In agriculture and horticulture, hilling, earthing up, or ridging is the practice of piling soil up around the base of a plant. It can be done by hand (most commonly with a hoe) or with powered machinery (most commonly a tractor attachment). Hilling buries the plant’s normally above-ground parts, fostering the desired development. This may accelerate the formation of new tubers (as with potatoes), drive the plant to produce longer stems (as with leeks), or maintain the stems or shoots pale and soft for various crops (chicory, leeks, asparagus, and so on). Hilling can also be used to stabilise the stems of crops that are susceptible to wind damage.
What is earthing up/hilling/ridging ?
