MichelleAnyone using ollas in your garden? I love using them in mine and I'm trying to find a source for decent quality ones. Any suggestions? If you make your own, what do you use to seal them from leaking?
Sarah dreams of beans@LibraryFinch The ones @potterybyosa makes look really dreamy :)
@LibraryFinch Tagging @RobotDiver in case they are up for sharing diy olla tips 🌱
Robot Diver 🌊🌬️🍃🌿🌸🌱🌱🌱I've made mine using two large terra cotta pots and food grade silicone. You also need something to seal the bottom of the pot. I usually use a cut out plastic yogurt lid
and then seal it over the hole with the silicone, then I seal the two pots together with more silicone. You can use a terra cotta saucer to cover the hole between fillings. If you have concern about possible heavy metals in the terra cotta you can run a mix of water and white vinegar through the evaporation process a couple times and then a clean water run before you bury it.
It works well but nothing as gorgeous as @potterybyosa 's ollas!
@beandreams @LibraryFinch @potterybyosa
Apparently Italian terra cotta is certified heavy metal free, but I've never found them here.
@beandreams @LibraryFinch @potterybyosa
That's no diss to terra cotta from other countries, just the nature of some clay deposits.
@beandreams @LibraryFinch @potterybyosa
I don't remember the exact science behind the vinegar wash, but the acetic acid either bonds to or releases the heavy metals. Something like that.