Potatoes produce more potatoes if the soil is "hilled" up around the main stem or stalk of the potato plant. Potatoes are actually tubers and the taller the soil, the more taters that will grow on the plant! They actually grow up the stalk. So today was hilling day for the potato plants. Some of the plants are budding up to bloom. If you look closely toward the middle of the row of potatoes you can see the three bushes that had an extra helping (the wheelbarrow spilled) of composted chicken manure. It looks like the whole garden would love some extra spillage!
In order to hill the potatoes, the soaker hose was moved away and extra soil was raked up to the base of the plant. There is 8-12 inches of soil that form the hills. Some of the lower leaves were buried in the hill and weeds were pulled along the way. The plants were heavily watered yesterday. The soaker hose was replaced next to the stem of the potato plants and we are hoping for a bumper crop of yukon gold and red potatoes!
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