Question
My daughter brought home a 4-pack of yellow bell peppers to plant. There's a reference to planting them in "hill". I have grown tomatoes and a few carrots and herbs, nothing with a "hill".  Can you tell me what I need to do to prepare the soil and what is the point of this "hill"?  These have been waiting to be planted for months now, it's summer already. Help!

Answer
Dear Louis:

"Hilling" is a method of planting various vegetables in the garden.  Crops such as summer squash, cantaloupes, and peppers  among others should be planted in hills.  The method is simply piling soil approximately 6 to 10 inches higher than the adjacent level ground and forming the hill shaped similar to a  an inverted cooking pot.  The hill allows the plant to form a vigorous root system early in its life.  This results in faster growth for the plant and early production of vegetables.

Sincerely,

Mack Jean
AllExperts
Master Gardener
Tennessee