Does This Really Make Potatoes Grow Better?

Curious if hilling potatoes really makes a difference? Join us in our experiment to find out if this practice actually helps potatoes grow better! Subscribe to our channel to stay updated on the results.
CHAPTERS
0:15: 🥔 Experiment on potato growth progress and the impact of healing on growth results.
2:55: 🥔 Enhancing potato growth through in-row weed suppression, fertilizer mixing, and side dressing.
5:26: ⚗️ Comparison experiment between healed and not healed potatoes to determine growth impact.
7:43: ⚗️ Experimenting with half doses of fertilizer for potato rows to ensure equal distribution.
10:20: ⚙️ Optimizing soil coverage and growth protocol for potato plants in different settings.
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[@margaret2222]

I can't wait to see the results. I do my potatoes in 5 gallon buckets and I plant them about 6 inches from the bottom and add dirt as they grow. I guess that is the same as hilling.

[@Oldskooltrucker]

I've grown potatoes in just about every way imaginable. Containers, bags, cardboard boxes, under hay, straight into the soil, even made a potato tower one time. If i can hill them, I will, but if I don't, then I don't. I've always had luck any way i do it. Biggest potatoes I've ever harvested were from the potato tower, but it was lined with straw, and filled with straight composted horse and chicken manure from the year before.

[@gidget8717]

I like how lots of people are in the comments saying they grow in grow bags and add dirt as the plant grows BUT then say, "no hilling necessary" 🤦‍♀️ (its the same concept, children. some peoples soil is rocky so its easier to hill up than dig down) 👵🏻

[@CliffWarren]

I am your Idaho connection! Hilling is a good idea because the potatoes grow up from the spot where they were planted. They are not a root, but more like a stem. I’m not sure how much production will be affected, but you could look at how many were affected by sun turning the potatoes green where you don’t hill.

[@DanielTucker-tn2gj]

You and your dad have taught me so much over the last 6 years or so with my potatoes, onions, elephant garlic, and other vegetables. As for hilling, I have always hilled completely over the potato plants when they are a few inches tall. When they bust through the soil again I hill them again when they're about 6" tall. I've never fertilized my tater plots, but rather add the red oak leaf mulch from my yard through the fall and winter and till it in before planting. I recently sold the home where I started gardening and was leery about starting potatoes, onions, and garlic on new ground where I'm building our new house. But based on the current progress of my white potatoes, red potatoes, red onions, sweet onions, elephant garlic, and hardneck garlic, I'm convinced that anyone can grow anything just about anywhere if they just pay attention and put in the effort.

[@sherrylingenfelter8991]

I think it makes a difference if the potatoes are determinate versus interminable. Determinate don’t grow along the stem. Indeterminate do grow along the stem so makes more sense to hill those. Will be a great experiment.

[@davidscarborough713]

This was my understanding as well. Travis, can you tell us whether that variety is determinate or not? I always grow my potatoes in grow bags. I don’t add soil(just fill to the top of the bag) and I’ve grown both types. Production has been fine for both types. I’m not sure you can draw any conclusions from this though. Looking very forward to the results from this experiment but would still like to know which type that cultivar is.

[@Happy2Run4Me]

Good question. I grow my russets in a taller grow bag, plant nearer the bottom and add soil as they grow, finishing with mulch. Those are indeterminate. I grow my Yukon Golds in a more wide, shallow grow bag kind of more in the middle for depth of planting and cover with pine straw. I have had decent production on both though the russets do produce all the way up the stem to the top if they grow in there long enough whereas the Yukons produce more below and laterally out from where I planted them. 🤷🏻‍♀️I’ve never planted my potatoes in ground before so I find this experiment interesting. I’m curious how they’ll do!

[@terryl.9302]

Yes. That and how deep @variety is planted. Det-Cluster types don't need hilling, planted deep enough. If too or shallow planted bcz of soil, hilling will make up for that. Ind wd benefit fr hilling; shd increase yield. Planting Ind in container layers avoids hilling all together. Weight = fertilizer etc; hilling not esp significant imo. Hey, whatever method floats your boat. Try it & prove it to yourself.

[@starfarms664]

This is what I was taught as well

[@michaeltartal2128]

I hill potatoes.

