When to cover potatoes?

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Hi all, This is my first post here and I am sure this has been covered many a time. But...this past weekend, we planted our garden. I set the potatoes and I know that we have to keep mounding them. (from memory as a child) However, I remember someone telling me to add more soil, compost, etc when there was a particular number of leaves showing. I can't for the life of me remember how many. Or is this just complete hogwash anyhow? Thanks so much for the anticipated information. Now if we can get the sun to come out we'll be in good shape!

 

[Collector]

Stubbornhill, Welcome to TEG, I am not sure about the answer to your question. Just wanted to say welcome and someone will come along with the answer.

 

[digitS']

Well, I'm learning that it is better to do early hilling than late. But, you have to pay attention later in the season to be sure that no tubers end up exposed to the sun. That is a primary reason for hilling.

Hilling suppresses weeds - better early than late. Also, it exposes the potato roots to more soil nutrients - better to have those nutrients during early growth.

That's my 2 .

Welcome to the forum, Stubbornhill Farm !

Steve

 

[4grandbabies]

Welcome

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum! Glad you joined us!

I don't pay any attention to number of leaves showing. With me, it's more when its dry enough to get in the garden so I can hill them. I'm sure different people have different ways to tell when they can do it. If you have the option of when you can do it, number of leaves is probably a good criteria, but I don't know what that number would be. If you are growing in containers instead of in the ground, that can vary too.

I agree that starting early is better. I usually only hill them twice or three times a year, starting as soon as they are big enough and I can get to them due to soil moisture. I leave the top few inches uncovered and rake up as much dirt around them as I can each time.

When they start blooming, stop hilling. The blossoms mean they are setting potatoes so additional hilling will do no good, except as Steve mentioned, to keep them covered if they become exposed. If the tubers are exposed to the sun, they turn green and that green part is not safe to eat.

 

[Kassaundra]

I planted mine it a tire tower this year, my first year to grow potatoes, I'm up the 3 and 4 tires tall now. (and I got a late start, those that started on time for my area are even higher) They are suppose to set potatoes all the way up the stem that way. I am filling the tires w/ bagged leaves, easier then shoveling or hoeing dirt.

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Thank you all for your warm welcome and your advice! We have raised beds as our land is well...stubborn. Many, many rocks, boulders, not farm rich soil by any means. Not easy to till or harvest from, but we will work with what we have! Thanks Kassaundra, Ridgerunner and digitS' for the info. I will keep you all posted. PS, Yay! The suns out!

 

[patandchickens]

AFAIK the general idea is to keep at least 4-6" of the plant sticking up. How often you hill is kind of up to you -- if it's more often, you'd do it sooner, if you only want to deal with it a few times during the season then you'd let them get more topgrowth before hilling.

Pat, whose potatoes are only *just* starting to show the first leaves aboveground, it's been so cool and wet this spring.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

Thank you all for your warm welcome and your advice! We have raised beds as our land is well...stubborn. Many, many rocks, boulders, not farm rich soil by any means. Not easy to till or harvest from, but we will work with what we have! Thanks Kassaundra, Ridgerunner and digitS' for the info. I will keep you all posted. PS, Yay! The suns out!

actually, the reason the potatoes do usually well in our area is because of the small rocks in the soil actually help to keep them warm as they grow! now, if it is boulders in the soil, those really aren't any help! :!>

 

[stano40]

Hi stubbornhillfarm,

I'm close to you in Maine. I live in Wells but I'm closer to the Sanford side.

I too am trying to learn how to grow potato's this year.

Best of luck with the potato planting's and keep us posted how you make out.

bob