How tall can you go? I'm starting to hill tomorrow. I go as high as I can. If I need to, I stack bricks etc. around the edges to keep the soil up!

Mmmm, potatoes!

There are some myths about hilling potatoes, me thinks.
That is "the more/higher you hill the more tubers you will get"
Not necessarily true. Hilling has a purose to some extent. Beyond that it will serve no purpose.
When a potato seed is planted, it will grow roots going downwards and sideways and stems growing upward and out of the ground. Then on the stems the tubere will set and grow. It is the root system that is mostly responsible for growing tubers and it has nothing to do with the height of hill. A given root system has a limited potential and resources to grow tubers. You cannot force it to grow more by higher hilling.
I did an experiment two years ago, growing potatoes in a stack of three big tires. I planted the seeds in the ground...then came first, second and third tire. When the time came to harvest I found out that ALL the tubers were in the lowest/first tire, wich was basically equivalen to 8 to 10" hill.

I heard you add dirt as needed to cover any tubers/potatos that become exposed.

THanks for explaining that. I grew them last year and was still stumped on how much to hill them. It seems like it's only to keep the tubers covered so they're not exposed to the sun, which can turn them green. I was covering the stalks and leaves at first because that's what I thought it said.

Apparently there is variation between varieties. Most modern varieties grow short, uniform stolons. Some older varieties are more, say, indeterminate in growth.

George
Tahlequah, OK

Here is a link that might be useful: Kenosha Potato Project

Okay, how about too little hilling? I too am a first time grower of potatoes and am growing them in containers. I've got 3 containers - 2 large pots and a lg rubbermaid storage bin. I think I did the rubbermaid container correct, but in the pots I think I planted them too 'high' to start. I'll probably only be able to hill once (about 6"). Should I be worried?

If you only got potatoes at the bottom, you likely had one of two problems. One, you grew a short season or early variety. They only set fruit at the bottom and never up, no matter how much you hill. Late season varieties will continue up as far as you go, assuming they were hilled immidiately. If you wait, the stem becomes a stem and won't become a root. It becomes tricky as you'll never know until you harvest.

It's not exactly what you want but more info is on my site below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Vertical potatoes

2 years ago I grew several different potatoes....white, red, and gold. I had 5 rows, 20' long. I hilled as much as possible. The rows looked great, but in the end, all the potatoes were near the bottom where the original seed potato started. I think it's a fantasy of mine that I can start a potato, and hill it high, and have potatoes grow up the stem. It hasn't happened yet, and this year apparantly I haven't learned because I started some container potatoes and I'm sure they are too deep. I allowed too much room for hilling. Maybe I'll just put another layer of soil over them and plant more seed potatoes on top of them.

Several of us had a blast playing with the bins in 2008 ... but none of us got the BIG payoff.
It was good looking back but wonder if anyone ever figured it out for sure.

Here is a link that might be useful: 2008 Potato Bin Trials

Hilling is necessary in order to give room for the tubers and also keep the roots cooler and moist longer. But there is a limit to it. You normally hill twice, maybe at the most 3 time. Then I would mulch it with straw. As a home gardeners we can pamper our potato plants but I dont think a commercial grower has that luxury.

I hill my potatoes 2 or 3 times with the tractor. I would say the hills are 12" high. I plant my potatoes 6" deep. But only cover them 2" at planting. Then hill them as they grow. I keep hilling until they fall over in the row and I can't get the tractor in there any more. It works for me.

I am also new to growing potato's, and I have been 'hilling' with straw/pine needles. I just pull it up around the plants as they get bigger. Should I be using soil for this, and how high up the stem should I hill it? Should I be covering the leaves all the way up the stem - most of mine are pretty bushy (a lot to cover if I cover the entire plant). Also, how do I know when it is time to start harvesting the potato's? Sorry for all the questions!

Hey Trill,
Watch my "hilling" video (link below)

Here is a link that might be useful: Hilling Potatoes

Great video! That helped me more than anything so far - thanks!!!!!

Good video , Jon.
It is challenging to hill in a raised bed. Actually what you do is FILLING. If I had to plant potato in raised bed, I woulg dig a hole, about 10" deep, lay down the seed, cover it 2". Then as the vine grows keep putting back the soil that came out of the hole. But this way, you have to have good 8" soil under the seed, for the roots to grow in it. I liked the filling/hilling soil that you use. It is probably expensive but it allows the stolons and tubers to grow with ease. And I have a small comment; I would keep the stems apart and fill between them as much as possible.

Hi Seysonn,

Your description of how you would plant in a raised bed is what I actually do. (video link below ;-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Planting Potatoes in the Garden Bed