Garden question: To hill or not to hill

[Ramon]

So I am working on my garden and pretty much hilled the larger portion of it and planted everything in hills. Now I am wondering if that is the wisest thing, since hilling might reduce the amount of moisture available for seeds that need to germinate. For example, should I have done corn in hills or not. I am working with a Farmall 100 tractor. Also, do folks just use the tire tracks to mark rows for a small garden. I just cultivated for the first time last week and I know it was supposed to be shallow cultivating but when I looked at the garden, it was hard to tell what was a planted row versus a furrow created by my cultivating...OOPS ;-)

 

[EastTexFrank]

It's a matter of personal preference whether to hill or not but generally speaking hills do need more water because the drainage is better and the root zone tends to dry out faster.

I've never planted corn on hills because it usually does better when planted in blocks rather than rows.

After tilling and to mark out the rows, I drive a stake at either end and stretch a string betweem them to mark the row. I leave the stakes in place until the seeds have germinated. That way you can look down the line and eye-ball it as to where your row is but I have used the lines left by the tiller as a planting guide.

 

[burnetma]

Question about corn. What do you mean by planting in blocks? Just trying to learn something here...

Thanks!

 

[MMM]

Hilling has more to do with individual plant species and soil type than preference. Many are succdeptable to root rot (corn). If you get ample rain (in the East I would think so) hills are actually preferred. Blocks around me are still hilled. The block is planted for germination. Better to have 6 or 8 short rows than 2 long ones. Wide beds double sown is a good choice for poor moisture also.