If you have ever accidentally killed several plant friends, you know that maintaining the perfect watering routine is more complicated than it sounds. Factors such as climate, the specific moisture needs of your plant variety, soil type, and other challenging variables come into play. However, one sustainable watering tool is here to completely simplify that entire process and help you achieve the garden of your dreams.
What Is the GrowOya Pot?
The GrowOya Oya pot, also called an olla (meaning earthenware pot in Spanish), is a strategically shaped receptacle that you bury up to its neck in soil and fill with water. As it stays buried among your plants, their roots instinctively grow toward the Oya and attach themselves to the pot's exterior. This creates an irrigation method where the plants only take the amount of water they need, eliminating the risk of over- or under-watering.
How It Works
The irrigation method not only reduces water waste but also significantly lessens your effort. It replaces daily watering and only requires you to refill the pot every five to seven days using the removable silicone cap at the top of each pot. The silicone cap is a key component of the GrowOya design because it helps create a vacuum seal that regulates optimal water flow. Another major part of the pot's self-watering magic is its special porous clay material, which allows moisture to pass through the exterior and directly to the plant's roots. The clay promises to remain resistant to root damage and is compatible with all soil types.
Sizes and Placement
Ideal for raised garden beds, in-ground gardens, grow bags, and even hanging planters, the Oya comes in three different sizes to accommodate your existing grow spaces. The largest option can water diameters up to four feet. The company suggests placing the pot at the center of your grow space to give each root cluster an opportunity to reach the pot.
Customer Reviews
Based on the overwhelming amount of promising reviews, this watering innovation has been an effective tool for both gardening novices and green thumbs alike. One reviewer claimed that it made an incredible difference in the garden and allowed their plants to thrive, even in record-breaking heat.
Squiddly from Wisconsin: "We have several plants that we wheel outside for half the year and wheel back inside for the other half. Having a GrowOya in each of those pots has been a huge improvement over other watering methods. The lime tree now has 6 limes 'cooking' on it, and the rosemary 'tree' fills the house with its fragrance. The bay tree was always looking rough but this season it is doing well enough that we are comfortable pulling some leaves off for cooking. Excellent product!"
Candace from the Southwest desert: "Having bought out my local hardware store's stock of Oya's, had to order more from Amazon. LOVE THESE! They make an incredible difference in the garden. Considering we've just had some of the hottest weather on record for our section of the SouthWest desert, that absolutely NOTHING affected the plants says a lot for how these perform. Here in the desert, I refill these every 3-4 days. They are among the most reasonably priced Ollas on the market. I started off with one of each size and used them in a 4', 3', and 2' growing container. Again, incredible difference, including no transplant shock with seedlings. NONE! So am slowly moving to Ollas to take care of my garden."
Kestrel: "When I created a small fern garden, I wanted to try to grow a delicate native maidenhair fern. However, I knew that keeping it watered in our dry summers would be a problem. I bought this olla and buried it up to the lip. Around it I planted the Maidenhair fern, a wild ginger plant, and a Rattlesnake plantain, all of which need moist soil to do well. I can fill the jar about once a week, twice in very hot weather, and the water slowly moves through the pores of the clay walls. Now it's the hottest part of the summer and those three delicate moisture-loving forest plants are thriving."
C Martin: "I bought this a year ago and now have a year history on its use. I tried making my own ollas from clay pots but they did not have the same porosity as these. Thus, water seeped out slowly or not at all. These seem to have the right porosity so that plants can get what they need as they need it. It was able to water about a 3 foot circle around the olla and maintain my plantings in the hottest summer I've ever seen. I am impressed with how effective these are and plan to buy more."
There are even more happy Oya buyers whose promising words can be found online, or you can grab a pot just in time for gardening season.