[@marktoldgardengnome4110]

We don't have as big a garden as you, so we're very interested in the results you get. Precious little space doesn't allow for very much experimenting. We did plant Sarpo's last year. 8 in ground and 4 in buckets, with very little difference in lbs yielded per plant. We also spread a heavy mulch layer of straw around them to prevent sun greening on spuds near the surface. It also helped the soil to remain moist. Overall, 1lb of seed potatoes yielded 45+lbs at harvest time. Yeah, we were doing a very happy dance.

[@raginawright1708]

I use grow bags, add dirt as the leaves grow til it reaches the top

[@marcrice2236]

I don't hill my potatoes, but doing so will increase your yield. I would assume that this would mean more for a production operation than a home garden. I just mulch mine with lawn clippings to suppress weeds. Also, here in Indiana, we plant potatoes on Good Friday.

[@j.o.a.t9718]

I have always hilled. Production is greater.

[@bonniemiller4371]

I use fabric grow bags (7 or 15 gallon bags) that are about 12-13 inches deep. I add about 5 inches of soil, then plant 1-3 seed potatoes, then add 5 more inches of soil, then an inch of straw. So I don't hill as they grow because I have already hilled.

[@becky3086]

I have always wondered because every time I have grown potatoes, nothing has ever grown up the stem, all the potatoes were at the bottom of the plant.

[@davidward1259]

We always have grown our potatoes in 12 gallon grow bags. I buy short to mid season varieties, and plant them at about 1/3 to 1/2 the final depth and just fill the bag. Never tried to "hill" them and always just filled the bag. I mix in some triple 13 with micro's added (Micro's are a home grown mix) along with compost at planting time. I will scratch in some Muriate of potash at first sign of green leafs emerging for a potassium boost. I have found that planting too many potato pieces in a grow bag crowds the rooting area and you get a lot of smaller potatoes. I'm just putting 2 seed potatoes or seed cuts per 12 gallon bag now. Not saying this is the right way, but this is what I've been doing. Growing in bags is due to limited garden space, so we work with what we can.

[@tonyajackson8827]

I like seeing your garden experiments, I learn a lot from them!

[@matthewking2209]

Thank you for sacrificing your potatoes for the purpose of learning. Charles D dumps a bucket of compost in the middle of the plant.

[@sproutingemily]

Ooo...I cant wait for the results. Thanks for taking one for the team!

[@Not_So_Weird_in_Austin]

I use grow bags and add dirt and granular fertrlizer to the top of the bags as the growth takes off. I also use a Florida weave for support and mulch the top of my bags for moisture control.

[@miltkarr5109]

My take is that hilling derminates helps just due to better soil aeration loose soil.

[@BustinRootz]

Since I have been watching you I have been hilling my potatoes. I’ll be putting all mine in the ground tomorrow morning

[@brianmartinez3138]

The copper rod comment was 🤣🤣

[@KarlKarsnark]

my taters are well underway also. I need to do some hilling tomorrow. I'm using a mix of mulch and soil in layers. We'll see how it goes. Cheers from N. FL!

[@stevefromthegarden1135]

I have been growing my potatoes in 10 G root pouches. I don't hill the potatoes. I plant the potatoes and fill the bag to the top then call it down until harvest time.

[@tfisher67]

Thank you Travis for doing the experiment. I appreciate your sacrifice! 😊

[@billelrod1779]

Looking forward to the results! Make sure to take into account any potatoes lost to greening. In fact, it would be interesting to know how many of each method were lost to greening…

[@tater357]

I think the best advice I've ever gotten from you is the hilling of tomato plants. I did this last year and found that my tomato plants did better than they ever have. Of course, we all know that this would help by adding root structure to the base of the plant, plus nutrients from the surrounding amended soil. But as a Bonus, I found out that it also causes the soil splatter from a rain to be thrown away from the plant instead of splattering up on the leaves. But then again, it wasn't a true scientific test being done. It could have just been the kind of Tomato plants I had planted. After all, it was a new plant that I've never grown before. If that's the Case, the Hossinators are AWESOME.

[@minime8048]

Although hilling tomatoes does work.. better just to bury them deeper ,so long as you have adequate drainage .The thicker the stem the more tomatoes you will harvest ,providing you grow tomatoes and not leaves

[@theimperfectpantry5936]

It’s my first year to grow potatoes. Your videos are very helpful.

[@mgguygardening]

Great video, and an extra thumbs up for the copper rod comment. Keep up the great work, much appreciated!

