Ollas, Terracotta Watering Spikes, and Other Irrigation Tips

[heavyhitterokra]

A few hours ago, one of our members made a request as follows: 

heavyhitterokra, I was wondering if it would be a bother for you to pull out the part of this thread that deals with ollas and terracotta watering spikes and move it to its own thread with a creative title like “Ollas and Terracotta Watering Spikes” in either the Gizmo sub forum or the Tips sub forum. I feel bad that I kind of derailed macmex’s original topic, but there’s a lot to be said about this one, and I thought it might be better to separate the two if that isn’t too much trouble. No big deal if that doesn’t work, but it popped into my head, and I thought I’d ask.

My reply:

Chrysanthemum, I'll do my best to 'transplant' some of the previously mentioned olla and terracotta watering spike information over to this new location, hope it survives the transplant shock.  If I know our members, it will be well watered and taken care of until it blossoms and prospers in this new location.

Heavyhitterokra

[heavyhitterokra]

On August 10th, 2022 Chrysanthemum started the conversation by asking this:

Woodeye, have you ever considered using ollas or terra cotta watering spikes in your grow bags. It wouldn’t replace all watering, but I find it to be super-helpful in maintaining moisture in containers that would otherwise dry out too quickly.

Here’s a picture of how I used some spikes in a planter in my backyard. When I first moved here I asked my neighbors for wine bottles to put in pots with my blueberries. My neighbor told me about the “Plant Nanny” brand of watering spikes, and researching that is how I learned about burying terra cotta pots as ollas.



I finally bought some watering spikes of my own this winter when I had an orange tree torn out of the ground, and I put it into a pot as a plant ICU. I wanted to make sure that I didn’t let it get too dry. One can just put a bottle in the ground, but it’s a little more tricky to make sure it works properly.

We have a number of large rain tanks to collect runoff. We also collect air conditioner condensation. We have a 35 gallon can on the north side of our house. The drain on the south side is harder to use, but I got three watering cans full in the last day. (We often just keep a hose stretched out to one of our trees in the back, but right now I’m using that hose elsewhere.)

[heavyhitterokra]

On august 10th, Woodeye replied: Those are both good ideas, chrysanthemum.
The spikes like that are new to me, I wasn't aware of those but I'll be researching them. They would work great on the grow bags and protein tubs. Even though I'll have my big garden going next year, I still want to have the summer squash in grow bags, & the tromboncino and bean plants in protein tubs, in the backyard. Thank you for the ideas and photos!

[heavyhitterokra]

On September 7th, Amyinowasso responded: Woodeye, I keep my growbags in kiddie pools. The pools have holes drilled about 1.5" from the bottom. I can fill the bottom of the pool and let them soak up from the bottom. Sometimes I come back and do it a second time. Occasionally, if we get a lot of rain all at once (I wish) I have to remove the bags and make sure the pool holes aren't clogged, but that doesn't happen often in summer.

[heavyhitterokra]

On September 7th, Hmoosek asked: chrysanthemum,

You you explain about those wine bottles and spikes? How does that work exactly. I’m a little slow-witted today.

[heavyhitterokra]

Quote: Sep 7, 2022 at 10:54am

amyinowasso said:
Woodeye, I keep my growbags in kiddie pools. The pools have holes drilled about 1.5" from the bottom. I can fill the bottom of the pool and let them soak up from the bottom. Sometimes I come back and do it a second time. Occasionally, if we get a lot of rain all at once (I wish) I have to remove the bags and make sure the pool holes aren't clogged, but that doesn't happen often in summer.

Woodeye replied: Amyinowasso, That's a brilliant idea!

[heavyhitterokra]

Sep 7, 2022 at 5:04pm

Quote, amyinowasso said:
Woodeye, I keep my growbags in kiddie pools. The pools have holes drilled about 1.5" from the bottom. I can fill the bottom of the pool and let them soak up from the bottom. Sometimes I come back and do it a second time. Occasionally, if we get a lot of rain all at once (I wish) I have to remove the bags and make sure the pool holes aren't clogged, but that doesn't happen often in summer.

Chrysanthemum replied: That is a great idea, sort of a self-watering planter.

[heavyhitterokra]

Sep 7, 2022 at 2:47pm hmoosek said:
chrysanthemum

Can you explain about those wine bottles and spikes? How does that work exactly. I’m a little slow witted today.

To: hmoosek,
The spikes are made of unglazed terra cotta and are buried in the soil. Because terra cotta is naturally porous water can seep through it into the surrounding soil. The drier the soil the quicker the water seeps because the soil sort of pulls it out. In my experience with the buried terra cotta pots in my garden, plants will actually grow their roots right around the pot and sort of suck water out. The wine bottle is just a reservoir for water that keeps filling the spike as the spike empties. My neighbor had them because she would use them on potted plants when she’d go on vacation. I had used wine bottles without spikes upside in my blueberries, but the necks can jam with soil, or the water can run out too fast. The spikes just make it easier to meter it out. It’s not a substitute for all watering in my opinion, but I consider it sort of insurance against a time when you miss a watering on a 100 + day in Texas, and the plant completely dies.

I found this quick explanation with a drawing. It might make it clearer than I have done.

www.jorbins.com/how-do-terracotta-watering-spikes-work/

Let me know if I need to try explaining again. Maybe tomorrow I can get some pictures of some I have in action.

