third day in normal conditions should be enough water for most plants.
5) Finally, remember to gently PRESS the soil around the Ollitas when planting it. If the soil is too lose around the Ollitas it may leak faster than if the soil is a bit compacted around it.