What's an oya?
An olla or oya (Spanish for pot or pot) is a micro-porous clay water dispenser for planting or burying. They have been used for over 4000 years to water plants naturally and according to their needs.

Oyas use a natural property of clay, which is that it is microporous. This means that it can let water molecules through, especially when in contact with a body that will attract this water by capillary action, as in the case of soil or plant roots. Water will diffuse slowly, and only when the soil and plant need it.

The oyas we've selected come from Oyas Environnement, a young ecological and social enterprise based in Saint-Jean-de-Fos in the Hérault region of France. They are made in France using a technique borrowed from ancestral farming traditions, by local potters.

What's more, oyas use up to 3 times less water than conventional watering, thanks to an optimized irrigation system from which the plant benefits almost 100% (no loss, either through evaporation or at the root level, where the plant captures the water molecules it needs). Just the thing forresponsible purchasing enthusiasts!

Yes, that's the good news! Ecological AND economical, there's no need to choose between your wallet and saving natural resources! Thanks to oyas, you can save up to 75% water compared with conventional watering.

As our partner potters at Oyas Environnement are practical people from the south of France, they know all about the problems associated with storing water in hot weather! That's why they've fitted their oyas with a lid to prevent insects from laying eggs, but also to prevent evaporation!

Yes, and it's even highly recommended for optimum watering that's really smart! But remember to hose down your oyas at least once a year to prevent the clay pores from clogging.

Once again, yes, because the plant absorbs just what it needs, with no risk of water stress (too much or too little water) thanks to constant, non-excessive watering. What's more, as the soil is continuously irrigated, soil fauna and microflora will thrive, creating a favorable space for plant development. Finally, oyas, whether planted or buried, won't needlessly water the top layer of substrate, thus preventing weeds from developing.

Small oyas for planting or burial are ideal for flower pots or even planters. The medium and large in-ground models are more suited to the open ground. You can also use medium oyas in window boxes and tubs. Just remember to optimize the diameter of your oya according to the diameter of the planter and the space required, so that the plant is comfortable!

You can use in-ground oyas for your seedlings, but you'll need to remember to water the seedlings as well, since an oya alone won't be enough to germinate on the surface.

Finally, you can use the larger oyas for tree and shrub planting. After a while, the roots will damage the oya, but the tree will then be self-sufficient in water!

Nothing special, as the oyas are ready to use. Simply prepare the site for the oyas to be buried, by digging a hole slightly larger than the oya and covering it with soil, leaving only the top of the diffuser to fill.

Yes, that's one of the advantages of this watering method! However, depending on the temperature, the plant's needs and the size of the oya you've chosen, we still advise you to fill it or have it filled once a week.

Since clay tends to absorb water, there's a risk of bursting in hard frosts. However, the oyas we have selected, both for planting and for burial, have been designed to withstand frost down to -9°C. If you find that temperatures are dropping very low, we advise you not to fill the oyas, but to leave them in the ground.

Oyas are very rustic water diffusers and require very little maintenance. Just make sure you don't use water that's too dirty or too hard to avoid clogging the clay's pores. You can also clean your oyas with a simple jet of water, without having to dig them up. For oyas to be planted, you can clean them with white vinegar if you see that too much lime has settled.