# How large is a hill?



## Show-me (Aug 3, 2007)

Large enough to provide some drainage, I usually make mine 6 to 12 inches tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. That is probably overkill.


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## Bodo (Mar 11, 2008)

Thanks for the reply

I'm using raised beds, do I still need to hill?


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## dragonfly (Jun 18, 2002)

I don't plant squash on "hills" here, because in this climate, moisture retention is a good thing. I plant them in "bunches" of three plants, with a ring around them to keep water limited to their area. I plant my bunches about 5 or 6 feet from each other. Squash plants get much larger than you might anticipate. 

Keep an eye out for squash bugs (the bane of my gardening experience). Squash vine borers are also deadly to squash, but not as common in my experience.


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## MapMan (May 24, 2007)

I've grown squash commercially, and we never "hilled" squash. But, for family gardens, to make a squash hill, dig a hole about one foot across and one foot deep, and fill it half full of compost or manure/peatmoss mixture. Mix it into the soil and form it into a small mound, about 2 inches high.

Plant four to five seeds one-half to one inch deep, 4-6" apart in a ring on top of the mound. When the seedlings are 2-3" tall, thin them to the two or three strongest plants per hill. (If you don't thin them, you'd end up with lots of foliage, but no squash.) Water the hill thoroughly after planting and keep well watered. I sometimes sink a clay flowerpot into the middle of the ring, and fill the clay flowerpot with weak "manure tea" until the plants get a good start.


MM


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## berkshire bee (Jan 28, 2007)

hill is really just a term they use. I used to actually mound up the dirt, but it isn't necessary.


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## rw3212 (Apr 8, 2008)

*a hill is*



berkshire bee said:


> hill is really just a term they use. I used to actually mound up the dirt, but it isn't necessary.


I have to agree here. IMO "hill" is an old term that basically means to plant a grouping of seeds as compared to a row of seeds. As mentioned, the oldtimers would plant 4-6 seed hills and thin them after they start growing. The key is the spacing between "hills" the farther the better within reason.


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## MapMan (May 24, 2007)

No, I disagree. A "hill" is elevated because it has a warmer soil and better drainage than planting in rows. The concurbits (squash, etc.) are warm-soil germinated, and benefit in a hill system. The seeds are also prone to rot if in a cold, damp environment. Hence the hilling of these species.

MM


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## JBJ (Jan 27, 2005)

*A hill of beans...squash and corn*

We have experimented with small hill plots of the "three sisters" companion planted and have had good luck. Timing is essential so the so the beans get up above the squash. Done right, the squash will shade the soil and help out-compete weeds and the beans will climb the corn.


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## rw3212 (Apr 8, 2008)

*raised bed*

does not the raised bed system he is using constitute the hill you are speaking of?


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## Bodo (Mar 11, 2008)

JBJ said:


> We have experimented with small hill plots of the "three sisters" companion planted and have had good luck. Timing is essential so the so the beans get up above the squash. Done right, the squash will shade the soil and help out-compete weeds and the beans will climb the corn.


I've seen the three sister's thing done on TV. Any advice on timing?


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## Bodo (Mar 11, 2008)

Thanks ya'll. Seeds are going into the ground this weekend. Very excited!


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## dragonfly (Jun 18, 2002)

Bodo said:


> Seeds are going into the ground this weekend. Very excited!


I got my squash and cuke seeds in the ground today.

My tomato seedlings are making pitiful progress though. I may end up having to buy plants to transplants. That's not really a problem, but I grow several heirloom varieties, and you can't usually buy those at the nursery.


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## Bodo (Mar 11, 2008)

dragonfly said:


> I got my squash and cuke seeds in the ground today.


Braggart!


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## dragonfly (Jun 18, 2002)

Bodo said:


> Braggart!


Just ribbing you

Btw, what USDA zone are you guys in?


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## Bodo (Mar 11, 2008)

8b, according to the map.


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## dragonfly (Jun 18, 2002)

Heck Bodo, you better get moving on that garden!

What all are you going to plant?


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## Bodo (Mar 11, 2008)

We started seeds over a month ago indoors:

*Peppers:*
Emerlad Giant
Charleston Belle

*Tomato:*
Beefsteak
Cherokee Purple
Flame (Hillbilly)

I've got the beds prepared for all the other stuff. The squash in question is an Orange Cushaw. Also, planting snap peas and we're going to try cukes again this year. They kind of 'melted' last year.


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## dragonfly (Jun 18, 2002)

Sounds like a good list. Cukes have difficulty here due to the heat and disease, but I've had good results with "Tasty Green" variety, and there's a variety called "Armenian" (I think that's the name of it), which is actually a squash, but tastes like a cucumber, and they are very robust plants. 
I bought a Beefssteak tomato plant today- have never tried growing them, and a couple of Super Fantastics (which do well in this area). I'm hoping that my tomato seedlings do well enough for me to plant this year. I have Cherokee Purple, Aunt Ruby's German Green, Green Zebra, Ramapo (new one to me), and Amish Paste. They are looking pretty pitiful for some reason.


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## Daisy Kindle (Mar 19, 2009)

rw3212 said:


> does not the raised bed system he is using constitute the hill you are speaking of?


You are correct. If you are using raised beds, additional 'hilling' is not necessary. 

Have fun!


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## Hobie (Jun 1, 2006)

With some squash varieties (butternut, for one), the "hill" part is minor. What you need to account for is the acreage of sprawl that take over your yard!


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## btr568 (Oct 7, 2007)

Squish,cukes,maters,watermelons will grow in a 5 gallon bucket,just hang the bucket about 5 foot high off the ground.Sweet taters and regular taters you plant inside old car tires,wind up stacking 5 tires high.How you do them is put dirt/mulch in the first tire,plant you tater plant in the center,after the top of the plant is about 18 inches taller tahn the tire,put a new tire on,put in more dirt/mulch.When the plant is again 18 inches,add another tire.When it's time to harvest,just turn the tires over.No digging


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## bobbees (Mar 14, 2009)

Bodo,

Big thing with squash is you don't want them laying in water, it will rot. If you have good drainage just put some straw under the plants to help retain moisture in the ground and keep the squash clean.


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## Hobie (Jun 1, 2006)

I put scrap wood under each squash to discourage rot, but obviously I only have a few plants.


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## Bodo (Mar 11, 2008)

Thanks for the advice ya'll. Looks like we're going to get rained out this weekend. If the weather will hold off for an hour or so, I'll get everything in the ground!


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## Natalie (Jan 14, 2009)

If you are planting squash in a raised bed be prepared to have them climb out of the beds and spread along the ground below.
I have had it happen with squash and watermelon.
This year I may still put some squash in the raised beds as well as on the ground but I am going to trellis them so that they grow up and not spread out around the ground.
Its not such a big deal only that its a waste of space in a raised bed, they don't stay in it so you may as well plant them in the ground and free up the space the vines are using in the bed or trellis them.


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