Oh-yah

It's Valentine's Day and while I could be writing about hearts and flowers, I'm instead going to write about two clay pots locked in an eternal embrace while roots twist and cling tightly.

Oh yes. On this most romantic of days, I'm talking about and showing you how to make homemade ollas. Partly because they're so dang cool. Partly because for V-day, I'm giving Chad my full attention. In other words...no internet. At least until he pops on and checks his basketball stats.

The sacrifice. I'm such a good wife.

Now. Before you start Googling ollas, let me give you a little info on these clay miracle workers.

Ollas - pronounced "oh-YAHS" not "oh-LAHS" - have been used in irrigation since ancient times. In short, they're unglazed clay pots with a long neck. (Usually made by putting clay over a gourd and then firing it.)

The premise is simple and, well, ingenious. Bury the olla near your plants and fill with water. The unglazed clay seeps water into your soil, sending the perfect amount of moisture to your plants.

Like an old school water globe.

They're making a bit of a comeback. But, at $18-$25 a pop, they're just a bit (a lot) out of my price range. So...I decided to make my own. And then? I decided to share with you because you guys are just so darn awesome.

How to Make a Homemade Olla Tutorial

Supplies:

• Unglazed clay pots
• Unglazed clay saucers
• Glass beads
• Guerrilla Glue
• Silicone Caulk

Step 1:
Decide what size of olla you want to make. I went for the 4" x 6" clay pots. For the double pot olla, buy two clay saucers that are just big enough to cover the end. For the single pot olla, buy a clay pot big enough to cover the top of the pot.

Step 2:
Wipe you clay pots clean with a damp sponge and let dry.

Step 3:

Very carefully - because this stuff is dangerous - put glue on the top lip of the clay pot.

For the single pot, place the saucer on the glue as shown in the picture and let dry. (Ignore the topper in this pic.)

For the double pot, balance another clay pot on the first as shown in the picture and let dry.

One more bit of glue here. Glue a small saucer to the bottom of the double olla. This will keep water the water in.

Step 4:

While your pots are drying, decorate your olla tops. The top will help prevent water from evaporating on those hot days. I put glass beads on them in hopes of reflecting the sun and heat that could still cause evaporation. And because they look pretty. You could also use paint or tiles.

Step 5:
Time to caulk, baby. This, for me, was the toughest part. Let's put it this way. If you're good at cake decorating, this will be super easy. If you are like me and people stare at your cakes the way a mother tries to decipher her three-year-old's drawings, not so easy.

A damp sponge will go a long ways towards smoothing out any mistakes.

Let the caulk harden.

Hmmm...don't say that sentence out loud. It sounds...inappropriate for olla talk.

Step 6:
Sink your olla in your garden between plants. Fill with water and top with your decorative topper. Keep checking your olla to be sure that it has water in it. The roots of your plants will eventually go towards the olla, seeking moisture.

Now if this all works the way it should, your watering costs will go down, you can actually put fertilizer directly into the pots and on days when the temps reach 115, there a smaller chance that your plants will die a dry and dusty death. And by making my own, it only cost me around $3 each.

Win. Win. Win. Big win.

There you have it kids! Ollas. If you decide to make some, let me know how they turn out. Now...I'm off (well, I'm already off, such is the joy of post dating) to watch The King's Speech, eat Thai food and kiss my Valentine. Not necessarily in that order.