The main reason to hill potatoes is to increase yield. Potatoes form along the underground stem of the plant and not from the roots. So hilling effectively lengthen the underground portion of the stem thus increasing yield. You can either add additional soil to the bed and then mound it around the plants, or you can scoop up soil from the rows and press it against the stems. Later in the season, it’s easy to reach in and check the potatoes for size before you harvest them. After the plants reach about 20 to 30cm tall, soil needs to be hilled around the plants for the potato tubers to grow in. These “hills” or ridges are where the potatoes will form, and it is important to keep them covered and away from sunlight. If the potato tubers come in contact with sunlight they can become green and not fit to eat. In fact, green potatoes can carry toxins and could become poisonous. To prevent this, potatoes should be hilled at least 3 to 4 times during their growth cycle. The more you can hill t
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