[heavyhitterokra]

On September 8th, rdback commented:

So, I was wondering about how much these things cost, so I popped over to the big A to have a look. First ones that popped up made me think of you for some reason HMK lol.

www.amazon.com/ZENFUN-Watering-Automatic-Terracotta-Planters/dp/B0B4SFYF7F/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=tdk7Q&content-id=amzn1.sym.8cf3b8ef-6a74-45dc-9f0d-6409eb523603&pf_rd_p=8cf3b8ef-6a74-45dc-9f0d-6409eb523603&pf_rd_r=JCXEG9MJQSKF59QEC287&pd_rd_wg=Y3e0m&pd_rd_r=c8a69ef4-34f6-49f6-a036-d60bb5d83ee2&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mi

[heavyhitterokra]

On september 8th, Hmoosek replied:

Ok, ima gonna is order those! They are just too cute!  

[heavyhitterokra]

On September 8th, heavyhitterokra replied:

Yep, those big A watering spikes did make me think of HMK for some reason ... Hmm.

Thanks, rdback, for posting that link. I've been reading this thread for a while, but darn that slow Arkansas thankin', I never quite figured out in my head just what a terracotta watering spike was, add to that, a wine bottle turned upside down into a terracotta watering spike and I had quite an enigma on my hands.

Mystery solved now though. That frees up space in my head to work on solving a few of life's other big questions.

[heavyhitterokra]

On September 8th, Chrysanthemum replied:

My spikes are not quite so cute, but hey, they work.

I had a bit of a plant accident this morning. I pull worn-out leaves off my rhubarb, but I must have pulled wrong this morning, and a whole chunk of the plant came out instead of the leaf twisting off. I don’t know if I can save it, but I decided to put it in a plant ICU, and it gave me the opportunity to take some pictures of my watering spike usage.

Here’s a shot of my supplies. I had ordered eight cheap watering spikes earlier this year, but Amazon sent me a package of ten that included a broken one. I glued it, and it seems to work. The bottle came from my neighbors as they always have a nice selection for me if I ask them to save any. Notice that I use a trowel to dig a hole to install the spike. They’re fragile, so I don’t just shove them in the soil.



I usually fill the bottles with a watering can, and I let the extra water spill in to the pot. I wanted this soil pretty saturated to begin with. Please pardon the mess.






I like darker bottles to keep algae at bay a bit, though I do also use clear ones. It’s nice to be able to monitor the water level in them.


I first used watering spikes this January when a skunk dug up a little satsuma mandarin orange tree outside and tore most of its roots off. I borrowed a spike from my neighbor, and I like the setup so well that I got some of my own. The orange tree is doing well, and we’ll probably transplant it some time this fall if we ever get out of the drought, or we may just wait for spring.



In larger pots, I use “ollas.” These are pots without drainage holes that I get on half price sale from Hobby Lobby. They hold about two quarts of water each. There are fancy purpose-built ollas, but they’re very pricey. There are lots of DIY videos on making your own.

[heavyhitterokra]

On September 8th, John at Jorbins added:

Hi there,

I am the one who wrote that note on terracotta watering spikes with the crudely drawn picture. I did write an article on ollas that explains further the concept of clay pot watering systems.

In my opinion the watering spikes have done extremely well in my containers through some of the hottest 100+ degree weather this summer. However they aren't spike em' and forget them. Eventually the heat will dry out the soil faster than they can add back into the soil. Plants will take up more as well. So you need to monitor them and keep them within root range of the plant.

Also, some plants will will empty a bottle of water faster than others. You have to keep an eye on them so you don't let them go dry or you may need additional spikes.

During the heat waves I have been watering my potted plants through once a week plus filling the wine bottles I have in the spikes. The rest of the week is fine. Cooler 80 degree weather has been spikes only with no problems.

I highly recommend adding a layer of mulch or straw over the soil to keep it cool and prevent excess evaporation plus purchase a moisture meter to gauge dryness in various spots around the plant.

Someone mentioned grow bags. I did not add spikes or ollas to my grow bags. I struggled with watering them this year. Couldn't get the frequency right and it seemed like water would run out of the sides but no moisture was getting towards the center. I recommend using spikes or ollas in grow bags if you don't go with a drip system.

I did put some grow bags in a plastic baby pool and bottom watered them. This worked really well. But you do want to have plants with similar water requirements when you do. I over watered some plants while others thrived. Good thing about grow bags is that you can move them around.

Another idea is to put your grow bags in their own water catching tray that is about an inch or inch and a half tall an bottom water them individually.

[heavyhitterokra]

On September 8th, John at Jorbins also said:
Yes on the darker bottles!

The main advantage of the spikes over ollas is that you can see the water level. Another advantage is in the spring (in cooler climate zones) the sun will warm the water which helps warm the soil further beneath the soil.

I like your simple ollas. Easiest to make.

You can get the cheap unglazed clay pots with the drainage hole at the bottom and just fill the hole by some means. Another way is to glue or caulk the base to the top opening and leave the drainage hole to fill it with. If you need a larger olla that goes deeper into the soil, but not as big around, you get two pots and close off a drainage hole in one pot and glue the the two tops together leaving one drainage hole open to fill it with. Makes for a larger reservoir. Those are the three main styles you will see. Again, yours being the easiest and less time consuming.

[heavyhitterokra]

Hope I didn't mess this thread up so badly by 'transplanting' it, that no one can make heads or tails of what it was originally about.

I wish I could have figured out how to transplant the photos too, but I suppose they didn't want to leave their home, as none of them survived the transporter experience.

If you're out there, "Scotty" feel free to beam them over.