Potato hilling .

[Ivanhoe]

I now have my potatoes growing well after our recent rain .
My question is i have already hilled up my spuds once but now there is a hood amount of stem showing should I hill ip again ? .
Potato's are Pentland Javelins and Wilja .
A quick question cleared a area around size of a pallet that was a compost heap ground level still has old compost on any idea's what to plant there

 

[Purple Marauder]

As for your potato question, yes you should continue hilling them as the plants continue to grow taller. You will probably have to do this several times throughout the season.

 

[headfullofbees]

If the tops of your hills are more than 10" (25cm) above the depth at which you planted your potatoes, don't bother.
Note, although Pentland Javelin are 1st earlies, they take a fortnight longer to mature than most. (Don't worry if you leave them in the ground a little too long, in fact, they'll bulk up.)
15 weeks should be enough, unless you live in Northern Scotland.
Don't lift Pentland Javelin much before you intend to use them, as they don't keep at their best more than two weeks.
I'm growing two of their sisters: Pentland Dell & Pentland Crown
Wilja 2nd early, so not far behind PJ. Excellent boiling potato, but good all-rounder.

Both are determinate, so if your hills are a decent height they'll cover all your potatoes.

 

[Durgan]

New potato tubers grow ABOVE the seed potato in about a foot diameter. They do not emanate from the main stem.The purpose of hilling is to insure the new potatoes do not get exposed to light. I do minimum hilling and periodically the new potato may push through. I simply cover with a bit of soil. I am also of the opinion that the greenery should not be covered with earth. It may make a difference. What I am postulating is high hilling may be unnecessary and possibly reduces growth somewhat.


22 May 2016 Hilling potatoes
Posted on May 22, 2016 by Durgan
http://durgan.org/2016/May 2016/22 May 2016 Hilling potatoes/HTML/ 22 May 2016 Hilling potatoes
Three rows (18) of Pontiac Red potatoes were large enough to hill. The soil along the row was hilled around the plant. The hollow made was filled with compost. The bed was then heavily mulched with wood chips to retain moisture.
Hilling is to keep the new potatoes covered to prevent formation of solanine formed by reaction with light. The compost adds a few nutrients. The mulch inhibit water evaporation from Sun. Expectation is four pounds minimum from each plant. The seed potato is marked to facilitate watering if needed, also digging since all vegetation is gone at harvest.