[@allantrafford6262]

I’m growing purple Viking and rose gold. Wanted to try Baltic rose but I was later getting seed potatoes than I wanted to be. So I got the early maturing varieties. I’m gonna hill and watch your experiment closely. Great video. Thanks.

[@gardeningsimplified]

I have already experienced the results, when I was to preoccupied, and didn't hill my potatoes one year. I had quite a bit of green potatoes. I didn't throw them out, t saved them for seed for the next crop.

[@barbaraengle768]

It's my 1st year growing potatoes,Im so glad you walked me through it....thank you so much❤, Hazlehurst Georgia

[@adamwulf5369]

Courious to see your results. In my experience hilling only benefit is to keep toe plant upright and no benefit to harvest. Start deep and fill in as they grow, nohilling needed

[@gidget8717]

That's sort of reverse hilling, isn't it? 😆 If your soil is rocky it's easier to hill than dig a deep trench. Either way will work well, I think.

[@2skyland]

I'm just glad you'll have enough potatoes planted after you don't hill some of them. I got some Baltic Rose from Wood Prairie after watching that video interview you did...I'd have gotten more but I had already ordered 6 different types. 😆 This year though. 👍

[@marysurbanchickengarden]

I'm about to hill mine in the grow bags for the last time as the soil is only a few inches from the top. On the other hand I have a different variety that's only a few inches high and I've just hilled them the first time. I also have some planted in January on top of the soil and covered with pine straw , so I'm doing several experiments with potatoes this year.

[@twanabanawna3878]

If you want to HILL in your raised beds that are already FULL of dirt, add about 1' of cardboard around the entire edge of the raised bed and add more soil/straw/whatever. If you think you will need to hill higher, make it higher from the beginning.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Good idea!

[@growingaHome]

Can't wait to hear about the results!

[@cliffpalermo]

Put in about 200 today. Tilled a 4' row. Used a drill auger put them about 4" down and put the surrounding loose soil around in a big hurry for tonight rain. Next week going to mulch in the goat bedding from the winter nice and deep.

[@angelasmith2140]

My tatas are in a tote but I hill as best as I can I think it helps thanks for sharing

[@amyk6028]

I LOVE Gardening experiments!! Thank you for making this very interesting video❤ Can’t wait to see the results 👍🏼 **waiting patiently**

[@singncarpenter6270]

I didn't plant any potatoes this year, but in the past I have hilled them for no other reason than to keep them from turning green. I like growing potatoes, but then I have to eat them and I'm trying to keep the carbs down. That's why I didn't grow them. It's hard to hill them in a raised bed unless you remove soil then refill the bed after they've grown some. Grubs get a lot of the deep potatoes in my garden. I think it might help production slightly, but it's not a game changer IMO.

[@jacmlondon]

From you and your Dad's suggestion a couple of years ago I do heal my potatoes.

[@lindageorgette9174]

I hilled my potatoes last year and I am in SC, and I got more potatoes

[@michaelsims8316]

Minden Louisiana, I've ALWAYS hilled. It has rained a lot. Hilling is not possible right now. I lost three rows of red Irish potatoes to extremely wet ground. I have 2 rows of Golden Yukon that needs dirt. They were planted only about 3 inches deep. I want 6-8 inches of soil around them

[@papawsplace]

5:13 I love it! 🥊😂😂

[@mikecabe6127]

Well Trav I have always believed hilling is best but I guess we'll see. Thanks for the experiment!!!

[@ourfamilygardenmore5051]

well Travis I have a raised bed garden and I always shred my leaves in the fall with a shredder and once I plant my seed potatoes I just add two to three inches of leaf mulch on top. never heal never do anything but fertilize when planting. then about 6 weeks in once they've all come up I do water soluble fertilizer once. 20/20/20... last year out of four pounds of seed potatoes I got 30 lb of actual potatoes

[@DanlowMusic]

I guess i hill. I use 5 gallon buckets and add more soil and mulch when they get above the bucket. I leave about 3-4" from the top to begin with.

[@hacc220able]

Hill - thanks for sharing

[@marthakemp127]

Cool glasses!

[@jenniferwalker9034]

Watching with interest.

[@waynesell3681]

I've hilled and probably will. Haven't ever tried under straw. Thanks

[@gailstewart3994]

I live in NWF; I've heard & learned the "hillling" only makes a difference if you were planting determinate or indeterminate potatoes. And based on my location the hillling never mattered because our grow season is so short due to them dying once the Florida heat humidity hits them. So basically all potatoes we plant become determinate because they don't live long enough to grow potatoes up the stem. Excited to see how your experiment goes. Have heard anything about determinate vs indeterminate potatoes??

