Everything You Need To Know About How an Olla Watering System Works In Your Garden

The automatic olla watering system is the most efficient irrigation system for watering plants that's currently available. On average, we have tested ollas for gardening to be 61 percent more efficient than drip emitters.

In a 600-square-foot garden, drip emitters use, on average, 4,000 gallons per season, while our automatic olla system use about 800 gallons. The average sprinkler system uses 47,000 gallons for garden watering.

The Thirsty Earth Automatic Olla System is also the best watering system for plant health because ollas constantly emit a small amount of water 24/7 while other systems run 1-4 times daily. Plants are healthiest when always getting the exact right amount of water they need, which nothing can touch over using ollas. 

If you live off-grid or want to be prepared for a potential disaster, the Thirsty Earth Automatic Olla System is the best irrigation system. It does not require water pressure, batteries, or electricity to work because it's gravity fed. One 5-gallon bucket of water is enough for most gardens to last a week on our automatic olla watering system.

Most automatic watering kits come with complicated installation instructions, but it couldn’t be simpler to install your olla drip system and get started.

Olla Cotta Cups emit approximately 1.5 to 2-foot water plumes in ideal loamy soils (a 1-foot water plume in sandy soils or a very dry area). So, for a Thirsty Earth olla system, you need to space out your cups, plant them just below the surface so the lid is still visible, and connect them to the tubing provided. This tubing hooks up to your chosen water source: hose, rain barrel, drip line, or sprinkler head.

The critical difference between an automatic olla watering system and drip irrigation is the water pressure. Most drip irrigation systems need 25-40 psi, 1-4 times a day during summer, and most sprinklers need 40-80 psi once daily. Automatic olla systems require a constant water pressure of 0.5-1 psi, always going to the ollas. If not, drip ollas only emit 25% of the water that your plants need. 

We solved this problem by including a reservoir (bucket) with a float valve that prevents the bucket from overflowing. As a result, the bucket flows a constant 0.5-1 PSI to all your cups at all times (depending on how high you decide to place the bucket). Your reservoir can be level with the soil or up to 6" above your growing soil.

We believe an olla drip system is the best choice if you have a homegrown garden. The primary weakness of ollas is that they are tough to use at an industrial scale. An agricultural farm growing tens of thousands of potatoes is an example. 

However, if you simply have a vegetable garden in your backyard, we believe there is no better system than the Thirsty Earth Cotta Cup System. There is no better choice with superior yields, water efficiency, and effortless maintenance.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us at (707) 536-3391. We are always happy to help!