Recently I had a
great conversation with my friend who did not have much space. She is my best
friend so I had no problem trying to find her a way to have a low maintenance
small space mini garden.
I took the idea of
the olla to make a long , slow leaking water basin that will allow the plants
to be watered over a long period of time without needing to be watered every
day . ( I have busy friends)
the plants themselves can occupy a large
amount of space for they will live in a spiral tower. Therefore you will have a
greatly enlarged growing area to what could never be achieved in the same pot
without the spiral fencing.
In this example the
plants are herbs and destined to be a back door chef garden.
This is the step by
step guide on how to make one for yourself!
untreated clay pots are stacked and sealed together ( with cocking, demonstrated in green ) while the very top of the pot Tower is also sealed as to reduce evaporation. The bottom hole is also sealed shut and placed on a good couple of inches of rocks for drainage. This is all contained by a larger terracotta pot. Stakes are lined up and stacked in a spiral around the olla pots and the rest is filled with soil ( in pink)
Plants should be planted in respects to their best companions.
The top terracotta pot should stick out of the soil and the drainage hole at the top of the overturned pot will be used to fill the long basin with water. After filling with water cover the hole with a large rock or a small plate .
What you will need
:soil
plants for planting
wooden dowels you will use as the support to your spiral tower- you can use sticks from trees provided the sticks are sturdy and straight
drainage stones - any medium stone will do
A even number of small terracotta pots - like the one bellow -
silicone cocking to seal the pots together.like the one below