[@LazyDogFarm]

I hear about determinate vs indeterminate, but it doesn't really matter down here.

[@gailstewart3994]

Goes along with what I was taught. Was wondering if you experienced any differences since you are a little more north than me. Thanks!!

[@79PoisonBreaker]

I heard potatoes like tomatoes are determinant or indeterminant and like tomatoes the majority of varieties are determinant. The only potato variety I have grown and seen to keep growing and keep putting new potatoes on is the Russian Banana Fingerling potatoes. always best to hill I agree but as for keep hilling I think only the indeterminant varieties should get that treatment.

[@dvrmte]

It would be my guess that Sarpo Mira would be the most likely variety to benefit from hilling. I've seen some long vines on some YT videos. Some say the vines will keep growing long into the season in cooler more northern locations. I'm going to give mine at least 120 days of growth before I kill the vines, if I can keep them disease free that long.

[@dennisryan7500]

We try to hill ours twice. Always thought it increased the yield.

[@dannymeeks3801]

Thanks Travis for the video. Planted my potatoes today, always hill them adding compost. Very windy today. Good Friday. Best to days for below ground crops according to my moon calendar. What about beets? Having trouble with germination 😔

[@LazyDogFarm]

Beets can take a little longer to germinate than most things. I like to treat them like I do carrots -- try to keep the soil moist until they germinate.

[@apiratetew8476]

Hilling and Cooper user right here!!

[@norma9416]

Thanks for this video. New to planting taters so I’m trying to do my research. We shall see 🤞🏻

[@Vote4Pedro211]

Hill, hill, hill!!!

[@sandysmith8567]

I've always hilled them, but interested to see what happens!

[@MynewTennesseeHome]

Do you suppose there might be a soil temp difference between the in ground and raised beds? I'll be interested to see the results of your experiment.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Could be. But I think it's mainly the initial fertility that was more available for the raised beds.

[@MynewTennesseeHome]

@@LazyDogFarm OBTW, my multiplying onions I got from you have done great and even overwintered in the ground but they're going to seed now... What should I do?

[@LazyDogFarm]

Video coming tomorrow night on that very subject. Right on time! lol

[@robertdixon6536]

It don't matter if you plant deep in loose light soils. You will also need less fertilizer

[@Angela_Alaimo]

Travis, you are way too kind to the crabby patties. Don't ou watch college basketball, aka March Madness? 😄

[@maddigger0074]

I've always hill my potatoes. If I didn't, the wind would break them in half. Right now my potatoes are over two foot tall.

[@ShaynaMarieB]

The non-hill row is going to need a mulch of some sort....straw or leaves

[@genevabrown450]

I do it so I don't get any green taters, keeps the sun off.

[@marycochran-mm6hy]

How often do you hill?

[@LazyDogFarm]

Just twice usually.

[@wisdomandthewoods7422]

Hey Travis, this is off topic but what kind of cover crop (chicken food) plot would you suggest if I were planting now in south GA? Thank you sir.

[@LazyDogFarm]

I'd wait a few weeks til it warmed a little more and plant Laredo soybeans or some type of field peas.

[@wisdomandthewoods7422]

Thank you brother. You are top notch.

[@zmblion]

Im going to be planting my taters in the next few days. About a month out from the last frost but the weather is looking good everything else is waking up

[@larryfleming2584]

Always hill my potatoes

[@anthonycoffee7683]

Please explain the difference between determinate and indeterminate potatoes while you are at it. I want to tell the difference between them.

[@juliabrantley3336]

Hillem

[@cynthiaj4863]

Growing this year in 25lb grow bags 😊

[@debmattosky3021]

I’m doing grow bags for the first time this year!

[@rickpoteet371]

Is there a way to email you a pic with a question??

[@LazyDogFarm]

Sure. [e-mail]

[@EventHorizon34]

I think you should hill potatoes. It always seems to make a difference.

[@johndavis2011]

Hill but never seen anyone hill after planting

[@waynespringer501]

Anti-heel AND Anti Copper Wire here! Pretty sure you've already done this comparison in a previous video a year or so back

[@LazyDogFarm]

Did we? I know we did the straw vs. soil experiment and the whole tater vs cut tater experiment. But don't recall doing hilling vs. not. So many videos I forget. lol Either way, this one should be better because they're in one of my most fertile plots.

