Have you ever considered how much we rely on ancient technologies?
If you think about it, over 4000 years ago in the cradle of civilization folks were baking bread, coming up with, and using, written language, and developing better ways to grow plants.
Not much has changed, as we rediscover hieroglyphics by way of emoji and toil away to make the perfect sourdough, is it possible that the past holds the key to a greener thumb as well?
Plants in the Past
Agriculture was a hot bed for innovation around in 3000-2000 BCE; since growing crops was a newer field (pun intended) and it was a damn important one, a lot of time and energy was put into making plants grow their best.
Plants all need three things to thrive: nutritious soil, adequate sunshine, and a consistent supply of fresh water. While mere mortals have little control over the sun and rain, people found it possible to add fertilizers to soil and protect our green friends from all sorts of pests and disease.
Providing water, though, has been the perennial problem of the farmer, gardener, homesteader, landscaper and horticulturalist alike, but as far back as 60 centuries ago, clever folks were fixing the problem once, and for all.
Enter: Ollas.
Ollas were invented as an ingenious way to make every drop of water count in your garden, in fact, research shows they're up to ten times more efficient than conventional watering methods.
They're a simple, reliable, and long-lasting irrigator, that works on nothing more than refills. These nifty clay devices are incredibly effective at watering plants while reducing water usage. They prevent under- or over-watering and keep the water in the root zones of plants and are particularly useful in hotter and drier climates.
But how do they do it?
Traditionally, an olla is an unglazed clay pot with an open top, narrow neck, and wide base. The clay pot is buried beneath the soil surface with only the hole in the top exposed above the soil line.
Growers fill ollas by pouring water into the open top, and the moisture slowly seeps out through the porous clay walls into the surrounding soil. Here's the coolest part though: the plant roots only draw as much moisture as they need. The moisture tension around the pot creates suction, so water is only pulled through the clay walls into the soil whenever it is dry. If the soil is wet, water will stay in the reservoir until the surrounding soil dries out.
If you ask me, the future of gardening arrived over 4000 years ago!
The best technologies stand the test of time.
On a more contemporary note, Mountain Mudworks has made a specialty out of creating beautiful watering spikes that leverage this ancient irrigation method for everyday use in any home.
Watering spikes function on the same principles, but in a slightly different package. With vibrantly painted and durably glazed reservoirs in all kinds of whimsical designs seamlessly attached to an unglazed clay spike they make it easier to water you plants.
Instead of large pots being buried in a large outdoor garden plot, our version can be used to supplement the watering of any plant, indoors or out! Simply insert the spike into the soil near the base of any plant and fill it with water to let the irrigation magic happen.
Enjoy peace of mind on vacations and during sweltering summer heat knowing your favorite plants are being cared for by a rather cute mushroom.