OGDEN, Utah — A company based in Ogden is using an ancient way of watering plants to help people conserve water in gardens.
The company, called Thirsty Earth, makes "CottaCups" to help use less water, increase harvests and create an automatic watering system.
"We've got all kinds of fun stuff in her — parsley and shallots and bunching onions,” said Jared Orvis, who is proud of his garden.
From tomatoes to squash, his garden is in full bloom. But with the lack of water and snowpack last winter, he said he’s worried about what that could mean the rest of the summer.
"We're in a tough spot, and I’m guessing restrictions are on their way to everybody,” said Orvis.
But he's not too concerned about having enough water this year for his garden, thanks to his CottaCups.
His company makes the terracotta cups. The concept, he says, is based on something people a long time ago would do — placing large pots of water, called "Ollas," in the soil to water their plants.
With their product, reservoirs, or containers for water, sit on a level above the ground, sending water to the unglazed, unsealed terracotta cups buried in the soil near the roots. Orvis explained that the sweat from the porous cups is sufficient to water the plants.
The reservoir bucket only needs to be filled once a week, and since it can be filled through a faucet periodically, Orvis said this system is also convenient and lets people not have to continuously water their gardens.
The sweat from the pots forms a moisture plume around the plant, giving it all the water it needs.
"The amount of water used through the system is even less, is around or below 10 percent of the water used with the next most efficient water system, which is drip emitters,” Orvis said.
Eric Jordan, who also co-founded Thirsty Earth, is an avid gardener himself, and helps people who use their CottaCups.
"This is something we get to share with the world, and people can see it and be inspired by it, maybe they do their own, like get the traditional olla, or slap Home Depot pots together like I did, or maybe it inspires other people to come up with other water-wise solutions,” said Jordan.
Orvis said this system has also given them a better harvest so far. He already has tomatoes growing on the plants watered with the CottaCups, but not on the ones that the sprinklers water yet.
"The technology has been around since the Roman Empire, but getting it to where it's accessible to just regular gardeners has been a ton of fun,” he added.
