Hilling involves placing soil around the base of a plant as it grows.Exposure to light too early can cause potatoes to turn green.Potato toxins will make them unsuited for eating.You can do a second hilling with straw, even though you usually hill with dirt.
Step 1: The plants are about 8 inches high.
The purpose of hilling is to cover the potatoes as they poke out of the ground.Potato plants can be affected by a number of conditions, such as whether you plant during a wet or dry year.It may take several weeks before you get to hill your potatoes.
Step 2: You can use a hoe to scoop the dirt.
You only need a small amount of dirt to make mounds that are a few inches high.Start in the middle of the two rows of potato plants and hoe the dirt towards the first row.As you do this, you want the dirt to fill up around the plant.
Step 3: Go down the row and scoop up dirt.
Continue until all potato plants have a good mound of dirt around them, then repeat for the other rows.You should bring dirt from either side of the row.You can use a rake to pile the dirt by your plants if you don't own a hoe.If you planted your potatoes in a raised bed, you need to add dirt to the bed in order to hill them.Adding compost to the bed will make small mounds on each side of your potato plants.
Step 4: Wrap the dirt tightly with your hands.
Using a hoe isn't enough to completely cover the potatoes.Pack the dirt until the top leaves of the plant are visible.If you missed any exposed potatoes with the hoe, keep an eye out for them.
Step 5: There is mulch added.
A thick layer of mulch will keep the soil cool and prevent weeds from growing.No specific type of mulch is needed here, but you will want to layer it thickly over the mounds of dirt around your plants.
Step 6: Wait after the first hilling.
The potato tubers will try to grow their way to the top after hilling your plants for the first time.If the potato plants grow another 12 inches, you should consider hilling them again.
Step 7: Work around the plants with a few straws.
You won't have to dig through a lot of dirt to find your potatoes if you use straw for the second hilling.Use small handfuls at a time to fill the area around the plants.The straw should be packed tightly and completely covering any exposed potatoes.If your potatoes are planted in a raised bed, you can add straw until you fill the whole bed.
Step 8: The straw should be sprinkled with soil.
All you want to do is fill up the holes left by the straw bed.Don't worry about packing the dirt into the straw.The dirt will fill any open spaces when you sprinkle it on.The potatoes will be protected from the sun even more.Water the straw bed thoroughly after adding dirt.