Earthing Up

EARTHING-UP - Hilling or heaping soil around the roots of plants. The purpose may be to increase root-hold, as with corn; to cover the tubers of potatoes to prevent sun scorch and to give drainage between the rows in heavy soil ; to bleach the stalks of celery, or to protect half-hardy plants in winter. Fig trees and European varieties of grape grown in the North are sometimes laid flat and completely covered with a mound of soil in autumn. Some vigorous but tender shrubs and perennials also winter more safely when earthed-up, but this must be done with caution in poorly drained, heavy soils.

An all too common garden practice is to hill or earth-up the soil around specimen shrubs and, especially, along hedges, the theory being that it “looks well.” Actually this is definitely harmful, as the mound or ridge of soil in time becomes full of fine feeding roots which are necessarily close to the surface. When droughts occur, these roots cannot get moisture and if the sun is strong they may be actually “cooked,” seriously injuring the plant.

Related Articles

• Acanthus - Bears Breech - ACANTHUS (ah-kan’-thus). Bears breech. Perennial herbs or thistle-like small shrubs of the Old World about 3 ft. tall, with leaves from 12 to 24 in. long and 6 to 12 in. wide, and whitish, rose; or lilac flowers borne on spikes 18 in. long. They are semi-hardy, do best in rich, yell-drained soil and full
• Halesia - HALESIA (hay-lee’-zih-ah) - Silverbell; Snowdrop-tree. Deciduous trees or large shrubs of North America, valued for their handsome, drooping, bell-shaped, white flowers in early spring. They thrive in any well-drained soil, and in the North appreciate a sheltered position. They are propagated by seed, best sown in the fall; also by layers and root-cuttings. Halesia carolina is