How and When to Hill Potatoes for Bigger Yield

[Stephen Albert]

Hilling potatoes is one of the simplest ways to increase your yield and protect your crop. By covering the base of potato plants with soil as they grow, you create more space for tubers to form while keeping them safe from sunlight. After decades of growing potatoes in raised beds, mounded rows, and containers, I’ve found that consistent hilling can mean the difference between a modest harvest and a bumper crop.

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Hilling a potato plant

Why Hilling Potatoes Works​

• Encourages more tubers: Potatoes form along underground stems. Adding soil gives these stems more room to produce.
• Prevents greening: Tubers exposed to sunlight turn green and develop solanine, which is toxic.
• Suppresses weeds: Added soil blocks light from weed seeds.
• Protects from pests: A thicker soil layer can deter some insects from reaching the tubers.

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When to Hill Potatoes​

• First hilling: When plants are 6–8 inches tall, cover the lower third with loose soil or compost.
• Second hilling: When plants are 10–12 inches tall, repeat the process, covering stems but leaving several leaves exposed.
• Final hilling: Usually 2–3 weeks later, or when flowering begins. Stop hilling once plants are too tall to cover without burying leaves entirely.

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How to Hill Potatoes​

1. Choose your hilling material: Use loose garden soil, compost, or straw. Avoid heavy, compacted soil.
2. Hill gently: Mound soil around the plant base, leaving the top leaves uncovered.
3. Repeat as needed: Maintain 4–6 inches of hilled soil to keep developing tubers covered.
4. Water after hilling: Helps settle the soil and encourages root expansion.

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My Gardener’s Tip:
In hot climates like my summer garden in Sonoma Valley, I sometimes hill with a mix of soil and straw. This keeps the root zone cooler while still encouraging tuber growth.

Potato Hilling Schedule​

Growth Stage	Plant Height	Action	My Experience Tip
Initial Growth	6–8 inches	First hilling: mound soil around base, leaving top leaves exposed	Use loose soil or compost; avoid compacted dirt
Mid Growth	10–12 inches	Second hilling: repeat mounding around stems	Ensure 4–6 inches of soil covers lower stems; water afterward
Flowering Stage	Flower buds appear	Final hilling if needed	Stop before burying leaves completely; monitor for tuber greening
Mature Plants	Foliage yellowing	No hilling	Let plants die back naturally; tubers are ready for harvest

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