I use ollas, I've got all sorts of old terracotta pots buried in the ground and they've really helped. I forgot to pull them all up before winter so I am hoping they aren't cracked and ruined. I did have the fill the bottom 1/3 with pebbles to slow the water from running out as all my pots had a hole in the middle for drainage. The ground is too frozen and deep with snow to try to recover them.