[@waynespringer501]

@@LazyDogFarm Probably right it was the straw vs no straw or cut vs not cut now that I think about it.

[@not1moreinch332]

I'm one of those "conspiracy theorist" even thou I believe the copper rod is hog wash. Lol. I plant mine 6-8" deep and don't hill. Mainly cause I travel for my job so all my gardening techniques are plant it and forget it. At least as much as possible. I always get 10-12 pounds of potatoes per every pound of seed. Last year I was home more often so I hilled half mine. I really didn't notice a difference. My hilled tators got 12 pounds per pond of seed so I was on the high side of my average. Good thing about gardening is it is not one size fits all.

[@deliaquested7123]

Hill here!

[@amyschultz8058]

We've always hilled our potatoes too.

[@cherylbertolini3140]

Always hill

[@clinthutcheson2640]

Always hill at least twice.

[@AnenLaylle7023]

Determinate potatoes don't require hilling, indeterminate hilling is recommended. Never seen any of these good old boys mention that potatoes are either determinate or indeterminate. I only grow determinate potatoes, because hilling is just too annoying. I can just grow extra determinate potatoes to get the same yield.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Determinate vs indeterminate is irrelevant down here. Our heat doesn’t allow potatoes to grow indeterminately. Some varieties do mature later than others, but it’s usually only a couple weeks difference.

[@AnenLaylle7023]

@@LazyDogFarmOk. Then what is the point of hilling? If the heat forces the crop to terminate, the advantages of hilling should be minimal. Do determinate potatoes even produce potatoes on the stem if hilled?

[@minime8048]

hilling .. compost, straw ,grass clippings. Everyone knows you cant grow food in a compacted garden.. Rain and over watering is a compaction issue . Grow accordingly

[@haroldblake1196]

I hill

[@user-jq9vb5sy8m]

Always hill potatoes.

[@briankubik5041]

Think I am going to grow in garbage bags this year. Seen Garden Like A Viking do it makes since potatoes grow upwards set potatoes deep in bag of loose ground up leafs. If it works for Ruth Stout with hay/straw it should with leafs and it does also I Am Organic gardener did with boxes and leafs. Less hassle without having to dig the ground.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Think about this ... What has more nutrients? Good soil/compost or hay/straw/leaves?

[@briankubik5041]

@@LazyDogFarmthey did put compost on top of the potatoes but used leafs/leaf mold. I think the main thing is fungi to bacteria. Only thing is a plus is just dumping the bag in the back of my garden tractor to spread out the dirt later

[@Northstar7733]

You should have the same number of plants per half row. Shouldn't just cut the row in half.

[@LazyDogFarm]

There might be some slight variance on # of plants on each side of the line. But that's why I said we'll look to see if there are 'significant' differences in weight. A few pounds difference won't be conclusive.

[@Gotpaintinmyhair]

But if you don't ''earth them up'' as we call it over this side of the pond, you get loads of surface potatoes that are green and not edible as they are poisonous..........

[@summerbeemeadow]

Indeterminate potatoes will benefit from deeper initial planting and later hilling. determinate potatoes will not benefit from deeper initial planting or later hilling.

[@marysurbanchickengarden]

In the south it's not going to make much of a difference because the heat and humidity are going to take out both.

[@welchfarmnc]

I hill my potato’s

[@paulwilson6511]

People, I am going to come out as against growing potatoes in raised beds and bags. There is just too much extra work to build a raised bed, fill it with soil and then re-cultivate it each year by hand versus a nice big rotiller on flat ground. And for bags, well each year, you have to fill the bags, keep them extra watered and then dump all the contents out each year. And, have you ever seen a cross-section view of potatoes growing? Well, the first thing they do is shoot out the tiny roots 3 feet sideways and 5 feet deep. I mean they use up a huge volume and they do the tiny roots within days of planting. The bigger roots come next and they go down 3 feet or so and as much sideways again. How is the potato plant going to grow normally in a limited bag or a raised bed. Why not just use the level garden ground where everything can happen according to the way the potato wants to grow and it is easier to water, fertilize, plant, hill, dig up etc. It is just so much less work. Only to have more potatoes in each hill let's say. Less crazy work, more natural conditions for the potato and more production. It is a slam dunk which way is better.