Yukon Gold potatoes, one of my personal favorites, are an early variety of potatoes. They have a beautiful golden skin and a creamy yellow flesh that is perfect for mashing, roasting, or baking. Now, when it comes to hilling these potatoes, it’s important to understand their growth habit.
Yukon Gold potatoes are a determinate type, which means that their growth is limited. Unlike indeterminate varieties that continue to grow and produce tubers throughout the growing season, determinate types like Yukon Gold only produce one set of tubers at the base of the plant.
So, do Yukon Gold potatoes need to be hilled? Well, the short answer is no. Unlike other potato varieties that benefit from regular hilling to encourage more tuber formation, hilling up Yukon Gold potatoes throughout the summer won’t result in additional tubers higher up on the plant.
However, there are a few reasons why some gardeners still choose to hill up their Yukon Gold potatoes. First, hilling can help control weeds by burying them under soil. This can reduce competition for nutrients and water, allowing the potatoes to grow more efficiently.
Hilling also provides a way to protect the developing tubers from exposure to sunlight. When potatoes are exposed to light, they can turn green and produce a toxic compound called solanine. Hilling up the soil around the base of the plant helps prevent sunlight from reaching the tubers, reducing the risk of greening and improving their quality.
Another reason to consider hilling is to provide added support to the plants. As the potato plants grow taller, they can become top-heavy and prone to falling over. By hilling up the soil around the base of the plants, you create a more stable structure that helps keep them upright.
Now, if you decide to hill up your Yukon Gold potatoes, here’s how you can do it. Start by planting your potatoes in well-draining soil and provide them with regular watering. As the plants grow, you can begin hilling them up when they reach a height of about 6-8 inches.
To hill the potatoes, simply mound up soil around the base of the plants, covering the lower stems and lower leaves. Be careful not to bury the entire plant, as the leaves need to be exposed to sunlight for photosynthesis. Leave a few inches of the upper foliage uncovered.
Throughout the summer, you can continue to hill up the potatoes every few weeks, gradually building up the soil around the base of the plants. This will help control weeds, protect the tubers from sunlight, and provide additional support to the plants.
While Yukon Gold potatoes are a determinate type and don’t necessarily require hilling for increased tuber production, there are still some benefits to hilling them up. It can help control weeds, protect the tubers from sunlight, and provide support to the plants. Ultimately, the decision to hill or not will depend on your specific gardening goals and preferences. Happy gardening!
