Planting, Cultivating, and Hilling Potatoes

Potatoes are one of those crops that feel deeply rooted in tradition—no pun intended. Every spring, when we start working our potato rows, I’m reminded of how satisfying it is to grow something so simple, so loved, and so dependable. But like most things on the farm, growing good potatoes takes intention, timing, and a bit of extra care along the way.

Planting: Setting the Stage Underground

We start with seed potatoes, cutting them into chunks with one or two good eyes each. After giving them a little time to callus over, we plant them in rows, spacing them so the plants have room to spread and produce. What happens next is mostly invisible: sprouts form underground, roots push out, and the plant begins its steady climb toward the surface.
Even though we can’t see it yet, this early stage sets the tone for the entire crop.

Cultivating: Keeping the Rows Clean and Aerated

As the potato plants grow, weeds love to move in right alongside them. Cultivating is our chance to stay ahead of that. Whether we’re using tools or doing a bit of hand work, the goal is the same: break up the soil, keep it loose, and clear out weeds before they get too comfortable.
Cultivation also improves airflow around the plants and helps the soil dry and warm between rains—two things potatoes appreciate more than you’d think.

Hilling: The Secret to a Better Harvest

Once the plants get about 6–8 inches tall, we begin hilling. This is one of the most important steps in the whole process. We pull soil up around the base of each plant, creating a small mound. As the plants keep growing, we repeat the process, building the hill a little higher each time.

Why do we do it? Because potatoes grow along the buried stem. The more soil we pile up, the more protected space there is for the tubers to form. Hilling keeps them out of the sun (preventing greening), protects them from pests, and ultimately increases the yield.

The Reward at the End

Growing potatoes is a great example of how small, consistent tasks add up to something wonderful. Planting gets things started, cultivating keeps the plants healthy, and hilling gives them the structure they need to thrive.

And there’s nothing quite like digging into a mound of soft soil months later and uncovering a pile of beautiful potatoes—proof that the effort was well worth it.

At Full Circle Farms, we love sharing not just the harvest but the process that makes it possible. Potatoes may be humble, but they remind us every season how satisfying it is to nurture something from start to finish.