How to Hill Potatoes

Mound loose soil (or mulch) around stems to bury more of the plant, protect tubers from light, and boost yield.

Hilling means pulling loose soil (or adding mulch/mix) up around potato stems. It is one of the signature skills of potato growing.

Why hill?

Keep tubers dark — light causes greening and bitter glycoalkaloids
Make more room for stolons — longer buried stem sections can support more tuber sites
Smother small weeds in the row
Cool and protect shallow tubers

How to hill in a garden bed

Wait until plants are about 12 inches tall (timing details)
Loosen aisle soil with a hoe or by hand
Pull soil gently toward stems, covering the lower stem but leaving plenty of leafy top exposed
Repeat later until you have roughly 6–8 inches of mound

Many gardeners plant in a shallow trench so “hilling” is partly filling the trench back in — easier on the back.

Container hilling

Start with seed pieces near the bottom third of the pot. As shoots grow, add potting mix around stems until the container is nearly full. Same idea as soil hilling.

Straw alternative

Instead of soil mounds, cover with deep straw → How to Grow Potatoes in Straw.

Mistakes to avoid

Burying the entire plant
Cultivating so deep you slash roots and stolons
Leaving shoulders of tubers exposed after rains wash hills down

If tubers still green, improve cover and read Why Do Potatoes Turn Green?.