Raw terracotta planting olla – natural irrigation pot for vegetable garden and planter

Raw olla close-up – clay porosity for slow water diffusion to the roots

Terracotta planting olla – passive irrigation for vegetable garden and potted plants

Raw olla in the vegetable garden – autonomous watering during the holidays

Plantable olla : Raw

$23.00

Size	Prix	Prix au L	vs 15 cl
15 cl	$23.00	$153.33	—
30 cl	$25.00	$83.33	−46 %
50 cl	$31.00	$62.00	−60 %

(12 avis)

This unglazed, raw terracotta olla is buried up to its neck at the base of plants: water seeps through the wall when the soil dries out, and stops when the soil is moist. It is available in 15, 30 and 50 cl, with a moistening radius of 20 to 40 cm.

Size : 15 cl

15 cl

30 cl

50 cl

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Payment in instalments, free of charge

The summary

The humidification radius: 20 to 40 cm around the jar, depending on soil type and season.
The material: micro-porous terracotta left in its natural state, with no glaze or treatment.
The capacities: 15, 30, or 50 cl, from 0.3 to 0.8 kg depending on size.
Installation: buried to the neck, pressed firmly against the soil, covered after filling.
Maintenance: descale with white vinegar when the pores begin to close.
How it arrives: terracotta, so carefully packaged.

Terracotta olla to bury at the neck, in 15, 30 or 50 cl sizes

An olla is a buried reservoir with no valve, no timer and no moving parts. Water seeps out when the surrounding soil dries, and the flow stops when the soil is moist. This model is available in 15, 30 and 50 cl, and is left unglazed, meaning no enamel or surface treatment.

🏺 Terracotta and its pores

This unglazed finish is the very condition for the pot to function. Fired terracotta retains a network of micro-pores running through the wall from one side to the other, and it is through these that water passes. A glaze, varnish, or slip seals this network and turns the jar into an ordinary pot, attractive and entirely useless. An unglazed olla is therefore an object whose porous surface is its working component. These jars are handcrafted in Alsace from natural clay left just as it is.

💧 The humidification radius

20 to 40 cm

This is the area the jar keeps moist around itself, regardless of its capacity.

The soil is in charge

Clay soil spreads wider and more slowly than sandy soil.

The season matters too

In August, the plant draws more heavily. In September, the same jar lasts considerably longer.

Get in touch first

A pot placed in an oversized hole diffuses nothing, the soil must be packed firmly against it.

Capacity doesn't change the watering radius, it changes the refilling frequency. A 15 cl jar and a 50 cl jar moisturise the same area, but the larger one needs refilling far less often. Go for a small size in a planter where space is tight and you pass by every day, and a large size for a vegetable plant you leave to its own devices. As for the refilling rhythm itself, it depends on the soil, the season and the species, so the simplest approach is to lift the stopper every other day for the first few weeks to find out what works for you.

A jar is only as good as its contact with the ground

Choose a grow medium that retains moisture around the roots rather than a compost that shrinks as it dries, and coco coir works well for this. Compost that has dried and shrunk creates an air gap along the inside of the pot, stopping diffusion even when the reservoir is full. For watering a large number of scattered pots, a solar drip system meets a need that reservoirs alone cannot cover.

The cap is not a minor detail

An olla filled and left open loses part of its reserve through direct evaporation, and it collects everything that falls in, leaves, soil, and insects. Cover the opening after each refill, with a stopper or simply a flat stone laid over it. This also prevents an open jar from becoming a breeding ground for mosquito larvae during summer, as still, warm water is exactly the environment they seek.

🧊 Winter and limescale

Two things block the pores of an olla. Limescale is the first culprit: it builds up season after season and eventually clogs the wall, so a few hours' soak in water with a splash of vinegar, followed by a thorough rinse, will restore its permeability. Do not use any detergent or disinfectant, as residues will remain in the soil. Frost is the second issue, and the more destructive one: water retained in the wall expands as it freezes, cracking the terracotta. Remove your ollas from the ground before the first frosts, let them dry out completely, and store them somewhere frost-free until spring.

🌱 Installation, step by step

Installation should be carried out when you are preparing your bed or pot, before putting plants in place, since digging between established plants means cutting roots. Dig a hole just the size of the jar, press it down to the neck leaving the opening two or three centimetres proud of the surface, then bring the soil back around it and firm it down well by hand. Fill with water and wait, as a jar placed in dry soil takes several days to reach equilibrium and empties very quickly during this period. If your bed holds several jars, our guide to the grey model gives the spacing calculation to follow. The refill rhythm stabilises from the second week onwards, and that is the one to use as your reference.

Technical specifications

The essentials

Humidification radius: 20 to 40 cmIt does not depend on the capacity: it is the soil and the season that cause it to vary.
Sizes available: 15, 30 and 50 clThe capacity determines how often you refill, not the area being moistened.
Material: Raw micro-porous terracottaUnglazed: it is the porosity of the wall that allows water to pass through.
Manufacturing: Handcrafted, in AlsaceNatural clay, with no chemical treatment or coating.
Weight: 0.3 to 0.8 kgDepending on capacity, when empty.
Installation: Buried to the collarSoil packed all around: without contact, the wall diffuses nothing.

To budget for separately

A plug: Lid or flat stoneIt limits direct evaporation and prevents debris from falling into the reservoir.
White vinegar: For the annual descalingA soak of a few hours reopens pores that have been blocked by limescale.

In the box

1 unglazed terracotta olla, in the chosen capacity.

Humidification radius, capacities, material, country of manufacture and weight: figures stated by the supplier, recorded on 20/09/2026. The humidification radius is an approximate guide that varies according to soil type.

Estimate your
delivery time

Terracotta item, fragile, packed accordingly. Unpack it carefully and check the wall before planting. Exact shipping costs and final delivery times are shown in the basket once your address has been entered.

Frequently asked questions

8 questions

6 key questions, 8 in the detailed view

How often does it need to be refilled?

Why must it not be enamelled?

Does the larger capacity humidify a wider area?

How deep should it be buried?

Can it be used in a pot?

What should you do when it stops diffusing?

Does it need to be brought in for winter?

Can liquid fertiliser be added?

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Plantable olla : Raw

The summary