We have not had any rain this year. If it wasn't for the two winter storm events in February, I don't believe we have had any precipitation this year. According to a post I saw on Facebook from a local TV station, so far this year we have the worst drought in 44 years. Although I am hoping the weather breaks and we get some of this moisture that has been teasing us for weeks, right now it's just plain dry and dusty, which doesn't bode well for plants or animals.
I was at Wichita Valley Nursery yesterday and saw some olla pots with information on using them as drip irrigation. Olla pots are unglazed terra cotta pots that are buried in the garden and filled with water. The water slowly seeps out of the pot into the surrounding soil, keeping it moist near the roots of the plants. We certainly qualify as arid right now. I didn't ask Paul how much he was selling his pots for, but online they are pretty pricey. If anyone has local sources and prices, please post a comment.
If you happen to be artsy/craftsy (I'm definitely not), then I found a video on making your own olla pots on YouTube. Ignore what seems to be narration that you can barely hear at the beginning--it is a radio in the background. The person doesn't talk at all in the video.
Since we will almost certainly be on watering restrictions soon if we don't get some significant rain soon, now is a good time to look at alternatives for low water use in your yard and garden.
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