Gardentalk – Hilling potatoes

Close up view of potato seedlings growing in a North Douglas garden.
Close-up view of potato seedlings growing in a North Douglas garden. (Photo by Matt Miller/KTOO)

In this week’s edition of Gardentalk, Master Gardener Ed Buyarski describes how to mound loose, well-drained soil around your potato plants as they grow.

“If we bring soil in around the plants — once when they get up three or four inches tall — then there is the potential for more potatoes to be formed,” Buyarski said.

The lower leaves can be covered, but the tops of the plants should be left exposed. Repeat the hilling process every few weeks or as the potato plants grow another 4 inches.

Buyarski advises gardeners to use horticultural fabric to loosely cover turnips, rutabaga and broccoli and protect them from flies that will lay eggs for the cabbage root maggot.

Another pest, the European currant worm, may be emerging soon and targeting currants and gooseberries. Common eradication methods include squishing the little green-and-black caterpillars or spraying them with a dishwasher soap solution every four days.

Also, it’s not too late to plant vegetables.

Buyarski said planting season for some vegetables continues into June and early July.

Listen to the June 7 Gardentalk segment about potato hilling and emerging pests:

Gardentalk is a weekly feature that usually airs every Thursday morning on KTOO’s Morning Edition program.

You can find out more about planting potatoes during a Gardentalk segment that aired in May.

You can sign up for the podcast or ask your own question for gardening help by going to the Gardentalk archive page.

Sign up for The Signal

Top Alaska stories delivered to your inbox every week

Site notifications
Update notification options
Subscribe to notifications